Джендема | tl

Jendema (“Джендема”) is a Bulgarian blues band noted for their exquisite and witty song lyrics.

The band emerges in 1986 in Sofia as the two Bulgarian philology students Atanas “Nassko the Dirigible” Tzankov (†2009) and Angel “Jendema” Angelov gather a circle of friends and start playing. Among the collaborators was also the famous Bulgarian musician Vassko the Patch (Васко Кръпката). The band’s first public appearance was at the Bard Festival in 1987 in Harmanli, Bulgaria. The band was about to the win the big prize at the Festival later on, in 2000.

In 1993 they finish the work on their debut album called “Europe’s White Spot” (“Бялата точка на Европа”) featuring Vassko the Patch on drums, Kiril “Kesh” Stoaynov – bass, Petar “Pesheto” Yankov - guitar.

The band’s second album „Major Atanassov“ (“Майор Атанасов”) follows shortly in 1994. In the same year The Open Society Foundation (Фондация „Отворено общество“) publishes a book with the band’s poetry.

Jendema starts performing in many night clubs for original music in Sofia like “Quo Vadis”, “Stateside”, La strada (“Ла страда”) , Slavyanska beseda (“Славянска беседа”), the cinema theatre Vlaykova (“Влайкова’’) etc. and is widely appreciated amongst fans. Their sound can be described as blues rock with some elements of psychedelia.

In 1997 their third record called „My Head is a Running Pimple“ („Главата ми е гнойна пъпка“) appears. Jendema manages to draw a considerable public attention with almost no media campaigns. The band remains an Underground side by side project and never has signed contract with any big music label. Atanas Tzankov becomes a lecturer on Bulgarian Literature and Sociolinguistics at the American College in Sofia, while Angel Angelov teaches at the Department for Bulgarian Philology, Sofia University "St Kliment Ohridsky". Pesheto works as an engineer and Georgi Bakardjiev plays drums. .