While brass music declined in popularity throughout much of Europe after World War II, in Marković's homeland, the genre has been going full blast. Commenting on the recent historical decline of brass music elsewhere on the Continent, Marković says, "Here in the Balkans, Gypsy musicians inhale this music and go with it. They change it and preserve it; they are much more flexible and passionate. When the music changes, it survives."

After once visiting a Serbian trumpet festival, Miles Davis reportedly said, "I didn't know you could play the trumpet that way." Considering such worthy praise, it's no wonder that Serbian trumpeters like those in Marković's orchestra contributed to piercing the foggy stigma surrounding European brass music in the '90s. After the global visibility Marković's band gave the brass sound in Emir Kusturica's film Underground in 1995, Balkan breaks soon found themselves fueling DJ-driven dance floors throughout Germany and other parts of Europe. It was as if Central Europe were being given the green light to polka again. Except this time around, the brass sound's inherent nationalistic march has been replaced by the historic Balkan flow of Romany, Jewish, Christian and Islamic music, fused with a flurry of late 20th-century artistic exchange.

Markoviç's 2005 release, The Promise, is a sterling example, with titles that translate as "Latino," "Greek Mountain" and "Mexican Girl," positioning it to make a global trot. Jelena Marković's voice highlights a couple of tracks with an effect that echoes Egypt — or at least, as Marković admits, a sound that is "more Mediterranean than Adriatic." Another guest, Erol Demirov, lends clarinet touches of klezmer from his native Macedonia.

As for this week's concert in Prague, Marković says, "This time, we have lot of new songs from the movie Gucha! The Distant Trumpet, which will premiere in Berlin in February, including the songs we did with Roy Paci and Frank London, and also some songs from the CD we are going to record in the spring."

In recent years, the popularity and demand of Markoviç's orchestra has kept it increasingly on the road, both at brass music festivals and also at rock festivals. All the hard work is having a positive effect, according to Marković. "Tours and traveling bring the band together, we are more compact, and it is helping to filter our repertoire," he says. "When people are hospitable and enthusiastic toward our music, even though they do not know or understand it, it brings the strength to go further and explore."

Boban's son Marko is also eager to premiere a few fresh compositions as part of the band's set, a contribution the elder Marković welcomes. "I am interested to see where my son Marko will take this music," Boban says. "His time is here."

The Marković crew has loaded a few Balkan DJs onto the bus, and, after the live concert, they will spin an intensive body of Balkan dance-floor beats for fans craving more. Attracting youthful audiences worldwide with Balkan brass is an idea Marković says he would have considered "crazy if somebody told me that 10 years ago. But this is working, and I like it. The audience likes our energy, they dance, and we are in the flow. I've always liked packed dancing venues."