Profile of the famous singer Bashkim Alibali!

Bashkim Alibali
Singer of the golden generation of Albanian Music before the 90s! Often he is called “The elegance of the microphone of the Albanian song”.

 "He heard me singing and one day he told me that I had a church
nice voice "Don't lose this voice serenading the streets,
but let's go to the House of Culture and try it there"!
I went without any great pleasure, I was in doubt, that until then
I had sung for fun. They asked me which song I knew.
I said that I didn't know any Albanian songs.
I did the rehearsals singing Italian. They liked my voice.
I was approved to participate in the Song Festival of the city of
Shkodra. From there my path started".
(Bashim Alibali)

Born in Tirana on October 25, 1957, but he moved to Shkoder at the age of 5 and grew up in this city. Alibali was quite young when he came to Shkodër, keeping many memories in his youth, such as friendly ties, when he started singing with his childhood friend Tonin Tërshana, as a youth hobby. They sang serenades in the streets and alleys of Shkodra under the clear spring sky and under the dim light of the electric lamps shining on the wooden poles. He sang for the first time in the House of Culture of the city of Shkodra, where they liked his voice and approved him to participate in the song festival of this city.

As a discoverer of his voice is considered Mr. Nard Bushati who was the director of “Heronjte e Vigut” youth club. He had a characteristic feature; he was very impulsive, and he forced the talents he discovered to go on stage. Many Shkodra singers and artists owe a lot to this character. At that time, the artistic life of the city of Shkodra was quite rich and diverse. Only the theater “Migjeni” functioned as a professional troupe, but the source that constantly supplied it with new talents were the amateur troupes of the city’s enterprises and institutions.

In these “clean waters of this source” many future talents were discovered, where the charming, allegro and always youthful singer Bashkim Alibali, who worked at the time in the “Wire Factory” in Shkodër, stands out.

The brilliance in an artistic life, no artist can do alone without the cooperation of a staff where the members complement each other. In this context, Bashkimi had the great fortune to have other talents from Shkodra such as: Bik Ndoja and Shyqyri Alushi, but also from the pop scene such as: the late Tano Banushi, Zyliha Miloti, Paulin Preka, Jolanda Shala, Gëzim Kruja, Zef Deda etc.

At the age of 17, he participated in the song festival of the city of Shkodra, in 1970, with a song by the composer Dhimitër Curri, where he performed for the first time on stage with a wide audience. The artistic and cultural movement of the time in the city of Shkodra was very lively. There were many activities, especially amateur ones. Not only the House of Culture, but there were many enterprises that organized shows, festivals or other activities.

It was 1969 when Alibali started to become active with the professional pop troupe of the city of Shkodra. Participation in this troupe coincides with going to Tirana with an activity and the first song he sang in the Estrada hall of the capital was “Mes jush” by the composer Pjeter Gaci.

His passion and persistence have given him an honorable place in the ranks of the most prominent Albanian singers. Laughing and full of humor, he has been able to rise above every barrier of time, where the magic of his voice has been the key to his successes. Like many contemporary singers, the 11th Festival removed him from the stage, but not from the desire for the song. It stands out for its dress and elegance. He is probably the only Albanian singer who has never left the house without checking himself once again for his appearance.

His friends are composers, singers, lyricists with whom he discusses extensively about the song, the role and position it should have in the culture and society of Albanian today. Life has changed and is evolving, but we must admit that even the old folk song from Shkodra must be preserved and developed, since the talent, fantasy and spirit of generations of creators, both named and anonymous, have merged in it, we cannot say otherwise. more Songs from Shkodra.

One of them is Bashkim Alibali, who from time to time even in our days brings us wonderful pearls that shine with the brilliance of this unique music. However, his greatest brilliance has been in the interpretation of the song of light music. Bashkim Alibali took to the stage at the tenth festival (1971) with the song “Stacioni i dashur”. Before the general rehearsals, they removed the song for an extravagant interpretation, because according to the directors of the time, he made some “unacceptable” movements, which were simply without purpose, but instinctively, as he felt the song.

Anyway, he leaves and takes the way back to Shkodër. It is precisely here that maestro Alfons Balliçi then makes other efforts for Bashkim to return and climb the stage. That’s how it happened, this time they gave him another song “Qyteti punetor”. It was a special moment, because he passed the exam successfully. It was not easy to participate in such a Festival at that time. There were many demands from the professional side. The second part was about getting on stage. Magic moment!

His biggest dream was coming true, the dream that singers of that time had at every step of their lives. After that, Alibali also participates in the 11th Festival in RTSH, with an interesting song for the students. With the title “Mbremja e fundit”. Text and music by Enver Shëngjergji, orchestrated by Aleksandër Lalo. It was a successful song for him, where on the first night the audience returned him two or three times on stage, and surprisingly this song did not win any awards!

Later the singer was criticized for the most surprising extravagance by people who had not seen the festival at all. So until 1978, Bashkimi only sang popular songs on the company stage, without the light music song he felt empty.

At the Soldier Festival with a song by the composer Ferdinand Deda, he received the second prize. With this composer, he wins four other second prizes. Bashkim Alibali returns to the stage at the 17th Festival and again participated with a song by Enver Shëngjergji. He regularly participated in RTSH Festivals until 1990, where he sang the song “E imja Shota”, which was an indisputable success. Then it returns to v. 2011 at the 40th Fest with the song “Taverna e vjeter”.

During the years of his presentation at festivals, he also received the first prize at the First Spring Concert with the song “Ne duart e Nenes”, second prize with a duet with Eduart Juban with the song of Ferdinand Deda “Takim pas vitesh”, as well as the third prize with the song “Lulet e molles” by Enver Shëngjergji, two second prizes in two duets with the singer Valdete Hoxha, composed by Ferdinand Deda, etc.

For a period of time Bashkim Alibali was the Director of the “Vasil Shanto” Culture Palace in Shkodër, where for the first time the recital concert of the singer Bujar Qamili was organized with music director Nazmi Lishi and director Serafin Fanko. Thus, the activities continued one after the other, organizing several tours with the amateur troupe of this palace throughout the country.

In Tirana alone, this troupe has given over 70 shows and over 30 shows in other cities. During the time that Bashkimi was the director of this institution, it was completed with all the musical instruments, with sound and lighting, with a large stage which at that time met all the necessary conditions, becoming also the stage for amateur troupes. enterprises, institutions and troops that came from the country.

The level of organization of these activities not only enlivened the life of the city, but often competed with the professional troupe of the Theater “Migjeni”. _______________________________

Songs at RTSH Festivals and other musical events:

1971 – Qyteti punetor – Fes. 10th in RTSH
1972 – Nata e fundit e studenteve – Fest. 11
1978 – Hapet vallja – 17th RTSH Festival
1982 – Ne balle te brigades – 21st Festival
1983 – Jam i yti toka meme – 22nd Festival
1984 – Takim pas vitesh – Festival of 23rd
1984 – Cel si gonxhe dashuria – Festi. 23rd
1985 – Lulet e molles – Fest. 24th in RTSH
1985 – Per ty baba – 24th Festival in RTSH
1986 – Shalli i kalter i rinise – 25th Festival
1986 – Kur zemrat flasin – 25th Festival RTSH
1988 – S`ma njohe zemren – 27th Festival
1989 – Bore me Hene – 28th Festival in RTSH
1990 – E imja Shota – 29th Festival in RTSH
2001 – Taverna e vjeter – Fest. 40th RTSH
2011 – Kengen time marr me vete – 50th festival in RTSH
2014 – Shkodra zemra jeme – My song 2014
2014 – Kacurrelat – My song 2014

Other songs in Bashkim Alibali career: Në duart e nënës; Se kam të lehtë; Mes bukurive; Rritu moj vajzë e malit o; Në duart e nënës; Urimi i ditëlindjes; Nënës time; Për ty baba; Motrës sime – duet with Eduart Jubani; Përhere me ty – duet with Nertila Koka

“….. today singers do not seem to work as seriously as they used to work with the song. “Seriousness in our work, this is the main difference between generations of singers”, he says.

“Then we were very serious and worked with great dedication. At the Migjeni Theater I was surrounded by a circle of very great artists, it was lucky to work near them, but also an obligation, to work hard and not be ashamed. The only tool we had was the talent, the voice. While today I see that the tool is mainly the aphrodisiac parts of the body” (BASHKIM ALIBALI)

“At that time I secretly listened to foreign music and I liked Little Tony immensely. I remember how in a fashion magazine I saw the model of his suit and thought, why not?! I will go to the festival in a white suit as Little Tonny in Sanremo. I ordered a white festival costume from a Shkodran tailor. They had forbidden me to go out in a white suit, but I went on stage like that. The hall reacted and I said to myself: What do I need to risk, what do I need the white suit??!!! I panicked, so much so that I was forgetting the song. To be honest, although I sang well, I was more concerned about what might happen to me than about the song. As soon as I finished, the audience burst into applause. I understood that they liked me, but I had not yet received an opinion from the upper management. After the song, by chance in the corridors of the Opera House, I meet a former member of the Political Bureau, who shakes my hand and asks me the terrible question: Why did you come out in a white suit?!!! What is this costume?….
And me, where did I get an answer that actually saved me? Yes, as long as our life is beautiful, like a spring, why shouldn’t the stage be spring as well?
He shook my hand and left… A year later, most singers came out in white suits, while I wore a black suit with a red shirt. I had just gone down the stairs of the 15th floor, when the same senior manager came in front of me and asked me: Bashkim, why are you dressed like the Kosovars?!!! Not like the Kosovars, I answered, but like our red and black flag. And that’s how I escaped once again” (BASHKIM ALIBALI)

It was published some time ago on the Facebook page with the same name in December 2013. The text was revised in the following years.

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Albanian Cinematography in activity since 2013 

Reference: Based on the interview of singers published online in “Tirana Observer” / “Albanian Magazine 2010” HERMES NEWS / information collected from various online Albanian portals. Photos: Contribution of site administrators, from song videos available on this site, as well as “Google search” .

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