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Petoljubac

from ICS 05 2019 (Jebiga) by Amy Denio / Spoot Music

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3rd of 3 songs written on Sunday May 12, 2019.

With 45 minutes left before meeting with the fellow ICS composers, I stole another drum loop from Sarajevo, put it into 5/4, and played the melody that Petoljubac created on my saxophone with my special alphabet/tone code. Then I took the first sax track and started it half way through on another track, and the unnerving harmonies sprang to life.

The more I tour in the Balkans, the more I notice that kisses are political, and betray one’s nationality. So I made up the Seattle kiss ~ cheek to cheek not once or twice or thrice, but 5 times, last time longest, like my friend Eveline and I would always do in Seattle.

A friend from the Balkans joked that this kiss could be called 'Petoljubac', 5 petting kisses. I chose that title to work with.

Inspiration: In April, 2019, Kultur Shock were honored to play in Srebenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Had a religious experience singing the chorus in Sheitan:
Od Dzeneta do Dzehenema
Zasijala hurija
Fukara I hadzija, insan I bestija
Halal ima-Ima nam (that's when I started weeping)
Od Dzeneta do Dzehenema

The next morning I found myself at the memorial cemetery, weeping.
3 Muslim women came towards me, asked if I spoke French (yes), "What's going on?' Sobbing, all I could say was 'Je suis ici' (I am here.). The eldest woman opened her arms and we embraced. We affirmed leaving the past once and for all, starting from this day forward to build a better world. I taught them my Seattle kiss, last time longest, and we left in peace.

May the world benefit from the Seattle kiss. 5 times cheek to cheek while humming, linger longer for the 5th time... A kiss of peace.

The dissonant sound reflects my deep sorrow when women have no voice, the world goes awry, balance is lost, and peace is destroyed.

I took this photo from the van on Kultur Shock tour in the Balkans.

lyrics

Samo jedna ljubav čini dva ljubavnika.
Ali dva plus tri ljubavi čine petoljubac
(Only one love makes two lovers. But two plus three loves make 5 kisses/a pet.)

credits

from ICS 05 2019 (Jebiga), released May 24, 2019
Composed by Amy Denio on:
Edited kalimba sample from Sarajevo, alto saxophones, voices.
Mastered by Steve Turnidge, Ultraviolet Studios.

c 2019 Spoot Music, ASCAP

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Amy Denio / Spoot Music Hansville, Washington

Amy Denio is an award-winning multi-instrumentalist composer, singer and music producer based in Seattle, WA. She's been commissioned to compose for dance, theater and film, and has received numerous grants and fellowships and collaborated with artists worldwide.

She has performed at festivals, clubs, schools, prisons, social centers and ruins throughout Europe, North America and Asia.
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