The Rolling Stones of Klapa
Dalmatian vocal ensemble gives Washington debut performance

On Sunday, December 4, the all-male vocal  ensemble Klapa Sinj, which hails
from the Dalmatian coast of Croatia, made it's Washington, D.C. debut

By Frank Vinko Mustac

Croatian singer-songwriter Nenad Bach dubbed them the "Rolling Stones of Klapa music," and perhaps they are.

On Sunday, December 4, the all-male vocal ensemble Klapa Sinj, which hails from the Dalmatian coast of Croatia, made its Washington, D.C. debut with Bach sharing the stage at the Kennedy Center, the U.S. capital's premiere performing arts venue.

"Two concerts and both with standing ovations--two out of two, not bad," said Bach speaking at the Croatian Embassy for an a reception held in honor of the singers following their concert.

The group previously performed in New York City and will go to on to Chicago to complete its three-city U.S. tour.

Following their New York performance on December 1, Bach and Klapa Sinj recorded part of their upcoming CD "Everything is Forever," to be released sometime in 2006, at AllAire Studios Shokan, New York

"The intention is do what Paul Simon did with his 'Graceland' recording with traditional South African singers," Bach said about his collaboration with Klapa Sinj.

Croatian Ambassador to the United States Neven Jurica at the reception in Washington said that Klapa singing is something unique and original to Croatia.

"Unique and original to southern Croatia," he said.

Mojimir Cacija, the leader of Kala Sinj and a baritone singer with the group, said the ensemble had in mind for a long time to come to America.

"When we got here, the emotion was even higher, especially with the help of our producer," said Cacija referring to Bach, who as well as performing his original Pop Rock songs with the group, produced and organized the tour.

Klapa singing, which is relatively unknown outside of Croatia, has been performed so well for such a very long time in Dalmatia, but it takes a foreign tour and the media for the music to gain International exposure, Cacija said .

"We are all friends from a small place called Sinj," Cacija said, describing, in essence, how the vocal group was formed back in 1982. "The music we perform is almost secondary to our friendship."