Dragi Šestić (born 14 May 1966) is a Bosnian music producer, sound engineer, director of music video clips and record label owner. In 1998 he founded the first Bosnian World Music band,

Mostar Sevdah Reunion Mostar Sevdah Reunion is a world-fusion musical ensemble from Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina playing almost exclusively sevdalinka fused with contemporary musical styles. The band is composed of experienced musicians and often collaborates with r ...

. He rediscovered almost forgotten Gypsy music legends from ex-Yugoslavia

Šaban Bajramović Šaban Bajramović ( sr-Cyrl, Шабан Бајрамовић, ; rom, Shaban Bajramovičh; 16 April 1936 – 8 June 2008), nicknamed Šabi (Шаби), was a Serbian vocalist and recording artist of Arlije Romani ethnicity. He was one of the mos ...

and

Ljiljana Buttler Ljiljana Buttler (née Petrović; 14 December 1944 – 26 April 2010) was a Yugoslav- Romani folk singer comparable to Esma Redžepova, Vida Pavlović, and Šaban Bajramović. Early life Buttler was born as Ljiljana Petrović on 14 December 1944 ...

-Petrović and brought them into the spotlight of the international World Music scene. Šestić was born in

Mostar , settlement_type = City , image_skyline = Mostar (collage image).jpg , image_caption = From top, left to right: A panoramic view of the heritage town site and the Neretva river from Lučki Bridge, Koski Mehmed Pasha ...

Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and H ...

. He worked with the famous maqaam ( Maqam al-iraqi), star and only female master of it - Farida Ali from Iraq on her album Ishraqaat. His work involved many of the Balkan stars, including the Queen of Gyspies

Esma Redžepova Esma Redžepova-Teodosievska ( mk, Есма Реџепова-Теодосиевска, ; 8 August 1943 – 11 December 2016) was a Macedonian Romani vocalist, songwriter and humanitarian. Because of her prolific repertoire, which included hund ...

Boban Marković Boban Marković ( sr-cyr, Бобан Марковић) is a Serbian trumpet player and brass ensemble leader from Vladičin Han. He is of Romani background. Boban Marković Orchestra The Boban Marković Orchestra is a Balkan brass band from Vla ...

, Naat Veliov,

Amira Medunjanin Amira Medunjanin (; born 23 April 1972) is a Bosnian singer and interpreter of sevdalinka. She holds both citizenship of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Biography Medunjanin was born in Sarajevo and her fascination with the Music of Bosnia ...

, Fulgerica, Ljubiša Stojanović

Louis Louis may refer to: * Louis (coin) * Louis (given name), origin and several individuals with this name * Louis (surname) * Louis (singer), Serbian singer * HMS ''Louis'', two ships of the Royal Navy See also Derived or associated terms * Lewis ( ...

, and many more. His work can be found on many World Music compilations, but most of it is on his

record label A record label, or record company, is a brand or trademark of music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a publishing company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the produ ...

Snail Records A snail is, in loose terms, a shelled gastropod. The name is most often applied to land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod molluscs. However, the common name ''snail'' is also used for most of the members of the molluscan class Gastrop ...

, founded in 2002. He lives and works in the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

Discography as a music producer

# Mostar Sevdah Reunion: «Mostar Sevdah Reunion» (1999 – World Connection) # Mostar Sevdah Reunion presents Šaban Bajramović: «A Gypsy Legend» (2001 World Connection) # Ljiljana Buttler: «The Mother Of Gypsy Soul» (2002 Snail Records) # Fulgerica and The Mahala Gipsies: «Gypsy Music From The City Of Bucharest» (2002 World Connection) # Mostar Sevdah Reunion: «A Secret Gate» (2003 Snail Records) # Amira: «Rosa» (2004 Snail Records) # Branko Galoić: «Above The Roofs» (2005 Snail Records) # Farida: «Ishraqaat» (2005 Snail Records) # Mostar Sevdah Reunion and Ljiljana Buttler: «The Legends Of Life» (2005 Snail Records) # Mostar Sevdah Reunion and Šaban Bajramović: «Šaban» (2006 Snail Records) # Mostar Sevdah Reunion: «Cafe Sevdah» (2007 Snail Records) # Ljiljana Buttler: «Frozen Roses» (2009 Snail Records) # Sarr e Roma: «Sarayland» (2010 Snail Records) # Louis: «The Last King Of The Balkans» (2011 Snail Records) # Klezmofobia: «Kartushnik» (2012 Tiger Records) # Mostar Sevdah Reunion: «Tales From A Forgotten City» (2013 Snail Records/ World Connection) # Mostar Sevdah Reunion: «Kings Of Sevdah» (2016 Snail Records) # Klapa Reful Split: «Heart Of Dalmatia» (2017 Snail Records) # Mostar Sevdah Reunion presents Sreta: «The Balkan Autumn» (2018 Snail Records) # Marin Jerkunica: «Badija» (2019 Snail Records) # Mostar Sevdah Reunion: «Lady Sings The Balkan Blues» (2022 Snail Records) # Mostar Sevdah Reunion: «Live in Sarajevo» (2023 Snail Records) Mostar Sevdah Reunion and Dragi Sestic

Awards

* "Davorin" Bosnian Music Awards: Special Award 2002 * "Davorin" Bosnian Music Awards: The Best Ethno Album Of The Year 2003 (for "The Mother of Gypsy Soul: Ljiljana Buttler") * "Davorin" Bosnian Music Awards: The Best Album Of The Year 2004

Films

* ''Mostar Sevdah Reunion'' by

Pjer Žalica Pjer Žalica (born 7 May 1964 in Sarajevo) is a Bosnian film director, screenwriter and a professor at the Academy of Performing Arts in Sarajevo. His father Miodrag (1926–1992) was a noted dramaturgist and poet who scripted several TV movi ...

2000 * ''Sevdah the Bridge that Survived'' by Mira Erdevički 2005 * ''Šaban'' by Miloš Stojanović 2007 * ''Tales from a Forgotten City'' by Amir Grabus 2013 * ''Balkan Blues: Stories from Mostar'' by Lucio de Candia 2016

References

Dragi Sestic- We need UNESCO's recognition of sevdalinka as heritage of the humanity

Dragi Sestic - Sevdalinkas

AKUZATIV - intervju sa Dragim Sesticem

Dragi Sestic- Sevdalinka je moja najveca inspiracija

Noizz inervju sa Dragim Sesticem

AZRA - Dragi Sestic o nastanku i uspjesima kultnog Mostar Sevdah Reunion-a

BBC Magazine - Music review

Bangkok Post - Sounds of Balkan

The Optimist NL - De warme gloed van bevroren rozen

De Volkskrant NL - Mostar Sevdah Reunion

De Volkskrant - Producer tegen wil en dank

RAVNO DO DNA - Intervju Dragi Sestic

NEDELJNIK - “Ako je Šaban još živ, i ako možeš da ga nađeš…” Dragi Šestić i priča o balkanskoj muzici koja je zavladala svetom

PULSE - O usnama , o snu kad baba peva orkestar place

SONGLINES MAGAZINE UK - BALKAN ALBUMS , THE ESSENTIAL 10

External links

Dragi Šestić at DiscogsRecord label Snail RecordsOfficial website of MSRMostar Sevdah Reunion – Sluzbena stranicaHocu kuci - Al Jazeera - Doprinos domoviniBalkan Blues - documentary film
1966 births Musicians from Mostar Living people World music musicians Bosnia and Herzegovina record producers Audio engineers {{europe-band-stub