Nick Bratkovich: Music

1. Zorba the Greek Greece)
The theme song from the Oscar winning movie by the same name, and one of my personal favorites. I believe this number to be an appropriate start to this collection. The upbeat rhythm and the combination of accordion, clarinet and bouzouki give it a distinctly Greek flavor.

2. Biljana Platno Beljaše Serbia)
A beautiful song in waltz time about a young girl named Biljana who bleaches her satin by the shores of Lake Ohrid. The satin si part of her dowry and she worries that a caravan of winegrowers from Belgrade is approaching too near to her. She cautions them that should they trample her satin, they will be obligated for the full value.

3. Gitara Romana (Italy)Translated as Roman Guitar, this was an extremely popular beguine when I performed with the Šumadija and Beograd Orchestras of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The minor key, and the delicate guitar melody , make it a truly memorable tune.

4. Lara’s Theme from Doctor Zhivago (Russia)Undeniably one of the most beautiful waltez of all time, and a favorite among international dancers everywhere. Other than a few small changes, the arrangement is basically the same one I have used for many years.

5. Seeman (Germany)Translated as Sailor, this song is a lament about a young man who is torn between his love for the sea and for his girl. In the end he realizes that his best friends are his ship and the stars over faraway places like Bali, Shanghai and Hawaii, and it is to them that he must remain true his whole life long.

6. International Medley (Russia, France, Germany)
The medley consists of three selections in swing tempo. The first is Midnight in Moscow, the second is I Love Paris, and the third is Bei Mir Bist Du Schön. Swing enthusiasts will enjoy the bouncy brass section.

7. Theme from the original Moulin Rouge (France)
As a young boy, I learned this tune while listening to my sister Lilly’s music box as she played it over and over again. The arrangement consists of an interesting combination of instruments including cello, pan flute, and organ.

8. Theme from the Godfather (Italy)
One of the most famous melodies ever written, this collection wouldn’t have been complete without it. You can almost smell the garlic and spaghetti sauce as the accordion, mandolin and clarinet play while Michael Corleone dances with his bride on their wedding day.

9. Jamaica Farewell (The Caribbean)
This song is reminiscent of the Calypso craze from long ago that swept across America. History repeats itself as the steel drums, congas, and MIDI accordion help to produce a sound very much like the currently popular reggae music.

10. Carioca (Brazil)
I wanted this collection to include a lively, upbeat Latin American samba. Through the miracle of MIDI electronics, and at my father’s suggestion, a macaw is heard squawking during the percussion break. Dad thought it sounded a little too realistic, like the poor bird was getting his tail feathers plucked.

11. Plave Oči (Serbia)
Also known as Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain, this popular tune has been sung in many languages, including Serbian. For this album, I sang it in both Serbian and English.

12. Mustafa (Bosnia)
One of my wife Nancy’s all time favorites, I’m delighted to include it as the grand finale of this CD. As such, it comes complete with clarinets, accordions, orchestra, choir and finger cymbals on imaginary belly dancers.

To hear audio clips and purchase this CD go to www.cdbaby.com by clicking on Links.