Remzi Lela and the orchestra of the Lela family

Known by this name inside and outside Albania, this formation represents the most significant case of the organization of the folk orchestra within a single family in the second half of the century XX. By reviving the former tradition of these organizations, the folk instruments of the Lela family are simultaneously a continuous development of Albanian Folk instruments, but at the same time inherent in them is the former history of their formation. The origin of the family is from Përmet. Their musical origin dates back to the city of Përmet and especially to their grandfather Mane, who was a lute player and a folk singer. It was Mane (who sang folk songs from the age of 10-12), who joined the folk orchestra of the famous clarinetist known as “Usta Jonuzi Lamçe“, first as a singer and then as a lute player.

He worked with this formation, as well as with the folk orchestra of Riza on the clarinet and Mete on the violin, during 1924-1939, mainly participating in weddings and fairs in Albania. After the establishment of Radio Tirana in 1939, an offer was made for the production of several discs with folk music from Permet. Usta Jonuzi, who meanwhile was working in Tirana, asked his friends from the folk orchestra of Permet to come. Thus, in 1940, the Lela family, consisting of sons Çoban, Myslym, Riza, Bilal, Ahmet and sister Xhanja moved to Tirana. Upon arrival in Tirana, the future formation of the “Lela Family” began to form. In fact, it was Çoban (1937 – January 1, 1995) who would become the real pivot of “Folk instruments of the Lela Family“. During 1945-46, he began to practice with the clarinet that his father bought him, and then teaching himself like all Albanian clarinetists.

The first piece he learned were “some strokes” from the kaba of “Selim Stambolli“, which Master Jonuzi Lamçe also listened to and then encouraged him. Around the age of 12-13, his father took Çoban with him to weddings, and when the other brother, Riza, started playing the accordion, the three of them formed a group which was the embryo of the “Folk orchestra of the Lela family”. After the establishment of the Philharmonic (1951) and of the Ensemble of Folk Songs and Dances (1957), he participated in them, and then in the “Tirana” ensemble (1978-1990), together with his other brother Fatmir who played the lute. In 1990, all “Lela-s” regrouped in the “Central House of Folk Creativity”. Their music was recorded in the RTSH, the Institute of Folk Culture and many foreign music agencies. It was after the 1990s that he embarked on the most important tours of folk music in France, Belgium, Germany as well as in the Netherlands where he earned his biggest appreciation. Çoban participated in almost all National Folklore Festivals held in Gjirokastra, and with the “Lela Family”’s formation he also participated in the “National Meeting of Folk Instruments and Orchestras of South Albania”, organized in Korça in 1994.

“Popullore instumentale e Tiranes”, by Remzi Lela and Lela family – YouTube