...Mostar Sevdah Reunion does have an embarrassment of talented musicians. It's is no suprise that comparisons have been made between them and the Buena Vista Social club.
( John Lusk, Froots Magazine, November 2003 UK, )

"Years of searching for a single word that can stand for the Bosnian concept of sevdah have been fruitless, although yearning perhaps comes closest. Like the Spanisch duende, it carries multiple meanings - desire, hopeless love, end less love, a love that chills and fevers, the lover like malaria, and like malaria can never be shaken off - but in the end, it's a way of life, and a way of telling."

 

The Name of the Band

Mostar Sevdah Reunion is exquisite group of Artists sharing the same passion. Some might say that they live for Sevdah and that could be the only cause of their existence. To decode and to represent traditional music from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sevdah is more than 400 years old, in a best light, was and still is difficult task to cope with. Despite all obstacles, MSR kept going. The story begins in 1993 when Dragi Sestic, Producer and former of the band, recorded an audiocassette with a couple of tracks that was distributed in limited edition amoung their friends. Those were the times of war in Balkans and the reason for recording was just a getaway episode to forget for a one single moment all atrocities and suffering. Then, they gave promise that "the whole world will know about Sevdah" one day when war comes to an end. They fulfilled the promise and recorded their first album in 1998. Since, the album CD "Mostar Sevdah Reunion" was recorded in Mostar, they did not stop fascinating the audience wherever they go. Diversity in musical backgrounds and individual virtuosity in a collective that never performed two identical gigs in a row makes them unique on the World Music scene. Working and recording with Saban Bajramovic and Ljiljana Buttler "Mother of Gypsy soul" were recorded to show variety of Balkans music an to give a respect to the finest and uncompromised authors of genuine Gypsy music. This year will also bring new and fresh ideas from the MSR manufacture. Until then, take care and see you soon.