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Songs of a Macedonian Gypsy

Esma Redžepova and Usnija Jašarova
Songs of a Macedonian Gypsy

The Romani people developed a unique style of music over many centuries of migration, picking up and transforming elements from a wide range of countries and cultures. This is apparent in Songs of a Macedonian Gypsy (CD Version), in which two female singers, some instrumentalists, and occasionally two male singers perform Gypsy folk songs and dances from Macedonia. The music borrows from Middle Eastern, Turkish, and European styles (to name a few) as singers convey themes of love, marriage, and sorrow in a Romani language as well as in Macedonian. This is the reissue of MON00496, which includes additional tracks but is missing one track, “Sikou Horespe Mazi Mou (Get Up and Dance).”

*Content Advisory: While some Roma have and continue to use “Gypsy” as a self-identifier, many consider the term offensive or a racial slur. Romani people are a minoritized ethnic group in Europe who have been persecuted for centuries, and the term “Gypsy” has been used in violent and racist ways. For more information, see these resources from the European Roma Rights Centre, RomArchive, and Amnesty International.
- Anna Kate Cannon, 2021–22 Dumbarton Oaks Fellow at SFR, and Dr. Adriana Helbig, professor of Music at the University of Pittsburgh, contributed to the research and writing for this statement.
For our policy on controversial recordings, please see our Frequently Asked Questions page.

Track Listing

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101
Esma Redžepova, The Steve Teodosievski Ensemble
01:55
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102
Esma Redžepova, The Steve Teodosievski Ensemble
03:02
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103
Esma Redžepova, The Steve Teodosievski Ensemble
03:25
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104
The Steve Teodosievski Ensemble
02:34
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105
Esma Redžepova, The Steve Teodosievski Ensemble
02:54
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106
Esma Redžepova, The Steve Teodosievski Ensemble
03:24
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107
The Urosević Ensemble
03:29
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108
Esma Redžepova, The Steve Teodosievski Ensemble
04:12
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109
Esma Redžepova, The Steve Teodosievski Ensemble
03:19
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110
The Steve Teodosievski Ensemble
03:54
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111
Usnija Jašarova, The Nasko Džorlev Ensemble
04:13
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112
Usnija Jašarova, The Nasko Džorlev Ensemble
03:30
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113
Esma Redžepova, The Steve Teodosievski Ensemble
03:00
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114
Esma Redžepova, The Steve Teodosievski Ensemble
02:22
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115
Esma Redžepova, The Steve Teodosievski Ensemble
02:32
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116
Dimitar Dusev, Žika Nikolić, The Nasko Džorlev Ensemble
02:24
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117
Esma Redžepova, The Steve Teodosievski Ensemble
03:09
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118
Slavica Pavlović, Jovanka Ivanovska, The Nasko Džorlev Ensemble
02:59
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119
Usnija Jašarova, The Nasko Džorlev Ensemble
02:21
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120
Usnija Jašarova, The Nasko Džorlev Ensemble
02:01
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121
Esma Redžepova, The Steve Teodosievski Ensemble
02:32