Jiří Demeter, legendary Romani singer and leader of the Khamoro ensemble, has passed away
Jiří Demeter, a member of the famous Khamoro ensemble, has passed away after a long illness. His sister-in-law Monika Demeterová announced the news to Romea.cz.
Mr. Demeter was born on 30 April 1963 in Prague, Czechoslovakia and came from the Sidor family. His father was a police officer whose sons were musically talented.
From an early age, Mr. Demeter dedicated himself to music. His parents established the Khamoro ensemble in the 1980s, which was quite famous in its day, and Mr. Demeter was the bandleader.
After completing his compulsory two-year military training, Mr. Demeter worked for the Czechoslovak Federal Interior Ministry as a commissary manager. He later went into business.
In his free time, Mr. Demeter continued to dedicate himself to music with his beautiful, strong singing voice. One of the best-known compositions he performed was the Romani halgato song “Čoro čhávo somas” (“I Was A Poor Boy”), written by the famous songwriter Gejza Horváth.
Mr. Demeter performed with his band in the first Romani-run restaurant and club in the country, also called Khamoro. He sang with the best Romani musicians at the time, such as the Lazok brothers.
Mr. Demeter collaborated with public broadcaster Czech Television on the “Romale” [Romani People] program, which was produced by Emil Ščuka. His hyperbolic reggae song called “Vemte si své vozy zpět” [“Take Your Cars Back”] became quite popular.
Mr. Demeter lived for many long years in New Zealand, where he emigrated as a result of the racially-motivated violence that was growing in the Czech Republic. He passed away in the circle of his family after a long illness.
Paťiv leske.
