Folkadelphia Session: Eva Salina (with Peter Stan)

I can’t understand the language that Eva Salina sing in, but I know that what she is saying and conveying is mighty powerful. Eva Salina sings in Romaneste, an Indo-European language with speakers all around the world, especially in the Balkan region. Salina describes herself quite aptly as an interpreter of this mode and tradition of music, of which she’s been performing for over fifteen years. On her most recent album, Lema Lema: Eva Salina Sings Saban Bajramovic, Salina presents the music of Saban Bajramovic, the late mysterious Serbian-Romani musician, as seen through the lens and style of modern music, while holding true to rich traditions. Despite the language barrier, the emotional component of each song – the drama, the tension, the ecstasy, the joy, the sorrow are all vivid and clear with Eva Salina front and center.

For her Folkadelphia Session, Salina performed in a duo configuration with Peter “Perica” Stan on accordion. Much more intimate and much less bombastic than her album Lema Lema, the in-studio session is every bit as powerful and emotional as the studio work. In fact, this stripped down configuration will be featured on her next album, which is currently in the progress.