Saturday, March 19, 4 pm

Admission: $15-20. All Ages
Ashby Arts Space
2035 Ashby Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94703

Face mask and proof of vaccination required for entry. All Ages.

After a 2 year hiatus, The Fanfare Zambaleta is back! Celebrate with us at a Balkan Brass party at the Bacchanal’s new outdoor venue, a stone’s throw from Ashby Bart and only a few blocks from our original home.

$15-20 suggested donation online or at the door. To RSVP, go www.ashbyarts.org, donate to their gofundme page, and present a screenshot of your donation at the door along with your vaccination card and ID. All the proceeds will go to fund the official opening of Ashby Arts Space and to pay the musicians.

Information: peterbonos@gmail.com, ashby.arts.space@gmail.com

FANFARE ZAMBALETA – an 8-10 piece Balkan brass band specializing in high spirits music of the Serbian, Macedonian, Bulgarian, Greek and Balkan Romani people. Fanfare Zambaleta means crazy street party– with brass! Getting their start in 2012 as an offshoot of the Zambaleta Music and Dance school in SF, this band has been rocking clubs, weddings, and dance halls throughout the west coast ever since! Combining a love of the classic brass bands of the past with the modern sounds coming out of the Balkans, Fanfare Zambaleta brings an irresistible blend of old and new to get you dancing! They’ve learned from some of the greats including Demiran Ćerimović, Džambo Aguševi Orkestar and Nizo Alimov (of Kočani Orkestar) and are now also embarking on a new journey to write original tunes inspired by their deep love of the music. The band is directed by Gregory Masaki Jenkins (alto sax) and features Joey Friedman (alto sax), Max Miller-Loran (trumpet), Peter Bonos (trumpet and euphonium) Adam Waite, Evan Stuart (sousaphone) and Ivan Velev (percussion).

After a 2 year hiatus, The Berkeley Balkan Bacchanal is back! Celebrate with us as we present our first monthly engagement at a new outdoor music venue, a stone’s throw from Ashby Bart and only a few blocks from our original home base. This event will feature the music of regular bacchanal performers and members of The Keepers and Orchestra Euphonos in an informal setting playing their favorite songs and improvising in a spontaneous musical gathering. 

Featured performers include:

Peter Bonos – Trumpet, Oud & Production
Dan Cantrell – Accordion
Joey Friedman – Alto Saxophone
Calvin Lai – Clarinet
Yağız Şen – Guitar & Bouzouki
Faisal Zedan – Percussion
plus special guests TBA

We will continue to present concerts every third Saturday of the month. Save the date for our next installment on March 19 with Fanfare Zambaleta and more monthly concerts into the Spring and Summer 2022.

Face mask and proof of vaccination required for entry. All Ages. 

Make sure you RSVP at www.ashbyarts.org.  You will receive a link to make your donation to their gofundme campaign.  All the proceeds will go to fund the official opening of Ashby Arts Space and to pay the musicians. $15-20 suggested donation online or at the door.

Information: peterbonos@gmail.com, ashby.arts.space@gmail.com

Please note, Berkeley Balkan Bacchanal will once again host concerts at the Starry Plough when they reopen after their renovations are complete.

Friday, March 13
The Berkeley Balkan Bacchanal at the Starry Plough presents
Trio Dulce Amar and special guest Ionela Guzic (9 pm)
The Keepers (11 pm)
Doors at 8:00pm; Show at 9:00pm.
Admission: $12. Ages 21+ after 10 pm

Trio Dulce Amar

Friday, February 7
The Berkeley Balkan Bacchanal at the Starry Plough presents
Giorgos Frantzeskakis and Giorgos Stratakis
Duygu Gün and Friends
Doors at 8:00pm; Show at 9:00pm.
Admission: $12. Ages 21+ after 10 pm

Giorgos Frantzeskakis and Giorgos Stratakis (10 pm)

Boasting supreme musical talent and intuition, harmonizing voices, and upbeat tempo. The young duo of Giorgos Frantzeskakis (violin) and Giorgos Stratakis (Cretan laouto) has become growingly popular throughout the island of Crete, and especially within their native area of Hania (Western Crete).

Duygu Gün and Friends

A new project featuring a collaboration between Turkish vocalist Duygu Gün (vocals and guitar) and Peter Bonos (oud & bouzouki), plus Leah Serkin (violin) and Aharon Wheels Bolsta (drums).  This new ensemble will perform traditional folk, classic and popular music from Turkey, Greece and Sephardic traditions from the region.

Friday, January 10
The Berkeley Balkan Bacchanal at the Starry Plough presents
Zabava International and The Feldthouse Family Band
Doors at 8:00pm; Show at 9:00pm.
Admission: $12. Ages 21+ after 10 pm

Zabava International is an international folk dance (and beyond) band whose goal is to play anything you’d like to dance to! Band features Michele Simon: Vocals, percussion & tambura, Corinne Sykes: Vocals and tambura, Simmy Willeman: Violin, Tom Farris: Chordophones & percussion, Bill Cope: Come find out!

The Feldthouse Family band will be making a special visit to jam Balkan, Romani and Turkish favorites. Featuring David Feldthouse plus old friends and surprise special guests. Don’t miss this rare Bay Area performance!

Friday, December 13
The Berkeley Balkan Bacchanal at the Starry Plough presents
Édessa (9pm) & Agapi Mou (11pm)

Doors at 8:00pm; Show at 9:00pm.
Admission: $15 – Ages 21+ after 10 pm
The Starry Plough Pub, 3101 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley, CA

Edessa captures the passion and vitality that is at the heart of Balkan music. This often rambunctious band plays the intricate time signatures and highly ornamented modal music that is characteristic of the Balkans with authority and joy. An understanding of the unique connection between this music and it’s expression in Balkan dance informs the ensemble’s performances and derives from decades-long involvement as both musicians and dancers. Using both traditional and modern instruments, they play a variety of styles featuring long sets that interweave melodies and improvisation with a big Balkan beat.

The sounds of this SF Bay Area ensemble include the ancient and mesmerizing music of the zurna and davul; the lyrical and sweet music of the Greek islands; the haunting, trance-like pentatonic music of Epirus; and-at the other end of the acoustic spectrum-the sizzling, contemporary Bulgarian fusion known simply as “wedding music.” George Chittenden – clarinet, saxophone, zurna, Ari Langer – violin, Lise Liepman -accordion, Paul Brown – bass and Sean Tergis – percussion.

Agapi Mou is a four-piece ensemble that plays Greek traditional music, with an emphasis on tradition — no modern sound effects or drum machines, just violin, clarinet, hand drums, laouto, and voice. The name Agapi Mou means “my love” in Greek and describes the group’s feeling for the music they play. Formed in 2009, the group performs in the San Francisco Bay Area at festivals, restaurants, dance venues, concert halls, and private parties.

Friday, November 8
The Berkeley Balkan Bacchanal at the Starry Plough presents
Istanbul Connection (10:30 pm)
Helios (9 pm)

Doors at 8:00pm; Show at 9:00pm.
Admission: $15 – Ages 21+ after 10 pm
The Starry Plough Pub, 3101 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley, CA

Istanbul Connection

A Bay Area musical collective formed when thirteen members of the hottest Balkan and Latin bands were gravitationally pulled to visit the city of Istanbul. With a mind towards cross-cultural connection and sonic expansion, these die-hards flew 7,000 miles to represent a piece of the the Bay Area music scene. In the process, they have cemented themselves as a supergroup of groove and since their epic beginnings, the band has performed sold-out-show after sold-out-show. They continue to draw their inspiration from the Turkish Maqam, Flamenco, Rumba, Balkan, and Cumbia they are are so deeply rooted in. Come prepared to dance!

Helios
The Helios Band is one of the most versatile Greek bands in Northern California, playing traditional Rembetika, Laika, Nissiotika, Demotika and Modern Greek music. The outstanding musicianship and vocals of the Helios Band members make each performance a truly special and memorable event.

Friday, October 11
The Berkeley Balkan Bacchanal at the Starry Plough presents
MWE (10:30 pm)
Levona (9 pm)

Doors at 8:00pm; Show at 9:00pm.
Admission: $12. Ages 21+ after 10 pm
The Starry Plough Pub, 3101 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley, CA

MWE

MWE Performing on the floor at the Starry Plough

Yes, their name is enigmatic, but MWE’s magical sounds are no mystery…a Middle-Eastern marching band consisting of one zurna, one davul, one saxophone, and two clarinets and 1 million decibels! The MWE experience is an all-out, crazy dance party for your ears and your feet!

Gregory Masaki Jenkins & Morgan Nilsen: clarinets
Calvin Lai: zurna
Teddy Raven: sax and kaval
Sean Tergis: percussion

Listen to MWE on bandcamp

Levoná

The Levoná ensemble rose out of the highly acclaimed Bay Area musical “Love Sick”, and was named “Best Ensemble” at the Theatre Bay Area Awards in 2017. Master musicians from Syria, Israel, and the United States come together to weave a rich tapestry of sounds that is at once a taste of the orient, and a new creation all on its own – the kind of energy that only comes when distant cultures overlap, and celebrate their differences.

Band Members
Faisal Zedan – Percussion, Vocals
Josh Mellinger – Percussion
Patrick Kelly – Bass
David McLean – Guitar
Asaf Ophir – Woodwinds, Vocals

www.levona.org

Friday, September 13
The Berkeley Balkan Bacchanal at the Starry Plough presents
Alaturca Connection

Doors at 8:00pm; Show at 9:00pm.
Admission: $12. Ages 21+ after 10 pm
The Starry Plough Pub, 3101 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley, CA

Alaturca Connection is a Turkish band formed by the Bay Area’s widely acclaimed musicians. Each of our members brings musical depth and years of experience in playing a broad repertoire of classical, folkloric and contemporary Turkish, Balkan and Roman songs. The sound is a bridge between modern and traditional. They perform regularly at community events, weddings, and shows at various San Francisco venues.

Vocals: Nurdan Civi, Violin: Younes Makboul, Oud: Haluk Kecelioglu, Kanun: Ahmet Cagin, Drums: Faisal Zedan, Murat Bayhan, Saz: Raman Osman, Bass: Mansour Ghanbari

Friday, August 9
The Berkeley Balkan Bacchanal at the Starry Plough Presents
Briana Di Mara and Friends (11 pm)
Lars and In Charge (10 pm)
Balkanton 340 (9 pm)

Doors at 8:00pm; Show at 9:00pm.
Admission: $12. Ages 21+ after 10 pm
The Starry Plough Pub, 3101 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley, CA

Briana Di Mara and Friends

Violinist and composer Briana Di Mara will be weaving together traditional tunes and unique original Balkan inspired melodies from her recent album, “Haven”. Joining her are stellar musicians Gari Hegedus (Saz,mandocello), Calvin Lai (clarinet) and Sean Tergis (percussion). Come prepared to dance!

Lars and In Charge plays high energy fiddle tunes from Turkey, Greece and beyond.

Lars Tergis leads the charge on violin with original compositions and driving, gritty interpretations of the classics. Chris Reid adds a touch of ‘West’ with percussive chordal accompaniment on acoustic guitar while Sean Tergis keeps the beat popping on drums.

Balkanton 340 brings you the unique traditional sounds of the folk instruments gaida, gadulka, kaval and tupan played by the Bay Area’s most exciting veterans of Bulgarian music. Band members include Hector Bezanis on Gaida and Dena Bjornlie on Gadulka.

The Berkeley Balkan Bacchanal presents a new rotation of bands the Starry Plough Pub on the second Friday of every month. Berkeley Balkan Bacchanal is a concert series featuring the other-worldy talent of musicians from the Bay Area and beyond performing Eastern European folk music. A hub in the Bay Area Balkan music scene, the bacchanal provides a platform for a community of performers, folk dancers, regular attendants and new friends to revel together every month since 2011.