Shows
Macedonian PostcardsEpisode 59 Stefče Stojkovski interviews Dragi Spasovski on Macedonian National RadioOn July 28, 2023, Stefče Stojkovski invited Dragi to his radio show on Macedonian National Radio, and interviewed him for the next 2 hours. He asked questions about his childhood, mother, interest in singing and dancing, music career, recordings, and past and current projects and performances in the United States. The interview includes 12 recordings from Dragi‘s CD with Stefče, and the audio from an international Macedonian song video project made during the pandemic. A bilingual transcript of this episode, with links, can be downloaded at https://izvormusic.com/podcasts/macedonian-postcards/episodes/transcripts/episode-59-dragi-interview-with-stefce-transcript-bilingual.pdf
2025-02-201h 57Macedonian PostcardsEpisode 58 Bonda DimiškovaThis episode begins our new series on singers and songs. Today we are featuring the legendary vocalist Bonda Dimiškova, who was related to and served as a role model for Vaska Ilieva. Dragi talks about how he came into contact with her family, details about her aristic and often tragic life, and her influence on other singers who followed her. A bilingual transcript of this episode can be downloaded at https://izvormusic.com/podcasts/macedonian-postcards/episodes/transcripts/Episode-58-Bonda-Dimiskova-transcript-bilingual.pdf
2024-10-2745 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 57 Sva noḱ e Stanka sedelaThis episode marks the conclusion of the podcasts of the 54 songs in Dragi's 3-CD set. We will be continuing the show after this episode with more wonderful songs, but are delighted to have reached this milestone after 16 years. Dragi learned this song from his mother, Rajna, and it was the last song he talked with her about before she died. It is a ballad about two lovers with tragic consequences.
2024-07-0333 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 56 Tri godini, Kate, bolen ležamDragi discusses the long history of the Ohridski Trubaduri, who originally recorded this love song. He also talks at length about the wonderful vocalist Vanja Lazarova.
2024-03-2243 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 55 Stani, bre sine StojaneDragi talks about some of the traditions found in line dancing, and some ways romancing was carried out. He then spends the majority of the podcast talking about the extraordinary legendary vocalist Vaska Ilieva.
2023-06-0851 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 54 Urva FankaDragi talks about the four major women's vocal groups from Aegean Macedonia, how they came to be formed, and the importance of cultural context and hidden meanings in songs.
2023-04-1829 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 53 Snošti te prativ na voda, ḱerkoThis love song from the Debar region features the wonderful singer, Kiril Mančevski. Dragi also talks about ornamentation, and wedding traditions.
2023-01-1337 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 52 Mome ore zeleni livadiDragi discusses another of his mother's songs, from the Kumanovo area. He talks about the differences between čalgija, urban, and izvoren melodies, and how musical arrangement decisions were made for recordings.
2022-12-0619 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 51 Ori mome, lastar momeAnother song from the Tetovo area, originally sung by Olga Sičan, about a girl who cannot marry due to a death in the family. Dragi talks about these customs.
2022-06-0724 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 50 Snošti go vidov ubavoto StojneThis song, popular throughout Macedonia, was originally recorded by Aleksandar Sarievski. Dragi talks about Sarievski and his contemporaries.
2022-04-2738 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 49 Izgore selo TrnovoAnother song from the repertoire of Dragi's mother, Rajna Spasovska. Dragi continues his discussion of his mother's singing history and her colleagues, including a review of vocalists and groups from the Tetovo and Kumanovo areas.
2022-01-2037 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 48 Crna ce čuma zadadeThis well-known ballad about Goce Delčev is sung all over Macedonia. Dragi talks about the first person to record it, Mirvet Belovska, and about some of the many singers who've recorded it since.
2021-09-2040 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 47 Ḱerko mori, ḱerkoThis love song from the Tetovo region is an example of how hidden love is expressed in the lyrics. Dragi also talk about Olga Sićan and his recent conversations with her family, and the Gavrovski trios.
2021-07-0831 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 46 Ne spi, Jano, ne spi, ḱerkoThis song from SE centra Macedonia describes a brave woman who wards off a potential assault and joins her love to fight in the mountains. Dragi describes other songs with the theme of brave, strong women. He also describes a conversation he had with Vaska Ilieva about how she chose songs to record.
2020-06-1723 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 45 Neli si se naspaloThis is a love song of the Macedonian Muslims living in the greater Šar Planina area. Dragi talks the Isjanovska sisters, describes the Macedonian Muslim dialect, and discusses that singing tradition, both its continuity and its evolution.
2020-05-0428 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 44 Stojan mi bolan legašeThis ballad is the first of several songs featuring Dragi's mother, Rajna Spasovska. Dragi also talks about Carka Tasevska and other singers from the Kumanovo area.
2020-03-2832 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 43 Minav goraDragi first heard this love song from Kumanovo sung by Blaga Videc. He talks about her and about table songs in general.
2019-11-2526 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 42 Snošti dojdov po tebeThis is an urban love song from Prilep, home to many singers. Dragi focuses on Jovanka Ivanovska, from whom he first heard the song.
2019-10-0119 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 41 Oro se vie kraj manastirotSung all over Macedonia, this song describes a wedding celebration at a monastery, and whose dancing is the best. Dragi also tells a story about how we got invited to Niš.
2019-08-1814 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 40 Karanfilke, filke, momeDragi learned this love song, from Radoviš, from Vančo Arsov. He talks about Vančo and the eastern Macedonian dialect.
2019-07-2222 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 39 Dva mi brata verno živuvaleDragi learned this song, from Ovčepole about family animosities, from Carka Tasevska, who also recorded with his mother.
2019-03-0214 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 38 Ajde, nasred selo češma šarenaDragi learned this southern Macedonian song from a recording by Kostadinka Palazova. He talks about the hospitality Macedonians show visitors to their home.
2019-02-0413 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 37 Ne plači, Stano moriDragi learned this central Macedonian song from a gajda player in his village. The song has the theme of a young woman engaged by her mother to an older man and features a "sajče."
2019-01-1925 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 36 Na stolče Sedam, pismo pišuvamThis love song from Prilep again features Zaharinka Milosaljeviḱ. Dragi talks about the problems inherent in productions of čalgija songs featuring singers who were not of that tradition.
2018-07-2823 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 35 Ori Jano, sokol JanoThis old love song, first recorded by Izvorno Trio, is from the Tetovo area. Dragi discusses the Gavrovski brothers group, the differences between singing to kavals and gajdas, and ornamenting melodies.
2014-05-0323 min
Artist of the Week PodcastPenka Encheva and Friends – Zaliubih Mamo Tri MomiJack Straw resident artists Bulgarian Voices of Seattle recently completed their album Penka Encheva and Friends, in conjunction with the documentary film project This Baba. This track features David Bilides, tambura; Penka Encheva and Jody Rush, vocals. Join them for the world premiere of the film at 3pm on Saturday, May 10th at Carco Theatre.
The post Penka Encheva and Friends – Zaliubih Mamo Tri Momi appeared first on Jack Straw Cultural Center.
2014-04-1700 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 34 Oro vodi AngelinaThis love song, first recorded by Vaska Ilieva, is from the Aegean region. Dragi discusses the influx of out-of-region Macedonians to Macedonia in the 60's, their singers and groups, and Radio Skopje's efforts to record their songs.
2014-02-2323 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 33 Ozdol ide mlad delijaThis west-central Macedonian love song is from Mariovo. Dragi talks about the region and singers and songs from it, and its tradition of zurlas and how they express the hardship people from the area experienced.
2013-08-2815 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 32 Izniknale dva bora zeleniDragi talks about the similarities of this southwestern Macedonian song to Lele, Jano, his theory about how that happened, and about Zaharinka Milosaljeviḱ.
2013-07-2715 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 31 Kade se čulo, videloDragi talks about the many different versions and story lines of this central Macedonian song, which serves as the theme music for our podcasts.
2013-03-1014 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 30 Izlegol Seljman, prošetalThis song from northern Macedonia describes a mother's fears for her son marrying a woman from another village. Dragi also discusses the passing down of cultural traditions, and the population mix of villages in past generations.
2013-02-1412 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 29 Domaḱine dobri gosti ti dojdoaThis song praises the master of the house. Dragi talks about how popular this song is, sung by everyone at special occasions. He also talks about the song's first recording ist, Angelko Spirkovski.
2012-08-0518 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 28 Bolen leži mladi JovanThis song from the Skopje region features the gajda (bagpipe). Dragi learned it from a recording by the famed Trio Kučkovki, and he talks about the trio, led by Zvezda Dimovska, and also about Stojka Stojkovska.
2012-08-0420 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 27 Stojne, crnook nevenoDragi talks about this song from southeast Macedonia, and discusses Irina Bujuklieva, the little-known singer who introduced it.
2012-01-1814 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 26 Nabrala Ǵurǵa sedenkaDragi talks about this song from the Kumanovo area and about sedenkas—working bees—and his personal experiences with them in his family.
2011-09-3014 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 25 Bolen mi leži Kara-MustafaDragi talks about this Tetovo song and the group that recorded it, Braḱa Gavrovski. He also talks about ornamenting songs and the possible identity of Kara-Mustafa.
2011-07-0319 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 24 Devojko mori, devojkoFor this song from north-central Macedonia, Dragi talks about the origin of the lyrics and four different versions. He also discusses Dragica Mavrovska.
2011-04-0918 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 23 Zaspala Jana, JaninkaFor this song from north-central Macedonia, Dragi talks about the category of songs having to do with young men or woman who are awakened from sleep. He also talks about how this song is connected with his younger daughter.
2010-11-2711 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 22 Ogrejala mesečinaDragi talks about the Tetovo dialect, how songs spread from one village to another, the meaning of "young bride", and the symbol of the moon in folk songs.
2010-10-3017 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 21 Aj, zdram, zdrami seDragi talks about the meaning of the archaic work "zdram," and how folk songs helpf preserve a culture's heritage.
2010-08-0912 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 20 Brale, brale, se nabraleFor this first song of the Echo CD, Dragi talks about the differences between urban, čalgija, and traditional singing. He describes how he recorded two different versions of a song in two singing styles. And there's more about Kiril Mančevski.
2010-08-0925 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 19 Interview with Stefče StojkovskiStefče tells the story of his family's long-time involvement in folk music, his path to professional work (including meeting Mile Kolarov), and his first recording with Dragi.
2010-06-1437 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 18 Goran Alački, Adrijana Alačka, Bajsa ArifovskaThis podcast was recorded in January 2009, when all three musicians were visiting Seattle. Each gets to tell the story of how they found this folk music in their lives and what their professional work has been since.
2010-04-2542 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 17 Zbogum mila, dojde denotDragi talks about his relationship with Nikola Badev, who first recorded this song, discusses more about the emotional impact of young men going to foreign lands, and explains why certain singers are never forgotten in Macedonia.
2010-02-1415 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 16 Tri godini stanaFor this song from Resen about unhappy love, Dragi reviews the original Raspejani Resenčani recording, talks about Goran's arrangement, and tells how he's incorporated another version of the song into his own performances.
2009-10-1510 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 15 Merak imavDragi talks about Vasilievski's original recording of this sad love song from Eastern Macedonia, Jordan Nikolić, Mara Gjorgjević, and the strange true tale of Lenka Pingova and Koljo Velkov.
2009-10-0211 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 14 Ja izlezi, stara majkoFor this Ohrid song about a young Christian girl who falls in love with a Turk, Dragi talks about the Ohridski Trubaduri, Ansambl Biljana, and ethnic Turks and Albanians who recorded for Radio Skopje.
2009-10-0216 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 13 Sva noḱ mi bilbil prepejaDragi speculates on why his repertoire contains so many songs from Lazaropole, the process by which some singers at festivals performed songs not from their home region, and more about his personal relationship with Sarievski.
2008-10-2211 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 12 Kaži, Vaske EvgovaDragi talks about Anka Gieva, who first recorded this song about a likely arranged marriage, Olga Sičan from Tetovo, and the real life Vaske Evgova and Epsa Dimuševa.
2008-09-0714 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 11 Koj ti gi dade tie crni očiDragi talks about the Isniaovski sisters, one of whom first recorded this love song.
2008-08-0408 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 10 Pavle mi pieThis well-known song from Skopsko about a man who can't pay his bar bill has many versions. Dragi talks about his first hearing of the song on the kemane and about Elene Dimitrievska.
2008-07-2813 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 9 Lino mome, sevdalinoThis old love ballad is from the Lazaropole/Mijak area, Dragi also discusses arranged marriages and reminisces about Kiril Mancevski.
2008-07-1014 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 8 Kaži mi, kaži, KatinkeThis love song in 5/16 from the Pelagonija region generates a discussion about the hero Krale Marko, the singers Ǵorǵi Želčeski, Kevser Selimova, and Gogo Zafiroski, and a famous song claimed by everyone in the Balkans.
2008-06-1212 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 7 Dej gidi ludi mladi godiniDragi describes this ode to youth, the Lazaropole/Mijak area, the dance "Teškoto", and Aleksandar Sarievski.
2008-05-2316 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 6 Bog da go bie Ibraim-odžaDragi talks about Mirvet Belovska, čalgija, and this song about an Ottoman tax collector.
2008-05-2312 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 5 Kate, Kate, lično momeThe story of an unhappy love, thwarted by jealous villagers. Dragi talks about his difficulties understanding the meaning of the song as a child, and about matchmaking in the village. ©2008 Izvor Music
2008-04-1608 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 4 Dafino vino crvenoThis is the story of a shepherd whose coat is stolen by thieves but who escapes alive, to the relief of his girlfriend, Dafina. Dragi also talks about Kruševo, Vlachs, and how the melody became changed from the original version.
2008-03-1112 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 3 Ilčovice, mlada nevestoThe second song in our series is Ilčovice, Mlada Nevesto, a song in which an Ottoman official, Mustaf, expresses his admiration for Ilčo's young bride. Dragi talks about how he first heard the song—from a new bride, no less—and about other similar songs.
2008-01-3111 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 2 Aj, Iznikna mi badem drvoWe begin the series of 54 songs with Aj, Iznikna Mi Badem Drvo, the story of two lovers enjoying a tryst beneath an almond tree. Dragi talks about Goran Alački, and about meeting Vaska Ilieva for the first time.
2007-12-1615 minMacedonian PostcardsEpisode 1 IntroductionIn this inaugural episode, we talk about how we met, the different joint music events that led up to the current 3-CD project, and talk a little about Dragi's mother, the singer Rajna Spasovska.
2007-11-1516 min