Bands

Aya Safiya & Tano Brock

Traditional Greek (Mainland and Islander)

Aya Safiya (vocals, violin)
Tano Brock (vocals, laouto)

Set list:
Me Kotsakia Fanerono (Syrtos from Naksos)
Maleviziotikos (from Kriti)
I Rima tou Mela (Kalamatiano from Kimolos)
Karotseri Trava (Xasaposervikos)

Aya Safiya and Tano Brock have been musical collaborators for over a decade. They met at a music camp in their teenage years, and began playing Greek and Balkan music together. In 2014, along with Cecilia Peña-Govea and Miguel León, they formed Taraf de Locos, a SF Bay Area group that created a unique blend of Balkan and Afro-Latin music styles. Following an album release and tour with Taraf de Locos, Aya and Tano traveled to Eastern Europe together to discover and study music. They have since been collaborating on a regular basis; continuing to play Greek and Balkan traditional styles, as well as contemporary original music. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Aya and Tano have been frequently performing live-stream concerts from their home studio, both independently and as a part of larger concerts/festivals.
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Website/Social Media:

Aya Safiya
ayasafiya.com
instagram.com/ayasafiya
twitter.com/AyaSafiya
facebook.com/theayasafiya

Tano Brock
tanobrock.com
instagram.com/tanobrock
twitter.com/TanoBrock
facebook.com/TanoBrock
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Donations/Tips
Venmo: @Aya-Davidson
Paypal to ayacdavidson@gmail.com
(please choose "Friendss/Family" for the full donation to go to musicians, else a percentage is deducted)

Blato Zlato

Blato Zlato "In The Wake". Photo Credit: Sarrah Danziger (from blatozlato.com)

Lou Carrig (accordion, vocals)
Amelia Clingman (violin)
Ruby Corbyn-Ross (vocals, riqq)
Janie Cowan (upright bass)
Annalisa Kelly (vocals)
Boyanna Trayanova (tapan)

Set list:
Miatalo Lenche yabalka
Gjura beli belo platno
Gaidine sviryat
Shto imala ksmet Stamena
Doncho i stenata

Formed in 2015, Blato Zlato (blatozlato.com) is a New Orleans-based Balkan band featuring dreamy three-part vocal harmonies over hard-hitting instrumentals. The band puts a modern twist on traditional music from the Balkans and Eastern Europe, with a particular focus on Bulgarian songs and dark, improvisational arrangements. Hailed as a band with "galactic ambitions" by The New Orleans Advocate, Blato Zlato is a powerhouse of accomplished players from Europe and the United States with a collective goal to produce meaningful cultural and musical bridges between old world and new. In 2019 Blato Zlato released their anticipated sophomore album, In The Wake, following the 2017 releases of their debut album Swamp Gold and the limited-edition EP Voyage. In The Wake was recently listed in the top 100 world-music albums released in 2019-2020 by the Transglobal World Music Chart.

Blato Zlato performs in their hometown of New Orleans at a wide range of venues, ranging from festivals and music clubs to museums and private events. They have also performed on several tours to Bulgaria, New York, the West Coast of the US, Ireland, and the UK.
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Website/Social Media: Website, Facebook, Instagram (@BlatoZlato), Twitter (@BlatoZlato), YouTube, Bandcamp

Tips and Donations
Paypal to blatozlato@gmail.com

Cabin 19

Traditional Dance Music from Romania

Asaf Ophir (clarinet, sax)
Balder ten Cate (cimbalom, guitar)
Zina Pozen (accordion)

Set List
Hora Veche (Muntenia)
Hora Mare Bucovineana (Bukovina)
Cadineasca (9/8 dance from Dobrogea)
Wedding Hora (Moldova)
Doina + Sarba (Moldova)
Sarba Armeneasca (a.k.a. Tonagan Par)
Waves of the Danube (a.k.a. Anniversary Waltz)

Cabin 19 consists of three Balkan Camp enthusiasts collaborating to bring you dance favorites from Eastern Europe. The band was born during the pandemic and the band members are based in the SF Bay Area, where they play in various other Balkan and Middle Eastern music ensembles as well.
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Website/Social Media: Asaf Ophir, Balder ten Cate

Tips and Donations
PayPal.me/AsafOphir
Venmo: @Asaf-Ophir

Chubritza International Folk Band

Janet Finney-Krull (brač, accordion, dumbek, flute, vocals)
Rick Kruse (bass, violin, čelovič, vocals)
Craig Kurumada (prim, brač, accordion, vocals)
Meadow Lo (bass, dumbek, bugarija, vocals)
Linnea Mandell (bugarija, accordion, vocals)
Derek Shaw (prim, brač, guitar, vocals)

Dance Set #1
Usest (Hej Mala Malena)
Waltz (More Ti Si Ceznja)
Posavski (Gasoline) Drmes
Lesno (Eleno Kerko)
Opsa

John Filcich's Teaching Set
Sarajevka
Kostursko Oro
Veliko Kolo

Dance Set #2
Drmes Iz Zdencine
Vranjanka (Sano Duso)
Polka (Ciribiri Bela)
Opsaj Diri
Mori Shey

Kafana Set
Cardak
Svatovska
Kad Ja Podoh
Bolujem Ja
Ne Se Zenam

Chubritza (chubritza.com) was founded in 1993 in Arcata CA, and plays a wide variety of Balkan and international music. The band members have a longstanding passion for tamburitza music, and music of the former Yugoslav republics, which represent a significant portion of the band's extensive repertoire. The ensemble has recorded 2 CDs, (Spice of Life and Opsa!). Chubritza plays a broad repertoire of international dance music, and will be showcasing FYR/tamburitza music for Kolo Festival. John Filcich, Kolo Festival founder, has recently re-located to Arcata, so he and his daughter, Jana, will be collaborating with Chubritza for the Kolo Festival program.
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Website/Social Media: Website, Facebook ‍

Tips and Donations
Venmo to @Linnea-Mandell

Da! Mozhem and the Nema Problema Chorale

Eastern European with a Hambo

Alan Moore (accordion, kaval)
Barbara Saxton (vocals)
Ginny Snyder (arranger/director, clarinet, gaida, various strings, vocals)
Glynis Hawley (vocals)
Holly Thuman (bass, vocals)
John Burke (accordion, tambura, vocals)
Joyce Clyde (gadulka, vocals)
Lew Smith (percussion, vocals)
Nettie Weijsman (vocals )
Paul Litsky (prim, tambura, vocals)
Radmilla Zaric (vocals, primary language coach)
Rich Tucker (tambura, vocals)
Sonne Lemke (vocals)

Set list:
Bufchansko
Dramskoto
Pravo (Prez Gora)
Chobankat
Moja Diridika

Da! Mozhem started when three friends met once and a while to play Eastern European music, more and more friends joined. Many had been in other well respected groups such as Sviraci, The People's International Sliver String Macedonian Band, Born to Drone, Sidesaddle, M'Earthtones, Peninsula Women's Chorus, Westwind and the Slavonian Traveling Band. The group has gained polish over the years, but not lost the friendship and humor that is the basis for playing music together. D!M plays at a variety of folkdance venues and festivals in California.

Website/Social Media: Facebook

Tips and Donations
Paypal at paypal.me/damozhem
(please choose "Friends/Family" for the full donation to go to musicians, else a percentage is deducted)

Danubius

Hungarian dance music

Barbara Deutsch (fluier, soprano sax, vocals)
Jutka Mándoki (vocals, kontra, guitar)
Nathan Ladyzhensky (violin, guitar, prim)
Douglas Mandell (string bass)

Set list:
Szeress Egyet (Székelyföldi csárdás traditional music arranged by Muzsikás; dance is forgatós (couples dance))
Teremtés (music composed by Muzsikás in Gyimesi Csángó style, with contemporary lyrics; dance is Lassú Magyaros (couples dance), the first of cycle)
Mori Shej (Hungarian Roma music, composed by Balogh József of Kalyi Jag for his baby daughter; can be danced as Roma free-style dancing or with choreography (familiar to international folk dancers))

Danubius (danubiussf.com) was started by David Skuse in the late 1990's. We are a San Francisco-based Eastern European band, specializing in traditional and Roma (Gypsy) music from Hungary, as well as from other countries in the vicinity of the Danube River. We perform for festivals and weddings, at restaurants and private parties, and have performed for numerous years at the SF Kolo Festival, most recently under the name ZsaZsaZsa. We play both Western and traditional musical instruments, giving us a unique sound.

Tips and Donations
Paypal at Paypal.me/BarbDeutsch92
(please choose "Friends/Family" for the full donation to go to musicians, else a percentage is deducted)

Dromeno

Pan-Hellenic Greek, Macedonian Brass, Rebetika

Christos Govetas (voice, bouzouki, clarinet)
Ruth Hunter (voice, accordion)
Eleni Govetas (violin, saxophone, percussion, bass)
Nick Maroussis (guitar)
Bobby Govetas (drums, daouli, defi, baghlama, trombone)

Set lists:
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Friday Set
Sta tria/Sta dhio (medley)
Tsamiko
Syrtos
Levendikos
Sofka

Saturday Set
Apano sti triandafilla
Sfarlis
Pajdushko
Zervodexio
Zonaradhikos
Singathistos

DRÓMENO is a traditional ensemble presenting regional folk music from the Greek mainland and beyond, overlapping into the surrounding regions and finding the musical legacy that connects the traditions of the Balkans. Featuring clarinet and voices, the instrumentation includes accordion, saxophone, violin, oud, bouzouki, zourna, guitar, laouto, kanun and percussion, and enables the group to span the sounds of Greek music, from western Macedonia and Ipiros, through Thessaly, Thrace and Asia minor. "Drómeno" derives from ancient Greek and means an artistic, social, cultural performance-spectacle, (sometimes dramatized); a cultural event and/or ritual.
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Website: dromenomusic.com
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Tips/Donations
Paypal to paypal.me/govetas (please choose "Friends/Family" for full amount to be paid to musicians, else a percentage is deducted)

Duo Kolevs

Bulgarian Folk Music from Thrace and Beyond

Donka Koleva (vocals)
Nikolay Kolev (gadulka)

Set list:
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Dancing tunes
Malibogdanska Ruchenitsa
Giullersko Pravo Horo
Srednogorska Kopanitsa
Trapezni tunes
Bavna wedding song
Trite Puti

Duo Kolevs (www.gadular.com) is the family duet of Donka and Nikolay Kolevi.
‍Donka Koleva is a vocalist prized for her rich, clear and melodic voice. Also a graduate of the Folklore High School in Shiroka Luka, she worked as a soloist with the Sliven Ensemble for three years. She then directed the chorus of the Sopot Ensemble, and soloed with the wedding band Rozova Dolina. In 1994, Donka started recording with the National Radio and Television in Bulgaria. In 1997, her recording of “Javore” was song of the year. Since she moved to U.S. in 1995, she has taught and performed traditional and arranged songs from Bulgarian Thrace and the Rhodopes at Balkan camps on both coasts. She has taught many workshops and private lessons across the U.S. and Canada to well-known singing groups such as Kitka, Planina, Chubritza, Mila, and others. Donka graduated from the Musical Folklore High School in Shiroka Luka. She has been a featured soloist on Bulgarian Radio and Television. Since emigrating to the U.S. in 1995, Donka and her husband Nikolay Kolev have played an active role in fostering Bulgarian music across the country. Based in the New York City area, they teach workshops in their respective fields and perform solo, together, and with their ensemble Cherven Traktor.
Nikolay Kolev is a native of the Thracian Rose Valley village of Karavelovo, and has been playing gadulka since age 10. After graduating from the National School of Folk Arts in Shiroka Luka, Bulgaria, he performed for three years with the Sliven Folk Dance and Music Ensemble. In 1984 he founded the orchestra Sopot, in 1985 the wedding music ensemble Rozova Dolina, and in 1992 the prize-winning ensemble Balkanski Glasove. In 1994 and 1995 the latter group took first prizes at the Varna Festival. Nikolay has accompanied many well-known singers including Vulkana Stojanova, Roumen Rodopski, and Todor Kozhuharov. He has also taught many students at a number of Balkan camps in the US. In 1999, Nikolay was the first Bulgarian to be recognized by the Slavic Heritage Council of America for his outstanding contributions to music.

Website: www.gadular.com
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Donations and Support
Paypal to koleverafolk@netzero.net
(please choose "Friends/Family" for the full donation to go to musicians, else a percentage is deducted)

Gradina (Members of Gradina)

Eastern European dance and choral music

Jana Mariposa Muhar (voice, drum)
Joli Jacobs (voice)
Tabitha Doniach (voice)
Darina Drapkin (voice)
Elin Powers (voice)
Natalie Hicks (voice)
Rebecca Dwan (voice)

(other Gradina singers and instrumentalists will not appear in the performance)

Set list:
Večerjaj, Rado (slow 5-count pravo)
Aj lipo ti je
Išu bjala Nedo
Dimitro (includes special pravo demo)
Moma bega prez livade (lesno)

Gradina is a Balkan music ensemble based in California's North Bay area. We sing a cappella and also some songs with instrumental accompaniment, leaning toward traditional songs and arrangements. We present "sit-down" concerts for choral listening as well as dance concerts, and we are also available to teach most of the dances we present. We are honored to play with many Balkan musicians from near and far, and every concert or dance set is different, often with a different array of performers. We started around 2001.

Gradina’s brand new CD is available direct by email to lovedarina2@outlook.com or order CDs or download on Amazon.
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Website/Social Media: Website, Facebook

Tips and Donations
Venmo to lovedarina2@outlook.com

Gogofski

Macedonian and Balkan

Kasia Sokalla (vocals)
Dave Golber (clarinet)
Henry Goldberg (drums)
Dan Hiatt (accordion)

Set list:
Mori Chicho Reche (Pajdushko)
Skopski Chochek (Devetorka)
Stani Mome (Chochek)
Valle Korchare (Sta Dhiu)
Odam vo Stambol Grad (Devetorka)
Berance Valle without the Valle (Berance)
Chaje Shukarije (Chochek)

Gogoski (gogofski.com) plays music of the Balkans. Not the loud and fast brass band. Not the massive thirty-voice choir. We bring you other great music from the Balkans, from the complex dance rhythms of Macedonia to the heart-wrenching Sevdah song tradition of Bosnia.Gogofski plays for a dance evening the way they do in the old country: the musicians on the floor playing right in front of you, to you, for you. A Gogofski club evening gives you a feast of comic songs and intimate ballads, traditional and modern, and brings you to understanding, to sharing, and to feeling. And at an outdoor festival, Gogofski brings a new sound and a new excitement that brings the audience out of their seats to dance in front of the stage.
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Website/Social Media: Website

Donations and Purchases
PayPal donations to dgolber@aol.com

Kavala Brass Band

Northern Greek / Macedonian

Belle Birchfield (baritone)
Jerry Kisslinger (dauli, snare drum)
Lefteris Bournias (clarinet)
Matt Moran (dauli, snare drum)
Michael Ginsburg (trumpet)
Morgan Clark (accordion)

Set list:
Raikos
Patrounino
Leventikos / Pousteno
Sofka

Kavala Brass Band is composed of some serious bad-ass musicians from NYC (from bands like Zlatne Uste, Slavic Soul Party) and a Greek transplant (Lefteris Bournias) clarinet maestro! Have been making people happy again and dancing again before and during and after pandemic.
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Donations and Support
TBA

Kef

Music from Across the Balkans

Sharon Rogers (accordion, vocals)
Sarah Ennes (alto sax)
Nisha Calkins (cello)
Cody Simmons (trumpet)
Alex Lowe (trumpet)
Ken Sokolov (drums)

Set list:
Češma Šarena (lesnoto)
Bregalnica oro (kopanitsa)
Çobankat
Selska račenica/Berovska igra

Kef (balkanmusic.org) is based in Eugene, OR and has been playing for dancers in the Pacific NW and northern California since 2007, specializing in modern instrument ensemble genres from the Balkans, primarily Bulgaria, the former Yugoslavian republics of Macedonia and Serbia, Albania and Aegean Greece, with a particular interest in Romani styles from those areas. The band performs both in the small ensemble format as featured here, and as a full brass band. While Kef's core repertoire is Balkan, depending on dancer interests, a selection of broader IFD material is sometimes included.
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Website/Social Media: Website, Facebook

Donations and Purchases
PayPal donations or money for CDs to klastos@hotmail.com

Musiki Parea

Village and Urban Greek Music

Laura Blumenthal (vocals, santouri, and defi)
Joseph Condie (accordion)
Wendy Cutler (bass ukulele)
Erika Gerson (baglama and percussion)
Kate Gerson (clarinet)
Mark Hamilton (guitar)

Set list:
Yiorti Zeimbekidon (Zonaradikos)
Karavi Karavaki (Kalamatianos)
Amarandos (Tsamikos)
Garsona/Ehe geia panta geia (Hasaposervikos)

Musiki Parea Based in Vancouver, BC (Canada), Musiki Parea was originally formed in Summer 2000. Original members include sisters Kate and Erika Gerson and Laura Blumenthal, who met at Mendocino Balkan Camp, and Wendy Cutler. Johnny-come-latelies are Joe Condie and Mark Hamilton.
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The band usually plays at summer festivals in Metro Vancouver, including Greek Day on Broadway and the Greek Summerfest, at various cafes around Vancouver over the years, and once a year (in normal times) for the 4th Corner Dancers in Bellingham, Washington, and has also played at Balkan Night Northwest in Seattle. Most recently Musiki Parea played for the Cambie Village Business Association in Vancouver, BC. They play mostly Greek music, including village music from all Greek areas and urban Greek tunes, as well as some Turkish tunes, especially those that cross over between the two cultures, and a few songs from the former Yugoslavia.
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‍Website/Social Media: Facebook

Orkestar Black Wine

Music of the Balkans and Beyond

Ann Marie Hosticka (vocal, bass)
Leah Lenardic (vocal, tambura/not featured KoloFest)
Jason Ottmann (vocal, tambura, percussion, kanoun, bouzouki)
Vesna Spehar (backing vocals)
Angela Tosic (vocal, tambura, guitar)
Petko Tzvetkov (accordion)
Phil Vucinich (bugarija/not featured KoloFest)
Julie Hughes (violin, tambura, backing vocal/guest performer)

Set list:
Karagouna (Greece)
Niska Banja (Serbia/Romani)
Konobo Moja (Dalmatia/Croatia)
Slavonija Splet (Croatia)

Orkestar Black Wine was formed in 2019 as a way to explore music across borders and cultures with new and exciting interpretations (Tamburitza, Romani music, Sevdah, Balkan, Klezmer, Flamenco, Latin and more). Bandmates have a history of playing together in various folklore, klezmer, gypsy jazz and classical ensembles. Multiple members are also involved as music and dance educators of Croatian folklore. We play at music venues/bars in Chicago and Milwaukee, as well as regional International Folk Dance events.

Website/Social Media: Instagram, Facebook
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Donations and Support
Venmo to @Angela-Tosic or @Jason-Ottmann

Orkestar RTW

Ronald Long (accordion)
Steve Shadle (clarinet, vocals)
Jana Rickel (electric bass, vocals)
Tedy Dimitrova (tambura, vocals)
Tim McCormack (tapan, dumbek)

Orkestar RTW (www.orkestarrtw.com) plays a mix of North American recreational dance repertoire (including older material) and popular narodni style Balkan music. Emphasis on Bulgarian and Macedonian with the addition of Tedy Dimitrova to the band six years ago. Orkestar RTW began in 1986 as the modern instrument house band for the Radost Folk Ensemble. Three of the founding members (Ronald, Steve, Jana) still play with the band.

Donations and Support
Donations can be sent via PayPal to Orkestar.RTW@gmail.com
Band CDs are available at orkestarrtw.bandcamp.com

Pegasus

Rebetika and Smyrneika

Greg Jenkins (vocals, bouzouki, percussion)
Evin Sellin (violin, baglama)
Jenette Sellin (accordion, guitar, oud)
Mark Sellin (cello)

Setlist:
Set 1
Kaftone Stavro Kaftone (Aptaliko)
Frangosyriani (Vari Hasapiko)
Pente Hronia Dikasmenos (Karsilamas)
Misirlou (Instrumental)
Set 2
Aivaliotiko (Instrumental, Zeibekiko)
Trava Re Manga Kai Alani (Hasaposerviko)
Apo Kseno Topo (Uskudar, Syrto)
Kouventa Me Ton Haro (Tsiftetelli)

Pegasus is a shelter in place band from Occidental, CA organized by Gregory Masaki Jenkins of Bay Area's Rebetika band, Disciples of Markos. This is their debut performance as a band. They play music inspired by 30s and 40s Greece, mostly Rebetika and Smyrneika.
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Donations and Tips
ALL tips/proceeds will be donated to a charity or charities benefitting people of the Balkans!
PayPal: gregorymasaki@gmail.com (please choose "Friends/Family" when sending tips)
Venmo: @gregory-jenkins-3

The Rosen Sisters

Rosen Sisters during set at Golden Fest, in New York City.

Ariana Rosen (violin)
Amberly Rosen (violin)

Set list:
Psarapoula Syrtos* - Greece
Alunelul* - Romania
Hambo - Sweden
Zemer Atik* - Israel
Ruchenitsa - Bulgaria
Dospotsko* - Bulgaria
In The Mood* - USA
* for those songs The Rosen Sisters will be dancing to their own playing at the same time!

The Rosen Sisters (youtu.be/SfQ7RLMLMro) have been playing an eclectic mixture of International Folk Dance Music, Classical, Old-Time fiddle, and a thing they call fiddle dancing since the early 1990's when they were kids. They started playing a lot in Oregon while growing up and always played wherever they traveled when on family trips. Once Ariana moved to NYC for college, they started playing in NYC more and when Amberly moved to Boston for college, they played in even more places when traveling. They enjoy playing for different IFD groups throughout the country and occasionally abroad. Over the last handful of years, their main annual gig has been at Golden Festival in Brooklyn, NY where they have been joined by wonderful musicians including Bill Cope, Nicole Johnson, Marjorie Selden, Jerry Kisslinger, and Michele Simon.

Tips and Donations are greatly appreciated!
Paypal to paypal.me/amberlyrosenviolin (please choose "Friends/Family" for the full donation to go to musicians, else a percentage is deducted)
‍Venmo to @Ariana-Rosen

Sans Frontières

Barbara Gershman (hammered dulcimer, accordion, and electronic keyboard)
Lance Gucwa (string bass and bass guitar)
Marcella Lawson (vocals, guitar, and doumbek)
Mindy Belli (drum set, alto and soprano recorder, and doumbek)
Lee Otterholt (vocals, violin, and mandolin)
Sebastian Otterholt (violin)
Terry Gucwa (cello, guitar, and vocals)

Set list:
Samodiva
Dospatsko
Valle Pogonishte
Čoček
Kaži, Suto, Kaži, Dušo
An Dro Retourneè
Sonatë
Chikulata Chikita

Sans Frontières is based in Orange County, CA, and first formed in 2019. Four members, Lee, Marcella, Mindy, and Terry, are regular dancers with the Laguna International Dancers (LID). Lee is Artistic Director at LID and a master teacher of IFD. Sebastian is Lee's son. Barbara is the VP of the Southern California Dulcimer Heritage and regularly plays with Terry in a Celtic band. Lance is Terry's brother and plays in the La Jolla Symphony and several Bluegrass bands. Sans Frontières plays at LID events in Laguna Woods, CA, including the 50th Laguna Folk Dance Festival, held in 2020. As the name suggests, Sans Frontières has a wide-ranging repertoire, tackling pieces that are widely danced, but not typically performed by IFD bands. The repertoire tends to be relatively recent music that evolved from, and celebrates, ethnic heritage, but expresses that heritage in modern-day musical conventions.‍

Tips and Donations
Venmo directly to @Marcella_Lawson

Shirley Johnson (Vjeverica)

Shirley Johnson (accordion and vocals)

Set list:
Belasičko
Erev Ba
Zemer Atik
Waltz
Polka
Savila Sa Bela Loza Vinova
Karamfil (lesnoto)
Trava Trava Trava
Triti Puti

Shirley Johnson (Vjeverica.com) has been singing, dancing, and performing ethnic music since she was 10 years old - from her Croatian heritage to International folk dance music. She is comfortable performing as a soloist, often strolling while playing and singing Italian or French music, or in bands playing Celtic, Gypsy Jazz, Balkan, Klezmer, etc. music. Currently she lives in Austin, TX, and performs with “The Oom-Pahs” (Polka) and with “Julie Slim and RendezVous” (French Jazz). Shirley’s 3rd CD, “Dancing Angels,” features several of Austin’s finest musicians. She teaches accordion privately (mostly virtually this year) and is co-producer of the “Not Just OOM-PAH!” Accordion Concert and Workshop. This year Shirley returns to teach the singing classes at TIFD’s Texas Folk Dance Camp.
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Website/Social Media: Vjeverica.com

Tips and Donations
Throw down into Shirley's tip jar (in $5 increments)
PayPal directly to ShirleyJ@Vjeverica.com
Venmo directly to @Shirley-Johnson-9 (last 4 digits of phone 0422 if asked for it)

Slavej (Nightingale)

Screenshot of online performance by Slavej. Shot Credit: David Bilides (see youtu.be/sw10n8wvrAs)

Carol Silverman (vocals)
Mark Levy (clarinet)
Cody Simmons (trumpet and flugelhorn)
Michael Lawson (accordion and vocal)
David Bilides (tapan)

Set list:
Zaradi tebe (pravo horo)
Plevensko horo (daichovo horo)
Bolna ležam (lesno oro)
Svadbeni čoček (2/4 čoček)

Slavej ("Nightingale") is a Eugene and Seattle-based Balkan folk music band. We have performed at the Northwest Folklife Festival, Balkan Night Northwest, Balkanalia, the Veselo Festival, the Balkan Music & Dance Workshops, and a Fulbright IIE Pre-departure Orientation.

The dances in the 15 minutes of video you see here are: pravo horo, daichovo horo, lesno oro, and a 2/4 čoček. These are excerpted from a one hour virtual video project we recently completed. This was done for a Fulbright IIE Pre-departure Orientation for awardees teaching and doing research in Eurasia (mostly Eastern Europe) in 2021. Originally, we planned to perform live at a week-long event at the University of Oregon in July 2020 for 300 participants. This was transformed to a virtual event held in September 2020.

You can view the the complete hour-long video, where each musical piece is preceded by a brief explanation of its context, background, and lyrics, presented by Carol Silverman. The audio was mixed and mastered in Logic Pro and the video created in Final Cut Pro by David Bilides (izvormusic.com).

Sviraci

Melissa Miller (Bulgarian and Macedonian vocals, Bulgarian and Macedonian kaval, tambourine)
Lew Smith (tupan, dumbek, Bulgarian and Macedonian tambura)
Jim Little (Bulgarian and Macedonian gajdas, tupan, Swedish säckpipa, fiddle, Macedonian tambura)

Set list:
Pravoto (Gajdexhiju)
Berovka/Ratevka
Sandansko
Ne sedi dzhemo/Devojchje, devojche
Narodno oro

Sviraci (pronounced SVEE-rah-chee) is a three-member band that plays traditional village-style Macedonian and Bulgarian music for folk dancers, plus some Scandinavian folk dance tunes. In 1974, after the very first week-long Balkan Music Camp (at Sweet's Mill, above Fresno, CA) a number of us South-Bay/Peninsula residents who had attended decided we should get together again and play together. Members of the original early-days Sviraci included Peter Ward (accordion, tambura), Mike Gage (clarinet, Bulgarian kaval), Gary Breitbard (violin, gudulka) as well as the current members Jim Little (string bass, gajda, and violin), Melissa Miller (flute, kaval), and Lewis Smith (percussion and tambura). We had an urban as well as a village repertoire back then, because we had the instrumentation; however, within a few years, as Pete, Mike, and Gary had changes in their personal lives, they left Sviraci and we settled into exploring the village repertoire more deeply. Melissa began singing in public with the group at about that same time. For a time in the 1980s, Kip McAtee, now living in Hawaii, joined us on tambura. When Jim took up playing Swedish bagpipe, we added some Scandinavian music to our repertoire. We also have more urban style pieces using fiddle, voice, tambura, and percussion.

Website: http://sviraci.persson-little.com

Tips/Donations:
Venmo to Lewis-Smith-70

Zabava

Energetic, soulful, and rhythmically dazzling music played from the center of the dance floor

Anastasia Burkett (volin)
Bill Cope (gajda,tambura, oud, bouzouki, accordion)
Janie Cowan (bass)
Tom Farris (guitar, tambura)
Noa Laniakea (bass)
Hilary Musaji (vocal)
Michele Simon (vocal, doumbek, tupan)
Corinne Sykes (vocal)

Set list:
TBA

Zabava! has been in existence for countless years, with numerous band members,
playing a variety of music for folkdancers. Zabava! plays for folk dance parties, workshops and celebrations around California, and has played at balkanalia! and EEFC’s Mendocino Camp. They play energetic, soulful, and rhythmically dazzling music played from the center of the dance floor – from Albania, America, Armenia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Macedonia, Norway, the Romani, Romania, Serbia, South Africa, Sweden and Turkey
traditions. The musicians create the vibrant interplay of traditional music and dance
from the cultural crossroads.

Website/Social Media: Facebook
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Donations and Support
PayPal: paypal.me/billcope
Venmo: @cope-a-cabana

Zlatne Uste

Balkan Brass

Aaron Kisslinger (tenor)
Belle Birchfield (baritone)
Daniel Stern (truba)
Emerson Hawley (tuba)
Jerry Kisslinger (bubanj, snare drum)
Laine Harris (truba)
Marian Eines (saxophone)
Matt Smith (baritone)
Melinda Hunt (vocals)
Michael Ginsburg (truba)
Morgan Clark (tenor)
Sarah Ferholt (truba)
Seido Salifoski (bubanj, snare drum)

Set list:
Gankino (Kopanitsa)
Puče Puška (Teško or Vranjanka)
Mig Mig (Čoček)
Kolo (u šest) (Kolo iz Šumadije, Užičko Kolo)

From kolos to Kusturica, Zlatne Uste has played with Šaban Bajramović, Esma Redžepova, Demiran Čerimović, Yuri Yunakov, and many other legendary Roma musicians from Eastern Europe. Founded in 1983, we are the foremost presenters of traditional Balkan brass band styles in the US. Our repertoire spans the full range of the heartland of brass bands in the Balkans -- Serbia, Macedonia and Bulgaria, playing both Slavic and Romany traditions. Creators of the Zlatne Uste Golden Festival in New York, we play festivals, weddings, dance parties, concerts, from New York to California to Canada, to Brazil and Macedonia. The first foreign band invited to participate, we are five-time invited guests at the Dragačevo Brass Festival in Guča, Serbia and twice at Vlasinsko Leto in Surdulica.

Website/Social Media: Website, Facebook
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Donations and Support
TBA

Sample Band

Genre

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Set list:
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Website/Social Media: Instagram, Website, Facebook
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Donations and Support
Venmo to @user
Paypal directly to email@website.com or paypal.me/someone or click here.
(please choose "Friends/Family" for the full donation to go to musicians, else a percentage is deducted

Musicians, Choirs, and Dance Groups (aka Performers)