Andrej Toplišek’s new Oberkrainer and Jazz creations – “Tradicija in umetnost” and “Hometown suite”

Andrej Toplišek’s first independent Oberkrainer album after his time with Okrogli Muzikantje (Runden Oberkrainer) was a LP called “Postkarte aus Slowenien” which he released in 2019. I wrote about it then (linked here), simply because it was the first time in years that I’ve been so excited about a new album in the Narodnozabavna and Oberkrain genre, not to mention it being the first Oberkrainer vinyl with new material since the last pressings around 1990. The only reason I’m writing about his new albums this time, is the same. He’s created something new and exciting, and I hope that by talking about it, a few more Oberkrainer fans can enjoy […]

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Slovenian popular folk ‘Oberkrainer’ vs. American-Slovenian ‘Cleveland style’

If you’re new to Slovenian popular folk music (from Slovenia) or American-Slovenian style polkas (from North America), you might get confused between the two (I sure did), so in this post I try to clear it up with the sort of information I’d love to have had available several years ago.

Slovenian popular folk ‘Oberkrainer’ vs. American-Slovenian ‘Cleveland style’ 続きを読む »

The best books on Slovenian popular folk music and Oberkrainer music

There are some great books I’ve been reading (albeit slowly, in Slovene) that I’d like to share with you, about Slovenian popular folk music, and more specifically Slavko and Vilko Avsenik who started and shaped the entire genre of ‘narodnozabavna glasba’ (Slovene for popular folk music) or ‘Oberkrainer’ (German name of the genre derived from the German name for the Gorenjska region in Slovenia). This extends to other influential figures who further shaped and pioneered the music such as Lojze Slak, and I’ve included 3 accordion and guitar technique books at the end of the list as well. I’ve also outlined where these books can be bought, and whether they

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The first new Oberkrainer album on vinyl

The first new Oberkrainer/Narodnozabavna album on vinyl (since the end of vinyl pressings in Slovenia and Austria) has been released by Andrej Toplišek Septett, called Postkarte aus Slowenien (Postcard from Slovenia). It features top Oberkrainer style musicians and vocalists from Slovenia and Austria; Andrej Toplišek (formerly Okrogli Muzikanti, accordion), Sandi Jug (Quintett Juchee, lead vocalist), Mojca Bitenc Križaj (formerly Mitja Kvintet, vocals), Mike Orešar (Igor in Zlati Zvoki, guitar), Nejc Merc (Oberkrainer Power, baritone), Tomaž Zevnik (formerly Ansambel Saša Avsenika, clarinet). It was entirely produced in Toplišek’s studio. The compositions are Toplišek’s originals and are inventive, and the musicianship is full of heart and quality. The sound is very natural and

The first new Oberkrainer album on vinyl 続きを読む »

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