Selimi’s “Lament Kaba” with clarinet is the culminating genre of Kaba’s interpretation on the clarinet (or violin) instrument. We must remember that at that time, such folk musical concert models with clarinet did not exist. The instrumental group of “Selimi with friends” created the instrumental model of these “lamentations” based on the language and popular musical genres of traditional instruments such as the untempereted flute of Toskëri and the isopolyphonic vocal lamentations of Shqeria area located between Përmet and Leskovik. 

Exactly, Selimi’s “Lament Kaba” is based on motives similar to short musical formulas which refer to the mourning for the loss of a loved one where the clarinet plays the role of “starter” and the violin that of “cutter”, which are followed by continuous “iso” of the lute pedal. Its rhythm is developed uniformly in “ad libitum”. Masters like Selim Leskoviku with an extraordinary ability were among the first who created these instrumental models with Saze, similar to the concerto for instrument and orchestra in classical music. His kaba, in addition to respecting the origin of the motifs, consolidates the relationship of the clarinet (starter) with the violin (cutter) and the lute in iso. The Kabas that founded this tradition were created thanks to the richness of isopolyphonic music, the talent of clarinetists, but also the creative freedom of their authors.

Although previously unknown, Selimi used the clarinet in the same way as a simple popular aerophone instrument, making its sound carry a new identity of this instrument, which among the masters and the people is called “gërnet”. So the instrument is really clarinet in appearance, but “gërnet” from the sound that comes out, as the interpretations of “Selimi with friends” explored technical possibilities of this instrument, which were not thought by its constructors. Among them we identify the minor septum as cadence, the play with sliding glissando, whether descending or ascending, as well as the untempered sounds that often come out articulated masterfully through special positions of the lips. The use of a wide range of clarinet play and the gradual development of the motif through introduction, development and culmination is typical of this type of Kaba.

At this stage of the creation of these Kabas we find that they are still with one part; only “lamentation”, without the second part, the rhythmic “dance”, which will appear a few years later and is called “the transition from darkness of death to the light of life ”. We find the lamentat/kaba as a popular genre to be played with flute and longar.

Selimi’s Saze consisted of Hafize Leskoviku, a prominent singer and violinist, as well as his brothers and relatives who performed on lute, canon and tambourine.