Chalga

Chalga or pop-folk
Stylistic origins	Bulgarian music, Serbian folk, Greek folk, (Balkan folk),Ethnic Russian music, Music of Russia, Newly composed folk music, Arabesk music, Balkan Brass Band, Balkan pop, Dance-pop, Eurodance, Pop, Fusion (music)
Cultural origins	1960s Bulgaria (forbidden by the communists until 80s)
Typical instruments	Guitar, Bass Guitar, Synthesizer, Keyboards, Drum Machine/Percussion, Sampler, Sequencer, Clarinet, Trumpet, Accordion, Šargija, Fiddle, as well as other folk instruments

Chalga is a Bulgarian music genre, often referred to as pop-folk, short for "popular folk". Chalga or pop-folk is essentially a folk-inspired dance music genre, with a blend of Bulgarian music (Bulgarian ethno-pop genre) and also primary influences from Greek, Turkish, Arabic, Romani, Serbian and Russian music.

The name Chalga is derived from the Turkish word Çalgı, meaning "musical instrument". A Chalgadzhiya (in Turkish Çalgıcı) was a performer who could play virtually any type of music, adding his or her own distinctive beat or rhythm to the song. Often a Chalgadzhiya would not be able to read music, but instead play from memory on his or her Kaval (an end-blown Flute). Playing in groups at festivals or weddings, these performers initiated the popularization of chalga.

Bulgaria was invaded by the Soviets in 1944 and was under communist oppression for forty five years. The local communist apparatchiks denounced western influences that Bulgarians had enjoyed including jazz and promoted its own folklore instead. The music played was often imbued with nationalist or “New Life” undertones to influence the public to be more accepting. Often songs on the radio exhibited communist views and ideals; such as the virtues of collectivized farming. The Soviets banned western music such as Elvis and the Beatles, because they were deemed evil and immoral. Those who did not abide by the ban and continued to listen to western radio stations were sometimes fired or even sent to labor camps. In the 1980s the communists issued a state-run radio station to broadcast only certain percentages of Bulgarian and Soviet songs, and the remaining 20% that was not allocated to those categories was left to “Songs of other nations.” During this time the neighboring Yugoslavia made their own version of Chalga music and called it Turbo-folk which Bulgarians often would pirate the tapes from and listen to in secret. Current Chalga music didn't emerge until 1989 with the collapse of communist rule. The people began to rejoice over the fact that no one could tell them what to listen to anymore, and Chalga took off. There were critics who complained that Chalga was only about corruption, easy money, and indiscriminate sex, but many "ordinary" people got so into it because of their new freedom that they embraced Chalga as their alternative to officialdom.

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Wikipedia