FAITH I BRANKO | SERBIA UK | EPK

Record Label: World Music Records | Riverboat Records

Highly virtuosic original Serbian Roma-influenced music performed with an international ensemble. Recently featured on the Rough Guide to World Jazz and completed a 5 continent film tour with their award winning documentary and highly compelling backstory ‘Faith and Branko’ (Best Documentary Seefest | Los Angeles / Special Mention InEdit Brazil). Named as Serbian Romani Ambassadors in 2021. Last album placed Top 10 European World Music Charts with AUS/NZ, EU and Canadian Tour.

aRTIST INFORMATION

Label: World Music Records/Riverboat Records Genre: World / Romani / Jazz Hometown: Valjevo, Serbia | London, UK Sounds like: Taraf de Haidouks; Rodrigo y Gabriela; Roby Lakatos Band Spec: Quartet Youtube Channel: www.youtube.com/channel/UCfehHmnSglCkAgOfDXwoUdQ

BIOGRAPHY

Leading Serbian Roma violinist Branko Ristic - ‘a performer that Paganini would be proud of’ [BBC Radio 3], and English ‘passionate nimble-fingered accordionist’ Faith Elliott [ABC Radio, Australia] perform virtuosic original Roma-influenced music with their international ensemble.

The duo met in Branko's Romani village in 2009, and - with music as their only tool for communication - began a journey that would lead to their marriage, their last album ‘Gypsy Lover’ being placed in the top 10 World Music Charts, a successful international schedule and an award winning documentary tour. From a foundation of 'Serbian-Roma' music, Faith i Branko have created a style that draws from both of their musical heritages and uniquely expresses their interpersonal conversation. This forms an original set with a storming ensemble which is joyous, passionate, tragic and virtuosic: ‘their music is as colourful, personal and tumultuous as their history’ fRoots

Their Serbian Film Fund sponsored documentary ‘Faith i Branko’ has toured film festivals such as Canada Doc Fest, Aljazeera Doc Fest, Inedit Chile and Guadalajara - with occompanying band performances.

They featured in the Guardian Weekend Magazine, completed a 43-venue tour of Australia and New Zealand - including main stage performances at Port Fairy Festival and The National Folk Festival - and are due to release their PRS sponsored Album with World Music Network (Rough Guides) with recording assistance from Emir Kusturica and The No Smoking Orchestra. Over the last year they have performed at XX International Festival Suleczyno, Poland; Victorious Festival; Rosa Sinta Festival (Netherlands); Culture Nomade (Switzerland); The Royal Festival Hall (UK); The Southbank Centre; Wilderness Festival; Llangollen International Eisteddfod; Guca, for the Serbian President, Boomtown and Glastonbury among others. Online gigs included with Oxford World Music and Canada Doc Fest. Radio play includes BBC Radio 4, BBC Radio 3 Live Sessions, World Service with Stephen Fry, BBC Radio 6 and ABC Sydney. Social Media hits are almost at 1 million, and they have a huge international fan base within the Roma community.

PHOTO - click on photo to ‘save image’(10MB+) or here for further hi-res downloads

CONTACT

For bookings and press enquiries:

Annabel Goody info@faithibranko.com

Whatsapp: (0044) 7575298229

REVIEWS

‘a band with an astonishing backstory’ BBC Radio 4 (click to listen)

‘Musically a delight..these virtuosic performers are a major discovery this year’ The Guardian, UK

'Moving, breathtaking and virtuosic’ Lopa Kothari, BBC Radio 3, UK

‘Their music is the language of the soul’ Guardian Experiences, UK

‘Beyond talented’ ABC Radio Sydney

‘Quite remarkable musicians’ Stephen Fry, BBC World Service

‘One of my favourite new Balkan Bands’ Emir Kusturica

'Set to become one of the leading Roma Violinists of the century' FRoots UK

2022 highlights

Kustendorf International Film Festival

Sabor Violinista Festival, Serbia

Victorious Festival, UK

XX International Festival - Suleczyno, Poland

Llangollen International Eisteddfod, Wales

Aljazeera Tour, Various, Balkans

Gulbenkein, Kent University, UK

PRESS

Guardian Experiences Magazine (UK) Rhythms Magazine (Aus) fRoots World Music Magazine (UK) World Music Central (QLD, Aus) ‘Alo’ Magazine (Serbia) BBC Radio 3 Session (UK) ABC Sydney Radio Session (Aus) PRS Women Make Music (UK) Guardian Album Review (UK) RTS Serbia (Serbia) Queensland News Courier Mail (AUS) Business Europe Radio Sarajevo Serbia, Time Magazine Politika Magazine, Serbia Life Magazine, Serbia Sheffield Doc Fest Aljazeera TRTurksish News Beldocs (FCS) Srbska Economia

ONLINE

Website // Facebook // Instagram // Twitter // Soundcloud // Youtube //

FILM: ‘FAITH AND BRANKO’ DIR. CATHERINE HARTE

FILM TOUR AND AWARDS

Inedit Chile/ See the Sound Cologne (Jury Award)/ Beldoc (Opening Concert)/ Aljazeera Doc Fest Sarajevo (Opening Concert)/ Astra Romania/ Guadalajara Mexico/ Docufest Kosovo/ In Edit Brazil/ Krakow Film Poland (Premiere)/ Galway Fest Ireland/ Seefest LA/ Canada Doc Fest/ Leipzig Doc Fest / Sheffield IDFF / Doc n’ Roll London