The quintessential Balkan brass band from Vladicin Han, in Southern Serbia, has once again captured the mantle of “Leading Band in Serbia,” a title for which they have been crowned many times since the late 1980’s. Their music, performed by a thirteen-piece strong orchestra, is wholly defined by their own gypsy lineage, whilst giving a knowing nod towards other musical and cultural backgrounds closely related to Romani traditions.

Boban and his Orchestra have won all of the most prestigious accolades available to players in Serbia: ‘Trumpet Maestro’ (2 times), ‘Golden Trumpet’, ‘First Trumpet’, ‘The Best Orchestra’, ‘ The Best Concert’. Most of the members have been presented at the renowned "Dragacevski Sabor" in Guca, Southern Serbia - a festival noted to attract fierce competitions among both the players and audiences of up to 600,000 people.

In addition to the 13 albums released so far, the Boban i Marko Markovic Orchestra has performed and been featured in the following: Emir Kusturica’s beloved films: ‘Underground’ and ‘Arizona Dream’; ‘Unblocked’ (‘Music from the Eastern Europe’) compilation on Elipsis Arts in the US, "Srbija: Sounds Global" vol. 1, 2 and 3 (B92, 2000; 2002; 2005), “Golden Brass Summit”- Anthology of 40 years in Guča. (Network Medien);First 4 tracks. “Rromano Suno” Vol. 1 and 2 Gypsy music from the Balkans (B92, 2003; 2006), “Gucha! The Distant trumpet” film soundtrack (2006) and the award winning documentary film "Competition," as main characters.

The band has already performed in a host of countries around the world: Greece, Belgium, Rumania, USA, Hungary, Italy, Austria, Holland, Denmark, Finland, Israel, Norway, Turkey, Ukraine, Monaco, Russia, Switzerland, Poland, Sweden, Canada, UK, Germany, Spain, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Portugal, Ireland, Luxembourg, France, Slovakia, Croatia, and Czech Republic. Over the last 7 years, they have given more than 600 concerts. In 2002 and 2004 alone, the band performed more than 100 concerts, including tours in USA and Canada.

Boban and his son Marko are also starring in a documentary on Gypsy artists, called “Usti Opre,” which includes live music from Iva Bittova, Kalman Balogh, the Boban Markovic Orchestra, Ivo Papasov, Sergey Erdenko and others.

Marko, now the band’s primary soloist and arranger, has collaborated heavily, as both as a soloist and co-arranger, with Shantel on his well-received new album “Disco Partizani,” and has performed with the Bucovina Orchestra.

In 2006 and 2007, the Boban and Marko Markovic Orchestra performed many concerts with Roy Paci and Frank London, as part of the “Il Terrone, l’Ebreo e lo Zingaro” show, with huge success. This project continued with new shows in 2008 and 2009.

Since 2006, Marko, then 18, has co-led the band with his father, giving many spectacular solos, composing and arranging new material for the band, and producing a brand new album together with Boban (Go Marko Go).

Points of interest 

At the Pepsi Sziget Festival, Budapest (2001), the Boban Markovic Orchestra performed on the World Music Stage for a capacity crowd of 15 000 people. Great news for Boban, but not so for the famous English band Oasis - the British act had to postpone their set by 30 minutes due to the fact that from the audience demanded to hear more of Boban’s outstanding performance!

Jurors presenting the “The First Trumpet” award (highest accolade known amongst all brass musicians in Serbia) to Boban at “Dragačevski Sabor 2001” all awarded votes of ‘10/10’ points for his performance, the first time such high marks have been given in the history of the festival since 1961.

In 2002 the Boban Markovic Orkestar completed a 17-date sold-out debut tour in the USA and Canada. By the beginning of October 2002, they reached their 100th concert, with more planned for the fall. It was on that tour that the young Marko Markovic made his entrance onto the music scene. 

In 2011 the Orchestra was on tour in the most important halls and in the biggest festivals with the Romanian orchestra Fanfare Ciocarlia that is considered to be the fastest in the world, under the name "Balkan Brass Battle". The intent of "Balkan Brass Battle" is a musical duel between the bands, in order the audience to decide who is the king of the Balkan trumpet.

Available discography :
Hani Rumba                                       (ITMM)
Zlatna Truba | Golden Trumpet        (PGP-RTS)
Srce Cigansko | Heart of Gypsy         (X Produkcio)
Millenium                                           (X Produkcio)
Bistra Reka                                         (X Produkcio / B92)
Live in Belgrade                                 (Piranha Musik / www.piranha.de)
Boban i Marko                                   (Piranha Musik)
The Promise                                       (Piranha Musik)
Go Marko Go                                     (Piranha Musik)
Devla                                                   (Piranha Musik)

www.boban-and-marko-markovic.com