Where to find sheet music arrangements for small brass band, Balkan or otherwise, annotated, March 19th 2024

I returned to Maine in 2022 and decided to reformulate the Huddled Masses Orchestra from scratch, as a band playing Serbian brass band music. Yes, Serbian brass is a “thing,” and if you haven’t experienced it, your life is incomplete.

How to get sheet music

There have been a few challenges, but early on one challenge was how to get music. I queried an email listserve that focuses on east European folk music, and the responses were summed up quite succinctly: “Don’t bother with sheet music, just listen a lot and learn the tunes by ear.”

Yessir, its a great idea. But in reality? Pigs will fly before I can gather ten players and get everyone lined up on the playing-by-ear part.

“The Diving Pig” by Michael Sowa. Famous painting. This could reasonably happen in Northern New England, where skinnydipping is a summer pleasure. But I don’t see wings. Hmmm… I know they are unlikely to fly but to tell the truth I do not know for sure that they can swim.

In the internet archives there is a nice little discussion as to this specific category of quest, located at Trumpet Herald. The thread echoes the idea of learning to play by ear. Got it.

Brass bands as an expression of non-Western culture

A big question you may have not even considered, is Why Serbia? Why Brass? How did these bands get here? It is answered quite well in the review of two CDs from 1993 Frozen Brass 1 &2. The collector of the Frozen Brass CDs was a University faculty from Amsterdam, the late Rob Boonzajer Flaes. He also produced a book titled: Brass Unbound: Secret Children of the Colonial Brass Band. The blurb at the Amazon site sums up the premise better than I ever could. One-word answer: Colonialism.

Lead Sheets? WYSIWYP?????

I knew the sheet music for brass band had to be out there, even if it was only lead sheets. (A lead sheet is a stripped down cheat sheet for a tune, usually the melody with chords written out and maybe a base line). What I wanted was individual parts – one for tuba, one for clarinet, one for trumpet,etc – each written in the key that fits the ensemble. No transposition, and what-you-see-is-what-you-play (“WYSIWYP”).

“Activist Street Band” repertoire

You can get full band arrangements like the ones you read in high school, from the same publishers that developed them when they were produced on a printing press. These can be expensive. The idea is to find free or low cost arrangements. In many cases, the tunes are ones that do not have copyright issues. To make a long story short, ultimately the best source of WYSIWYP arrangements in USA is to be found at a variety of sites operated by Activist street bands. If you really feel compelled to play out, explore the Honk Fest site that tells you more about this type of band. In Maine, The Ideal Maine Band Social Aid and Sanctuary Band is included in the Honk Fest Roster. They rehearse every Tuesday in Portland. They don’t play Serbian music, they are more of an all-purpose street band.

List of sites

The first one I found was: the Brass Liberation Orchestra. http://brassliberation.org/sheetmusic.php Here are some of the Balkan Crown Jewels of small brass bands: Bubamara, Misirlou, Djelem Djelem, and Ederlezi. They exemplify an easy format, in which there is one lead sheet for each key and/or clef, often a harmony, and also a “tenor” part- the backbeat scheme. Hot Tip: be sure to download the back beat pages so the back beat chore is equally shared by anybody not actually on the melody.

BLO also includes many tunes from the Spanish-speaking, Jazz, spiritual and N’Owlins traditions.

Rude Mechanical Orchestra

The place where Mesecina is to be found – this is a beloved gem and the arrangement is gorgeous. RMO houses about fifty other tunes including a set of “riffs” which look like fun. (we haven’t gotten around to playing those.) For many tunes, a MIDI file accompanies the sheet music.

https://rudemechanicalorchestra.org/songs-we-play/learn-first

Balkanarama This is a Seattle-based group. They have a wonderful gaggle of lead sheets including many Romani tunes that I love. The HMO has not learned any yet – we are still digesting the WYSIWYP tunes.

https://balkanarama.com/category/balkan-sheet-music

Chaotic Insurrection Ensemble of Montreal. Lots of free music here and generally written out in WYSIWYP. Quebecois protest music.

https://chaoticinsurrectionensemble.org/en/music.html

Society of Folk Dance Historians This is not primarily a sheet music site, but they do include links to one of my favorite sources – the late Richard Geisler. Way back in the 1990s when I started trying to play folk music live as opposed to dancing along to 45 rpm records, Geisler had the most accessible collections of folk dance tunes around. He had the nicest calligraphy ever. The SFDH is now the repository of his books and they can be downloaded in their entirety.

https://sfdh.us/encyclopedia/geisler_r.html

Fanfare Zebaliz

Partoches

Yes, the Zebaliz site is in French. They also use the French names for the tunes, which can be a puzzlement. For example, Le Temps De Fleurs is what we know as “Those Were The Days.”

Music of Ukraine In 2023, The Huddled Masses teamed up with the Maine Balkan Choir to produce a series of charity concerts for Ukraine. The program was cobbled together via a group scavenger hunt. Among other sources, a band member wrote out some of the lead sheets by listening to a recording since written music was not available. The program was mostly classic Slavic harmony from a 55-member choir with the band as backup, and the recording is available on YouTube. We will send the music to any choir that requests it.

Along the way, I found the Facebook page of Vadim Dachevsky who lives in Kiev. He plays Bayan and serves as arranger for a folklorical dance group there. He has transcribed many Ukraine pop and folk tunes. Browse them below. They are generally for piano and voice, but I contacted him directly and asked if he would arrange some for our ensemble. He produced wonderful music and his fee was reasonable.

https://www.youtube.com/@sheetmusicarrangement3508

https://www.facebook.com/groups/499271898592291

Riff Raff Orchestra Australia. They do not have as many protest songs, but there are some funk gems in there and a few disco tunes (!)

http://riffraff.org.au/music/

Lebanon This is a recent find, propelled by current events. I suppose people don’t think of Arabic music as being connected to Serbian music but these regions were each subjects of the Ottoman Empire for hundreds of years, and parallel strands run through each. Also, people think of Arabic music as a string ensemble featuring oud and guitar with dumbeq. There is, however, a robust worldwide tradition of brass band music since the days of empire (a factor that led to the worldwide spread of brass music. Brass bands were a tool of the colonizer (also known as the oppressor).

Having said that, through a serendipitous process I found a YouTube site owned by a musician from Sidon, Lebanon. I had heard the tune “Leve Palestina” when it was used as the background in a tik tok video, and decided to find it. Mr. Ahmad Hably, the arranger, also happens to be a leader in the Lebanese Scouts. He has amassed a treasure trove of about 700 arrangements. These include the national anthems of Arab and African Countries, Operatic tunes, military marches from many traditions, love songs, and music to accompany Middle Eastern Dance. He will send you the arrangements in WYSIWYP format if you request ( i.e., free of charge). I was dazzled by the selection.

The big challenge for me is that I do not read or speak Arabic. I may want to play less than dozen; but this involves sorting through all 700 tunes. It’s tedious, even with the aid of Google Translate. I have contacted various Arabic speakers to ask for help and guidance.

https://www.youtube.com/@BrassBandSheetMusic

What Have I Missed?

This blog entry was focused on WYSIWYP music. There are many sites that only publish lead sheets, or which publish tunes for ensembles other than brass. I left those off on purpose. There are some wonderful Dixieland sites and Klezmer sites. For that matter, when I lived in Nepal I was friends with a wedding band in Kathmandu. I am not going to cover any of those, they are beyond my pay grade (though I was once the leader of the only Dixieland Band in the state of Hawaii). There are many other sites out there I haven’t found. (The “known unknowns” as Donald Rumsfeld would say).

If you know of a site that should be added, please send the link.

March 9th, 2024 The Huddled Masses Orchestra plays “Occasional Music”

Definition

First off, what is the definition of “occasional’?

Webster’s dictionary has the answer!

To paraphrase, it can mean “Intermittent or randomly happening”. Most people associate the word with that idea. On the Other Hand, it also can mean “associated with a specific occasion or event.” This second definition is the one The Huddled Masses think of when we describe one of our musical sidelines.

Ukraine

In 2023 we collaborated with the Maine Balkan Choir and the state’s Ukrainian community to present some charity concerts of Ukrainian music. The first step was to decide which songs to sing. Maybe you think this was simple, but we have an internal standard to apply – it’s got to be something that applies to the situation (suffering and sacrifice along with courage and hope); that a typical Ukrainian would know. Also, we wanted to sing the tunes in the manner of a Ukrainian choir, which meant we would meticulously prepare to pronounce without an American Accent (and not even a Maine accent!). In early winter 2023 I embarked on a self-directed study of Ukrainian music to accomplish this. My collaborators were Anne Tatgenhorst and Sarah Hipkens of the Maine Balkan Choir. As the project took shape we all met members of Maine’s Ukrainian community who possessed musical talent. For the Huddled Masses, we actually found a composer and arranger in Kiev who wrote arrangements of the some of the tunes; a local musician and ethnomusicologist (Chris Marshall) also transcribed some tunes for us. The process was fun and rewarding. I wanted to make sure we travelled beyond “Carol of the Bells” while on our quest for sheet music to develop a program of tunes. We were determined to sing in the best Ukrainian we could muster, and I think we did okay in that regard. The concerts were a means to share what we learned about Ukraine with a wider audience within Maine as well. We raised about ten thousand dollars all told.

Yes, we do weddings.

Every wedding is a special occasion!

We are not a rock and roll band, we don’t play hiphop, country & western (unless it’s the old country we are talking about) We play line and circle dances for our Serbian repertoire (we know a few Serbian love songs) and our playlist for a wedding has been developed over time to include fun things to invite the audience to get on the dance floor and recreate the sense of community you might find in a rural mountain village in Europe. What it really means in Maine, though, is that we aren’t set up to take requests for “our song” off the top of our heads. I am always careful to explain this to the prospective couple when they are thinking of booking us. At the same time, I will tell them that if they have “their song,” we will play it at the reception if they tell us in advance (and also that they have time to think about it and get back to me).

Christmas Carols

We did a couple of these occasions. When we knew we were booked for these, we rushed around looking for sheet music for five-part brass harmony. And tried to think of seasonal holiday-related odds and ends that would satisfy our own nerdy sense of inclusion while being fun. At this point, the sheet music is now safely back in the archive until we dust it off for next winter solstice.

Winter festivals

We did appear at one outdoor event in January. We were fortunate that the organizers provided a “green room” and hot beverages (in addition to a stipend). On cold days we can only play outside for short periods until the horns and fingers freeze. Yes, we learned some specific tunes.

Essential skills for brass players in Maine in winter, outdoors.

Rallies and Political events

We get feelers about doing rallies-for-a-cause. Last fall we considered playing at a rally to counteract neo-Nazis and fascists in Maine and we discussed our thoughts about doing these kinds of things. We didn’t do it after all because the weather for that specific event in November was not conducive to playing brass instruments outdoors. But we all felt strongly about the cause. We learned some Yiddish songs that seemed to fit (note: we are not a klezmer band per se, to play Klezmer well requires specialized skill all it’s own. we can refer you to the best Klez guys in Maine!) We decided to be on the lookout for future events of this nature.

We got a request to play at the State House Wednesday March 13th at the behest of Maine Equal Justice Project and we decided to hit the green light. Here is the flyer for the event. They are whooping up support for a bill related to fixing the housing shortage.

Q: what music goes best with an event such as this?

Our repertoire for the above occasion will be revealed at the event.

The Ideal Maine Band

In the Portland area is a “radical street band” named the Ideal Maine Band. They often play in a Dixieland style. They are part of the wind instrument subculture that is exemplified by Boston’s Honk Festival. It’s sweeping the nation!

The Ideal Maine Social Aid and Sanctuary Band is a community activist community band in the New Orleans street band tradition, embracing a broad range of diverse music. Our performances bring joy and danceable grooves to public displays of celebration, advocacy, and solidarity. We support progressive movements and believe that through music and song, we can fight apathy and work together toward peace and social justice for all. (from their website).

The Ideal Maine Band tends to be active in greater Portland (too far for our Waldo County based members to drive) and they have many more members than us. The Ideals rehearse at Mayo Street Arts in Portland every Tuesday evening. (in summer they rehearse outdoors).

Future Occasions

We played at the Serbian Orthodox Church in Saco for Saint Slava’s Day. What fun! and our contact told us recently they would love to have us for their summer picnic in Portland. Date TBA. We are Maine’s only Serbian-style brass band, after all.

We will consider appearing at future rallies on a case-by-case basis. First, we have a nine-member band and we have to see who is available that day. Next, if it is for a specific occasion or theme, you need to give us lead-in time to find songs that fit the event and then learn them.

We are trying to predict what are the most likely causes or events that we will support and we have already started to look for likely tunes that will inspire or motivate the crowd. And we will continue to develop our repertoire of occasional music for such things. Stay tuned.

The Huddled Masses Orchestra steps it up a notch or two, Feb 11th 2024

It’s now about ten months since the “new” Huddled Masses Orchestra assembled. The mission is to play Serbian Brass Band repertoire at a danceable level. The “old” Huddled Masses was active from 1993 to 2005, and we had fun while playing for festivals, dance parties and wedding receptions. It was always my goal to have a brass band, but back in the day I was not able to gather enough brass players. We had fun but it was not focused on one particular genre within the general meaning of folk dancing.

This time around I was determined to go brass. No Flutes, no violins (“this is not a mariachi band!”). We have a soprano sax (John Herzfeld), accordion (Tom Jamrog) and percussion (Chris Marshall and Marie Wendt). I am still looking to add one or two baritone horn players, and more percussion would be good. (we don’t use trap drums, the goal is tupan and dumbeq which are the authentic drums).

The focus on back beats.

From the beginning of this avatar, I wanted to build a low brass section that would provide a pulse. Not just any pulse, but a pulse like a freight train. I was lucky to attract the attention of Paul Greenstone on tuba, Margot Bridgett and Dan Wenger on Trombones. This low brass trio is the beating heart of the band.

Time in the group woodshed

We played for the “Big Chill” event in Rockland Maine and had a great time, but it was also a distraction from our progress toward the specific Balkan goal. I am not above booking an event where we play fun American stuff that the crowd might like.

Sometimes I think there is no higher musical purpose than to simply have fun. It was a cold day but our hosts treated us very well.

Sevdalinkah

We’d also spent a few weeks practicing “Sevdah” tunes for our event in Saco at the Serbian Orthodox Church. Love songs. These were really fun. We played a lot of slow love ballads at the Serbian church event, but people told us our tempos were uneven for the few dance tunes we played. So now we have finally had a long enough time between events to be able to go back to basics and focus on how to create “Balkan Swing,” that creates excitement.

Back Beats

Jay Hanes, our trumpet soloist extraordinaire, introduced us all to the music of the Balkan Paradise Orchestra. Here is the link to their version of Mesecina, a classic Romani tune.

There is also a group called the “East European Folklife Center,” that promotes music and dance from the Balkan region. They sponsor various web-based workshops on various aspects of musician development. EEFC worked with BPO to develop a four-session workshop on Balkan Brass Band music, and Jay enrolled in it (it cost $60 USD). Each session came with a short instructional video (in Spanish) which Jay translated for us; some sheet music, and guidance on how the BPO organizes their ensemble play. We played one lesson each week and discussed how to implement their recommendations. Then we practiced various exercises from our own repertoire that would help us identify issues and work on them.

The first was simply to practice the down/backbeat yinyang. This is what it sounded like when we played only that component:

We tended to slow down as we went along, so we used a metronome to stay steady.

Our rehearsals are “collaborative.” Yes, I am the leader but I am not the most knowledgeable musician in the group or the most skilled. We spend time hashing things out with everyone’s input. Back along, Paul G the tuba player contributed an in-depth description of tongue placement for producing back beats at the speed and facility that can maintain the tempo. We do a checkup to see how we are doing. We have really gotten down into the nitty-gritty of producing the ensemble playing and the lessons will apply to everything we do. Here is another version of the same exercise:

This was tighter. It is easy to get cross-threaded when you are doing so many back beats. Did you know that there is a shortage of schoolkids that want to play low brass? It seems to Youth of Today all want to play the melody, as if that is be-all and end-all.

Adding more parts

You can hear sections where the soprano sax or the trumpets provide the back beat. And of course, this tune includes a tuba solo. Isn’t he grand?

figuring out who is the designated driver

the short version of the discussion is that whoever has the most notes is the one who sets the pace. My job is to hop in and enjoy the ride!

Open invitation to other brass players in Maine

We have a policy that if the person has never rehearsed with us or figured out how we do our work, they can’t sit in with us for any gig. Yes, we have charts, but they vary considerably in the amount of direction they provide, a lot of it is carried around in each player’s head. There is a steep learning curve before you can feel comfortable.

But if there are persons who wish to try us out, you are invited to a rehearsal or two.

Sunday Afternoon February 25th at LeMont Hall in Brunswick Maine from 1 to 4 PM

Our next dance party will be in Brunswick. Here is the link to the FaceBook event page that gives directions, etc Yes, it is a dance party, but we will welcome curious brass players who wish to read over our shoulders and meet the band. Also, we use YouTube as a source for the tunes we play. Here is a link to the playlist of tunes we expect cover Feb 25th.

The Huddled Masses Orchestra preps for a busy January 2024 ( Dec 17th update)

The Huddled Masses Orchestra is taking time away from holiday-related public events even though we have a killer brass section to play Christmas carols.

Right Now?

Each member will no doubt spend time “in the woodshed” with their respective instrument, possibly near a crackling woodstove with loving family and friends around, sipping hot cocoa and looking out the window as the snowflakes float down and the distant sound of sleighbells draws nigh.

Looking Back?

We can also look back on a successful series of events in 2023. We performed with the Maine Balkan Choir at three charity events for Ukraine, and returned to the Common Ground Fair. We did one caroling event in Rockland and had insane fun there. I gained new appreciation for the way these coastal towns build community to get through the winter season and beyond.

Facing Forward?

Sunday January 7th 2024 from 10 a.m. to noon the band gathers again to rehearse, in Rockport ( not to be confused with Rockland). This is open to band members only. (Hey, we are still looking for baritone horn players!)

Sunday January 14th 2024 from 1 pm to 4 PM, the band will appear in Ellsworth at the General Bryant E. Moore Community Center in the auditorium, to play for dancing, and share the bill with Kotwice, a terrific band from Hancock County who specializes in eastern European music for dancing. An admission fee will be collected at the door. $8 per adult, $5 per student, kids under 12 free.

Set List for The Huddled Masses Orchestra Jan 14th and Jan 28th. Note: each dance will be preceded by a brief walk through. Here is a list of ten tips for people who have never attended a folk dance. For those who are chomping at the bit, there is a wonderful ongoing folk dance group that meets every Friday in Brunswick. Here is a link to a festival in New York where they do this.

Back to Ellsworth – 1st set – 1 pm to 1:50 PM Huddled Masses Orchestra

Gelem Gelem (Romani cocek)

Ederlezi (Romani cocek)

Setnja (walking tune)

Savila Se Bela Loza (kolo)

Majko Majko (lesnoto)

Ersko Kolo (kolo)

Makazice (kolo)

Niska Banja (cocek)

Bubamara (pravo horo)

set 2 – Kotwica 1:52 PM to 2:59 PM

(TBD)

set 3 Huddled Masses Orchestra

Ramo Ramo

Biserka- Bojarka

Uzicko Kolo (kolo)

Raca (circle dance)

Milo Mou Kokkino (Kalamatiano)

Devetorka

Mesecina (Romani cocek)

Sano Duso (vranjanke)

Srbjanka (kolo)

Rumelaj

YouTube playlist of those same dance tunes for Jan 14th?

Here is a link to a YouTube playlist of the program. This is a collection of videos made by other bands as they covered the tune, and some also show the dance step typically used in Serbia. Hot tip? lots of kolos in this list!

For years Hancock County had a folk dance group, first in Bar Harbor then Ellsworth. So there will be lots of attendees who can help the newbies. Because the January 14th event is a Cabin Fever Reliever, we also expect local brass players, fans of eastern European music, and curious onlookers as well.

Saturday January 20th 2024 from 12:45 and again from 1:30 to 2:15, the Huddled Masses Orchestra will return to the Strand Theater in Rockland (not Rockport) for the second annual Rockland Big Chill. This free event starts at 11 a.m., with many family-oriented activities and ours is to provide “occasional music” designed to keep the throngs from freezing while they await the Pet Parade. Yes, it’s true that we are Maine’s only Serbian-style dance band, but our program for that day is designed with an audience of non-Serbians in mind. heh heh heh.

Sunday January 28th 2024, 1 to 4 PM at the Saint Demetrios Serbian Orthodox Church – Srpska Pravoslavna Crkva – Biddeford, Maine, to celebrate Saint Sava’s Feast Day. This is not being advertised outside the church because they expect that the hall will already be full of parishioners. The program there will include kolos, pravos and coceks but we’ll also add a bunch of Sevdalinkah tunes for the enjoyment of the crowd.

Here is our list of Sevdah songs.

Himna Swetam Sava

E Dragi Dragi Bozurove Sadi

Ivanova Korita

Jecham Zela Kosovska

Na Klepce Nanulama

“Sikon” which is also known as Opa Ni Na Nai 

Ruse Kosa

Uzalud Von Trud Sviraci

Zapkevala Sojka Ptica

You Tube playlist for Sevdelinka Songs.

The Huddled Masses Orchestra uses YouTube as a practice tool. Here is a playlist of those specific tunes: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSXynKNP9Lj824PeSHoaHYtEuDH6Cq6if&feature=shared

February 2024

The band will begin a series of monthly dances in Brunswick Maine on the fourth Sunday of every month from 1 to 4 PM at Lemont Hall in the ballroom. Feb 25th, March 24th, April 28th.

Huddled Masses Orchestra will join the Maine Balkan Choir for Charity concert in Belfast Oct 22nd at 3 PM

The Maine Balkan Choir has performed two charity events for Ukraine in 2023 and the third and final one for the year will be held in Belfast Maine at the UU Church, 37 Miller St, at 3 PM. A $10 donation is suggested. Proceeds of the event will go to the Ukraine food program run by World Central Kitchen.

Belfast Maine has a relationship with Ukraine going back a few years to the time during the Covid pandemic when the town donated the used laptops from the school system to an elementary school in Ukraine. This sort of exchange leads to personal relationships that provide a window into world culture. We are all connected to the planet and to each other. This propelled our friends in Belfast to organize this concert and bring us there for this event. The funds we raise will put food on the table and the songs will offer some hope.

This time around, the concert will be divided into two sets. First will be the Maine Balkan Choir. This group has been around since 1998, and until this year the focus was on women’s choral music of Bulgaria. The current co-Directors are Sarah Hipkens of Portland, and Anne Stancioff Tatgenhorst who grew up in Camden and whose family is of Bulgarian origin. For the Ukraine concerts, the focus has shifted to Ukrainian choral music and the Choir has learned to sing in Ukrainian language. For this the members were coached by some recent arrivals from Ukraine who will also join them on stage. The Choir has been lauded for accurate pronunciation and the harmonies they produce. They sing love songs, lullabies and laments. The music provides a window into family life in Ukraine.

Second Set – The Huddled Masses Orchestra playing brass band music of eastern Europe.

These are two guys from Mnozil Brass of Germany. Note the expressiveness of tone (for lack of a better term). This does not happen by accident. It’s not the kind of “symphonic tone” most Maine trumpet players learn. There are many distinct characteristics of this type of music, and these make it fun.

The Huddled Masses is an eight-piece brass band based in Waldo County and the mid-Coast region, formed in 1994. The Huddled Masses is fresh from a two-hour set at the 2023 Common Ground Fair. For the previous concerts the Huddled Masses provided backup for the Choir, and they will continue to support the singers during the first set. Then there will be a short intermission while the chairs are moved. The Huddled Masses is primarily a dance band specializing in the village traditions of Serbia. We know that this repertoire is not directly related to Ukraine, but we want to get people up and moving. Serbia is a Slavic country with a tradition of group dancing for events such as weddings and festivals.

Huddled Masses Orchestra Serbian dance tunes playlist July 2023

The “back office” work of having a band. Deciding what to play and making sure that the band has the music and the dancers know the steps if it’s a choreographed dance.

The Huddled Masses Orchestra uses sheet music. Given our situation it is the only way to get everyone up to speed. The internet is scoured for sources of sheet music, then it’s downloaded. In some cases, a band member listens to the tune and writes it down. Old School. Photocopies are made. Paper gets shuffled.

Here is the list of Serbian Tunes we will play at the 2023 Comon Ground Fair for our roving set from 3 to 5 PM Saturday Sept 23rd. The Common Ground Fair tunes are chosen on the basis of skill level and variety for a dance program. Our policy is to have a specific playlist written out so everyone knows what we will play next.

YouTube Playlist

We create this so people will know what to expect and to remind the band what it is generally supposed to sound like. for this event: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSXynKNP9Lj_lyaBKoiIoQH3Q1NNFqaKi

Here is The list in Alphabetical order

Not the order in which they will be played. For example, Ramo Ramo is such a ripsnorting tune we will probably play that one first!

(“@” means that we do need to prioritize these for rehearsal time)

Bela Ciao @ on the first go-round I found just the head of part of the tune. we now have all-parts-written-out.

First, a set of Ukrainian Lyrics: https://youtu.be/jAIrI_uZVGo

But we will be playing the mostly-instrumental version: https://youtu.be/onPZUQLpumg both versions are on the playlist

Biserka-Bojarka – kolo.

Bubamara @ recently dug up an all-parts-written-out version of this one. https://youtu.be/KiBoZJnEquo

Devetorka (Samakovsko Horo) @ In Hijaz mode, and 9/8 time. https://youtu.be/EGF_9-oHN68

Ederlezi @ all-parts-written-out. cocek https://youtu.be/J-begplTvNc

Ersko Kolo – kolo

Gelem Gelem (Djelem Djelem) @ all-parts-written-out. this is a brass cocek version.  https://youtu.be/REC7bDG0QLs

Jerusalema @ this is the one tune which is not Serbian. Steve Gruverman has agreed to play the lead melody part to this, and everyone else will be playing background chords in long tones, except for percussion  https://youtu.be/613A9d6Doac we will do this because the lyrics are wonderful, it’s got a great beat, and when it went viral during the pandemic it gave people a sense of hope.

Majko Majko – Jay Hanes solo piece with taxim. https://youtu.be/0T_sn8zvm38

Makazice – kolo

Milo Mou Kokkino – this a Greek “kalamatiano”, it is very easy but has a very inviting soaring melody and a part where we all need to sing along (“la-la-la- etc”) https://youtu.be/ppvGVYi1Gao 

Mesecina @ all-parts-written-out We will simplify any tempo changes and stick to a cocek beat. https://youtu.be/QV6HrABMXak

Niska Banja @ 9/8 most-parts-written-out, I need to finish transposing the Bb part.  The version we have is verbatim from the version performed by Bakije Bakica – https://youtu.be/SaI_n-4Garw and yes, it is in 9/8 

Raca – kolo. https://youtu.be/x8T3MMKoR6k

Ramo Ramo – I wrote out the Bb part.  we all need to learn to sing the chorus. Margot will take the melody

Rumelaj – also transposed the Bb harmony. Margot will take the lead on this. 

Sano Duso ak.a. Vranjanka – kolo . Margot will take the melody.

Savila Se Bela Loza – kolo

Srbjanka -kolo https://youtu.be/1qoHP2H34HM

Syrto Rodou – this is a syrto we have played for twentyfive years.  The Syrto and kalamatiano are the bread-and-butter of Greek dancing. https://youtu.be/DcapXV2CO1s

Toma Kosa @ Ruthenian tune from the Lemon Bucket Orchestra.  We will do the chorale at the beginning, then rock out. Pat Boone will not recognize our version. I intend to ask Anne very politely to join us singing the vocal part. We will not use a violin like this recording does – there will be a trombone solo. https://youtu.be/7c215alua2w

U Sest – kolo. we did this one. 

Underground Cocek @ I have a new all-parts-written-out arrangement of this, I will attach the whole shebang to this email, find your part to print out. the video closely matches the written out version:   https://youtu.be/2rKY8Y_Dfnk

Uzicko Kolo – the classic kolo tune.  the small group worked on this. easy! https://youtu.be/p2kSiS0QrCo

Vlasko Kolo – Steve will do this on zurla, with Chris Marshall on percussion

Zalna Majka ( lesnoto) – 7/8 a lesnoto. https://youtu.be/GUcL5Rv7llI

This is twentyfive tunes. ( the one labelled U Sest does not have a video in the list). More than enough to fill two hours. and the small group has already worked on more than half of them. I have specifically chosen ones for which as much of it is in all-parts-written-out format as possible. 

Maine’s Only Serbian Brass Band plays – Kolo music. Of Course they Do!

And not just Kolo music. “The Kolo” is the national dance step of Serbia and Croatia, part of the cultural heritage of the world. We have expanded the list of Kolo tunes in the pad. We will soon be revisiting other main sub-genres of dance tunes, specifically the Rom music also from Serbia and the Balkans. But – let’s get started. Don’t confuse the Serbian Kolo with the current trend of Afro-hiphop now trending on TikTok – they are not the same.

The tune is “Uzicko Kolo.” It’s lots of fun. Somewhere along the way you need to learn how to do the step, but even if you only do the “basic step” it is enjoyable.

What is a Kolo?

Below is a tutorial. All you need to know in order to join the dancing, is “the basic step.”

A tutorial on the Kolo step

For each of the tunes on this list we have a lead sheet in C. These tunes were originally played on tambura, so they are characterized by fast passages of notes . Not easy for Bb instruments to sight-transpose, so we have developed more pre-transposed Bb lead sheets. These are mostly in 2/4 time with a few in 3/4. We will continue to go over these each week.

What is a Tambura?

The tambura is a stringed instrument which is plucked or strummed. There is a family of these. Here is a one-hour performance of a Tamburitsa orchestra from Croatia featuring Zvonko Bogdan.

YouTube Playlist of tunes for Huddled Masses Orchestra

YouTube has now been around for twenty years. These days when bandmates are learning new tunes, one of the first steps is to create a playlist so people can hear what it is supposed to sound like. We have lots of playlists. Most of the kolo tunes we perform? They are on the kolo playlist!  https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSXynKNP9Lj8i3CSPMQSiMvLvUCkxhB4p

An abundance of Kolo music

There are hundreds of these tunes. The distinguishing feature is the rhythm and the beat. We play about a dozen. Here is the Huddled Masses Orchestra tune list with the Kolo tunes we presently play: 

Biserka-Bojarka

Ersko Kolo

Raca

Sano Duso (“Vranjanka”)

Savila Se Bela Loza 

Setnja

Srbijanka 

U Sest  (“Aalto Kolo”)

We just recently added Makazice (pronounced mak-a ZEET-ceh)  https://youtu.be/dSecsQPbmGE and Uzicko Kolo ( pronounced oo-ZICH-ko) https://youtu.be/p2kSiS0QrCo . After this we will focus on refining the kolos. we do have a few to add but we are over the hump. 

The un-Kolo

We also do some that are *not* kolo tunes. These provide a “change-up” and add variety that keeps people fresh. See below

Ramo Ramo  the dance step most commonly done to the tune is this one: https://youtu.be/2VL3H_7kegU

Rumelaj

Syrtos Rodou (7/8)

Zalna Majka (7/8, a “lesnoto”)

The above in and of themselves, if played at dance length, constitute enough to fill  more than an hour.

9/8

We will soon be back into the odd rhythms (7/8 and esp 9/8). So if you haven’t listened to the 9/8 playlist lately, now is a good time: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSXynKNP9Lj9vyEDv2SjvdyZXw3EoeVFr there are 28 tunes on it, play them while you drive and tap them out on the steering wheel. 

For now, the two specific tunes we play in 9/8 are: 

Niska Banja  (How can you do a Serbian dance program and not include this one?)_https://youtu.be/HtnMe5dMTGA or https://youtu.be/XXYpBMla4DE

and Devetorka: https://youtu.be/QJkyAQgSAaE

Cocek

We will also soon be tackling the Rom literature. These are mostly coceks ( 3+3+2). For the band to “get” this we need to go over the basic step https://youtu.be/2VL3H_7kegU The dissect the music to hear what it is that makes a cocek a cocek. (pronounced “Cho -CHECK). First,  https://youtu.be/uJaLjv_sOjo has no words but is a swinging example of what a layered cocek would feel like. here is another: https://youtu.be/WXeBVvOkD3M  

Upcoming. 

for this list I don’t have all the Bb pages lined up, I am working on them. These are mostly odds and ends that will go somewhere in the program. 

Cestorka (including “Oi Lele Stare Planina” a short a capella intro) https://youtu.be/VfvMKV1BTE

Majko Majko – a lesnoto, the tune was a pop megahit back in 1986. this will be Jay’s solo piece. 

Pjevaj Mi Pjevaj  ( a.k.a. Licko Kolo) – melody and one harmony line only. https://youtu.be/2k7JrauJGJo

Serbian Racenica a variant on 7/8 time. 

Serbian National Anthem

9/8 tunes

instructional on 9/8: https://youtu.be/oGN4juGQ-0A 

Devetorka

Niska Banja

That’s it for now. Our rehearsal strategy has been for just a core group to meet weekly until they “get it,” then to add the remote musicians and switch to weekend rehearsals in a central location so as to get the whole band up to speed. 

The Huddled Masses Orchestra is a full-service ethnic band in Maine. And we have returned, Jan 16th 2023

The Huddled Masses Orchestra was active in Maine from about 1994 until 2005. It hibernated for seventeen years, like a cicada. We are now emerging from the ground and ready to play. We will be playing folk dance parties; we will be part of the benefit concert for Ukrainian children along with the wonderful Maine Balkan Choir; and – We do wedding receptions. Reasonable rates! Book now for summer 2023!

We are fans of the New York-based Zlatne Uste Brass band. Here is a video that describes what they do:

The name “Huddled Masses” comes from a line in the famous poem by Emma Lazarus to be found on the base of the State of Liberty. During each wave of immigration to The Land of Opportunity, the people brought their culture. And their musical instruments.

Bringing Back Horns

Joe Niemczura on Cerveny rotary-valve trumpet

The band consists of accordion, tuba, trumpet, clarinet, and percussion. Our motto? “We play country music. From The Old Country.” which just about sums it up. We do play waltzes and polkas, and just a few things you would expect at wedding, but we are not a cover band playing Green Day, or Taylor Swift, or any Metal songs. (I spent a bit of time living outside the USA and I confess I never heard any Taylor Swift songs until recently). We play circle dances. Such things as a Greek Syrto or Hasapiko, a Bulgarian lesnoto, or a Jewish hora. Our gig is to get the guests on their feet and out on the dance floor. There are now several excellent Jewish and/or Yiddish bands in Maine, but back in the day, The Huddled Masses also did Jewish weddings in Eastern Maine and at least one Bar Mitzvah. In fall we played Oktoberfest music. We were the first to play live Zwiefachermusik at dance festivals. We played at various festivals including NEFFA.

YouTube

Smartphones with good video cameras along with YouTube were not the phenomenon they are now, so I don’t have a video of us back in the day. Some things are better off not to be filmed. When we do a circle dance we focus on ones with easy steps that people can have fun with. Recently I compiled a YouTube playlist to include our folk dance repertoire. The videos in the playlist show other bands along with dancers not from Maine, but you get the idea. Usually the front man of the band serves as emcee of the event we are playing. If the couple has some specific requests for tunes to be played, we will work those out in advance and play them.

The Lady of The Harbor

My father’s parents each came to USA via New York, with Lady Liberty to greet them. My parents were from Ware and Palmer, Massachusetts, each town with a large Polish-American contingent. Family weddings in the 1950s and 1960s were held at the White Eagle Club on Pulaski Street in Ware, with (you guessed it) a polka band at the reception. My mom taught me and my siblings how to polka, waltz and oberek when I was five.

Happy Louis and his band. In dim memory I am pretty sure this was a band that played for a family wedding. The Huddled Masses were decked out in matching bowling shirts. We haven’t even talked about uniform dress code this time around.

My early memories of family weddings are a blur. Whiskey, cigar smoke and cheap men’s cologne. The guests singing and toasting to the Polish National Anthem. Going to the bar and bringing back a highball or two for my uncles. Sleeping at Babciu and Dziadjiu’s house across from the Polish church on South Street. That world was not homogeneous and neither is the one we live in today.

Actively looking for low brass players

The core group of Huddled Masses Orchestra is very flexible, but sometimes we add other musicians depending on what the job entails. When we do Oktoberfest music we add low brass. (trombones, baritone horn.) A fully-staffed low brass section produces a rippling rumbling pulsating background like the engine of a muscle car idling at a red light. If that fits you, give us a call at (808) 352 1714.

Zabave and one earworm

Helping to plan a concert of Ukrainian music has been fun. We found out that Ukraine has it’s own version of “Happy Birthday.” and also that one genre of music is called “Zabave,” which translates literally as “party.”

The Huddled Masses Orchestra was a Zabave band this whole time and we didn’t even know it.