Faith i Branko

FAITH I BRANKO GRATEFULLY ACKNOWLEDGE SUPPORT FROM PRS FOR MUSIC FOUNDATION

‘..each track is more intense than the next, apart from the few obligatory tortured torch songs, all of which will break your heart and make you cry’ — Clyclic Defrost Review, Lach Walter, Australia

Leading Serbian Roma violinist Branko - ‘a performer that Paganini would be proud of’ [BBC Radio 3] and English ‘multi instrumental virtuoso’ Faith, [Rhythms Magazine, Australia] have created a unique style with their international ensemble; built from a foundation of 'Serbian-Roma' music, their original compositions draw from both of their musical heritages to communicate their intimate personal connection: ‘their music is as colourful, personal and tumultuous as their history’ [fRoots magazine, UK]

Watch a taster from their single ‘Irena’ - to be released with World Music Records in July 2020:

Biography

The duo met in Branko’s Serbian Roma village of Gornja Grabovica in 2009, and - with music as their only tool for communication - began a life journey that would eventually lead to the creation of their first WOMEX award-winning album ‘Gypsy Lover’, their success in international touring, television, film and radio - and Branko’s role as an important ‘Ambassador of Roma Culture’ in his own country.

Branko taught himself the violin, which became a way to escape and express the difficulties into which he was born in Serbia: raised by his aunt, often without means to purchase violin strings and battling with health and domestic issues - he created his own music as a way to connect with something ‘beyond this world’ - intuitively combining sounds of Jazz, Indian, Turkish and Classical music with his Roma traditions. Faith drove to Serbia as a young woman - on a trip to collect clips for BBC Radio; as Musical Director sourcing musicians for Giffords Circus, and to learn the unique playing style of Serbian Roma accordionists that she loved; from their first meeting in 2009 she was guided by an intuition that informed her - at every obstacle they would face - that this journey and deep creative connection was a life choice worth believing in. This joint purpose led them to build a house in the village; fund and co-create 3 albums; navigate cultural identities; design international tours; begin music schools; become well known across the Balkans - and moved them from two young musicians with no means of communication, to established recording and touring artists.

They have recently returned from their 43-venue tour of Australia and New Zealand with Band Aide Management, including main stage performances at Port Fairy Festival, National Folk Festival, Blue Mountains Festival, Cygnet Festival, Illawarra Festival and The Hub Theatre. Listen to them on ABC Sydney 'The Music Show' with Penny Lomax. They have finished recording their PRS sponsored Album (with Emir Kusturica) in Serbia, and are working with actress Branka Katic [UK/Serbia. Creds. Black Cat White Cat/ Public Enemies/ Captain America] on a single/music video release to accompany the album. Their Serbian Film Fund sponsored documentary 'Faith i Branko' shall be released to tour film festivals at the end of 2020, and the album shall be released with World Music Network (Rough Guides) after the success of their previous album 'Gypsy Lover' (10th in the European World Music Charts) / WOMEX. Previous original recordings have featured on ‘The Rough Guide to World Jazz’, ‘Brexit Blues’, and ‘The Rough Guide to the music of Eastern Europe’ amongst others.

Over the last 2 years they have performed at Kustendorf Film Festival; Rosa Sinta Festival (Netherlands); Culture Nomade (Switzerland); Diobar (Barcelona); Vienna Roma Festival (Austria); The Royal Festival Hall (UK); Longo Mai (France); Guca International Festival (Serbia); Wilderness Festival, Bestival, Glastonbury (UK) and Aus/NZ destinations. They are among the 3 most broadcast albums to put their record label 'Riverboat Records/World Music Network' in the WOMEX Top 15 Label Awards, and radio play includes BBC Radio 3 Live Sessions, World Service with Stephen Fry, BBC Radio 6; ABC Sydney and Canberra National.