Romany Boulevard

In Serbia, one of the boulevards in Nis, the largest city in Southern Serbia, could soon bear the name of the legendary singer of Romany music Saban Bajramovic. The proposal has been put forward by the public board that is responsible for naming streets and squares in Nis. The recommendation will then be put forward to Serbian Ministry for Public Administration and Local Self Government

The President of the Board Dragoljub Stamenkovic has said that he expects the procedure to be finished by the beginning of June when the first anniversary of Bajromivic’s death will be marked.

“It is very important that Saban’s wife also agrees, because it would be wrong to make a decision if members of his family do not agree. The Board considered several suggestions and by the majority of votes, this suggestion has been accepted. The boulevard is still not finished, but it will be a street worthy of the great singer,” Stamenkovic says.

A suggestion to name one of the streets in Nis after Bajramovic was made by officials of the Nisville Jazz Festival.

Saban Bajramovic was born in Nis in 1936. At the age of 19 he deserted the army to run away with a girl with whom he had fallen in love. As a deserter, he was sentenced to three years prison on the notorious island of Goli Otok where opponents to former Yugoslav President Tito were sent.

He started his musical career in the prison orchestra that played, among other things, jazz (mostly Louis Armstrong, Sinatra, and sometimes John Coltrane) with Spanish and Mexican pieces. Once he left Goli Otok, his music career took off. He made his first record in 1964, and since then is believed to have composed 650 songs. Saban also composed the official Roma people anthem “Djelem, Djelem” in 1964.

After years of hard and fast living, he faded out of the limelight and in 2008, was found living an impoverished existance in Nis, with serious health complications and was no longer able to walk. The government of Serbia intervened to provide him with some funds. He died in Nis on June 8, 2008, from a heart attack.