Balkan Ensemble Meraklii with Rumen Sali Shopov

Dance performance with Jessaiah Zure

Saturday, June 18, 6:30 pm
Ashby Arts Space
2035 Ashby Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94703

Doors open at 6 pm; Venue closes at 10 pm
Admission: $20 All Ages
Face mask and proof of vaccination required for entry. All Ages.

Bay Area-based Balkan Ensemble Merkalii & Rumen Sali Shopov pick you up and spin you around with their energetic Balkan and Romani dance tunes!

Rumen “Sali” Shopov is a master Turkish-Romani drummer, singer, and tambura player from Goce Delchev, Bulgaria, a crossroads town in the Pirin Mountain region that hosts a rich intersection of Bulgarian, Macedonian, Greek, and Turkish musical influences.
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We are thrilled to welcome visiting artist Jessaiah Zure, who specializes in Turkish Roman style bellydance.

Jessaiah Zuré, is a Bay Area native now based in the Pacific Northwest. She will be reunited with Merakli, with whom she played davul within the ensemble. She and Rumen Sali Shopov have performed together on many stages and it is a joy for her to be invited to dance with this group. Since the first time she heard Roma music, she has travelled to study and live within the culture – enjoying the live music and dancing, celebratory weddings, and the many great customs, arts and food! Stay tuned for more information on a dance workshop with Jessaiah earlier in the day.
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Jessaiah Zuré comes from the beautiful traditions that the unique Bay Area offers with its strong community of musicians and dancers who study, perform, educate and keep alive the diverse cultures from around the world. Blessed to have stumbled into Katarina Burda’s classroom over 20 years ago, that opened up a portal to her like no other, Jessaiah began “bellydancing” learning the music and dance styles of Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, the Roma people, Turkey and the Balkans. She ALWAYS continues to seek out the experiences to learn and understand these cultures music, dance and customs – always looking to the source with reverence and awe. Notably her teachers include: Katarina Burda, Jamila Salimpour, Reyhan Tuzsuz, Stefka Kamburova, Henna, and Sahra Kent. With the encouragement and inspiration from her teachers and peers to “go to the source” she quickly found herself in Istanbul where the Turkish Roman music and dance flourishes. Her heart beat to that 9/8 rhythm and this was soon recognized by the locals as this led her to be a featured dancer at weddings, clubs, theaters and movies!

Berkeley Balkan Bacchanal is hosted by Ashby Arts Space.
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 Ashby Arts Space and to pay the musicians.

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

Saturday, May 21

4:30 pm doors; 5-8:30 pm show; venue closes at 9 pm
Ashby Arts Space
2035 Ashby Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94703
$20-25 suggested donation online or at the door.
Face mask and proof of vaccination required for entry. All Ages.

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Metanastys

Metanastys are proud to present their first appearance at the Berkeley Balkan Bacchanal. Metanastys, translates to ‘immigrants’ in Greek and play wildly tender, well-intentioned -disruptive songs from the Balkans, centering around Greece and Turkey!

Jarolim Gayri (Ali Yağız Şen) – bouzouki, guitar, vocals
Zina Pozen – accordion, vocals
Marco Ghezzo – violin
Jonathan Kipp – percussion

Zirzuvi plays Sephardic and Middle Eastern melodies, sharing music as a vehicle for celebrating cultural bridges. We play captivating tunes in rhythms and languages from around the region, with celebratory sounds of violin, oud, clarinet, bouzouki, trumpet, flute, and hand drums. Zirzuvi means an undefinable color in Ladino (Judeo Spanish): Delight your senses, commune with your ancestors, stir your soul.

Jamie Barsimantov: oud and clarinet
Matthew Harmon: bouzouki
Megan Clemens: vocals, frame drum
Aharon Wheels Bolsta: darbouka, hand drums
Shireen Nabatian: violin
Peter Bonos: trumpet, oud
Anne Cleveland: flute

To donate in advance, visit 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

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

Saturday, April 23

6 pm doors; 6:30-8:30 pm show; venue closes at 9 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.
$15-20 suggested donation online or at the door.

Lars And In Charge plays high energy dance music from Balkan and Near East (Turkish-Roman, Greek, Arabic ..) and original music by Lars Tergis.

Lars Tergis leads the charge on violin with driving, gritty interpretations of traditional party tunes as well as original compositions based in regional scales and rhythms. Chris Reid adds a touch of ‘West’ with percussive chordal accompaniment on steel-string guitar. Gopal Slavonic brings his Flamenco chops to bear on nylon-string guitar while Faisal Zedan keeps the beat popping on derbekki, riqq and davul. Joined on stage by some of the Bay Area’s top dancers and guest musicians, Lars and In Charge guarantees a big sound and an even bigger party.

Lars Tergis (violin)
Greg Jenkins (clarinet)
Chris Reid (rhythm guitar)
Joe Rosato Jr. (upright bass)
Faisal Zedan (percussion)
Sean Tergis (percussion)

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

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

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.