Compilation album "Serbia: Sounds Global", which appeared in November 2000 on the B92 label, lead to a significant breakthrough in the understanding of local traditional or ethno music both by the audience and by the critics, as well as by the musicians themselves. In addition to the bands featured on the compilation, new bands are continually emerging whose approach to musical tradition is remarkably innovative. The need to follow the development of world music in Serbia has imposed the duty of releasing a new compilation (the release date for "Serbia: Sounds Global 2" is 20 October) and brought forth the wish to provide the bands, featured on the new CD, with an opportunity to show to the audience, live in concert, that this scene is in constant development and has a life of its own. That is why we decided to launch the concert series "Serbia Sounds Global: a Living Tradition", held from September 2002 until June 2003 and organized by REX - B92 Cultural Centre.

Through carrying out this project, local bands will be given a chance to perform in front of the Belgrade audience, to work, co-operate, improve their skill and show their work, in the capital, to critics and the media alike. This will be an excellent opportunity for you not only to see the local world music stars, but also to discover some new authors and become experts on Serbian ethno.

The LIVING TRADITION project will introduce the following bands/authors: Ognjen i prijatelji (Pancevo), Marsya (Belgrade), Belo platno (Belgrade), Moba (Belgrade /Novi Sad), Pavle Aksentijevic and Zapis (Belgrade), Earth Wheel Sky (Subotica/Novi Sad), tamburitza ensemble "Zorule" (Novi Sad), Beogradska calgija (Belgrade), Drina (Loznica), Darko Macura (Belgrade), Aca Sisic (Obrenovac), Svetana Stevic (Homolje), the Dragan Lazovic Orchestra (Kraljevo), Boris Kovac and the Ladaaba Orchestra (Novi Sad). We will also open up new possibilities of live performances for new and unknown bands.

The launch of the LIVING TRADITION concert series on September 19th was marked by a big free concert given by the Boban Markovic Orchestra, which was held in front of the REX building. It was their exclusive performance before leaving on a tour of America.

The project was carried out with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia and the Fund for Open Society.

The author of the project SERBIA SOUNDS GLOBAL: A LIVING TRADITION is Bojan Djordjevic.