Friday, February 9, 2018
Berkeley Balkan Bacchanal Presents
9 pm: Samaria Trio
10 pm: Highest Ani
11 pm: The Collective

The February 9th edition of the Berkeley Balkan Bacchanal will highlight three new local projects exploring music of the Near East. The folk music of Greece, Turkey, Armenia will be performed by exciting three new Bay Area bands, each reflecting their members’ cultural explorations and worldly musical abilities. The Berkeley Balkan Bacchanal is a notoriously raucous marathon of music and dance at the Starry Plough Pub on the second Friday of every month.

The Starry Plough Pub 3101 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley CA
Doors at 8:00pm; Show at 9:00pm
Admission is $10+
21+ after 10pm (as kitchen closes)

Samaria Trio

Samaria Trio consists of Gary Haggerty (oud, saz, tar, mandocello, lavta), Faisal Zedan (darbuka, riq, and frame drum) and Elana Brutman on sympathetic string Cretan lyra. They play traditional and contemporary music from Greece and Turkey. Samaria’s music is deeply informed by the Maqam tradition of the Near East, employing the use of microtonal stringed instruments with percussion.

Highest Ani

Highest Ani plays traditional Armenian songs blended with diverse musical influences. Committed to paying homage to Armenian music, while incorporating musical identities taken from rock, jazz, indie, blues, and Middle Eastern music, Highest Ani is a band that strives to carve out its own sound. Featuring an exciting variety of musicians, Highest Ani is made up of Mark Ohanesian on the qanon (traditional Middle Eastern stringed instrument), Avo Chalaganyan on the drumset and vocals, Marina Hovhannisyan on main vocals and guitar, and Aaron Kruziki on saxophone, duduk (traditional Armenian double-reed), and clarinet.

The Collective is an effort of like-minded Bay Area musicians to make live music from the Balkans, Greece, Turkey, the Arab world and the greater Middle East.  The collective consists of Calvin Lei (clarinet), Dan Cantrell, Joey Friedman and Faisal Zedan, plus guest musicians for some parts of the performance.

Fun fact: three out of five members of The Collective are also part of the band known as Hadi Dede!

Friday, January 12, 2018
Berkeley Balkan Bacchanal Presents
Levoná
Chubritza

The January edition of the Berkeley Balkan Bacchanal presents a double bill featuring the rare worldly talent of local Bay Area musicians and touring artists. The Berkeley Balkan Bacchanal is a notoriously raucous marathon of music and dance at the Starry Plough on the second Friday of every month.

The Starry Plough Pub 3101 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley CA
Doors at 8:00pm; Show at 9:00pm
Admission is $10+
21+ after 10pm (as kitchen closes)

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

Chubritza

Chubritza offers a vibrant, eclectic mix of Balkan vocal and instrumental folk music using multiple traditional and modern instruments. This Arcata-based band has been regularly featured at folk dance festivals in Central California and Oregon, has recorded 2 CDs, and had the honor of being invited for a concert tour in Israel. You will have a hard time sitting still once Chubritza gets started!
Chubritza is a savory Bulgarian table spice. The name reflects the band’s varied musical tastes and textures, while retaining a Balkan emphasis. Chubritza’s music reflects many universal themes which all people share: the passion of being in love, the sorrow of lost love, and the happiness music and dance brings to the heart.

www.chubritza.com

Performers and instruments:
Jim Case – tambura, prim, brac, guitar, mandolin
Janet Finney-Krull – flute, frula, accordion, dumbek, tupan, snare drum, brac, vocals
Rick Kruse – bass, violin, mandolin, gudulka, tambura, celovic, vocals
Craig Kurumada – gajda, clarinet, prim, tambura, dumbek, spoons, vocals
Meadow Lo – tambura, guitar, bra™, trumpet, bass, percussion, vocals
Linnea Mandell – accordion, tambura, bugarija, tupan, dumbek, snare drum, vocals

Friday, December 8th, 2017
Berkeley Balkan Bacchanal Presents
Michelle Alany and the Mystics
Staro Vino
Disciples of Marcos

The December edition of the Berkeley Balkan Bacchanal presents a three-part concert featuring the rare worldly talent of local Bay Area musicians and touring artists. The Berkeley Balkan Bacchanal is a notoriously raucous marathon of music and dance at the Starry Plough on the second Friday of every month.

The Starry Plough Pub 3101 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley CA
Doors at 8:00pm; Show at 9:00pm
Admission is $10-20 sliding scale
21+ after 10pm (as kitchen closes)

Michelle Alany & The Mystics

Staro Vino

Come dance to the music of Bulgaria, Greece, and Macedonia. Only the finest vintages! They play dance tunes and table songs from Bulgaria, Macedonia, Serbia, and Bosnia.

Staro Vino is Mark Jenkins (percussion and vocals), Andrew Cohen (accordion), Greg Masaki Jenkins (clarinet and vocals), and Peter Bonos (Trumpet)

Disciples of Markos

The Disciples play in the style of Markos Vamvakaris, the most famous songwriter, singer and the heaviest, most stoned-out bouzouki player of the 1930s, as well as his contemporaries such as Delias, Batis, Peristeris, Hatzichristos, Tsitsanis and more.
The Disciples of Markos are based in Oakland, California, and since 2004 have been dedicated to spreading the beautiful songs from the Golden Age of Rebetika.

Wait, what IS rebetika you ask? Rebetika is the urban folk music of 1930s Greece, born in the hashish dens of the Piraeus slums. It tells the underworld stories of smugglers, gamblers, ladies of the night, and hash heads. We are named after the patron saint of bouzouki stoners; Markos Vamvakaris.

Disciples of Markos is Dave Murray (bouzouki and baglama), Greg Jenkins (Vocals, baglama & tsouras), Julay Brooks (Guitar) Darcy Noonan (Guitar, Violin and Vocals) and Paul Wernick (baglama, tsouras & bouzouki)

Friday, November 10, 2017
Berkeley Balkan Bacchanal Presents
Radio Istanbul
Alex Hand Band
Balkalicious Fire Drive

The November edition of the Berkeley Balkan Bacchanal presents a three-part concert featuring the rare worldly talent of local Bay Area musicians. The Berkeley Balkan Bacchanal is a notoriously raucous marathon of music and dance at the Starry Plough on the second Friday of every month.

The Starry Plough Pub 3101 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley CA
Doors at 8:00pm; Show at 9:00pm
Admission is $10-20 sliding scale
21+ after 10pm (kitchen closes then)

Radio Istanbul

Performing at 11:00pm. Photo by H Doğuş Akaydın

Radio Istanbul combines a traditional Istanbul sound with modern sensibilities. Inspired by the diverse music heard in the streets, bars and nightclubs of Turkey, Radio Istanbul’s hypnotic melodies and driving rhythms draw on Turkish, Rom (Gypsy), Balkan, and Arabic grooves. Located in California in the San Francisco Bay Area.
This performance will feature Haluk Kecelioglu (Oud and Violin) Calvin Lai (clarinet), Jenny Luna (Vocals), Sean Tergis (Percussion), Faisal Zedan (Percussion) and Skyler Fell (Upright Bass)

Alex Hand Band

Performing at 10:00pm

The Alex Hand Band is an electric folk jazz ensemble focusing on Bulgarian and Romanian dance music. With a setlist that ranges from Bulgarian wedding tunes to hot club jazz, the Alex Hand Band mines the common ground between swing and Eastern European folk dance music–the soundtrack of Western music moving across Balkan borders and being changed by European village music.
Alex graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno in 2011 with a jazz performance degree, studied traditional music in Bulgaria in 2015 and has been a key member of the Bay Area gypsy jazz and Balkan scenes in recent years. For this performance, Alex is joined by Lewis Patzner on cello and Aaron Kierbel on drums.

Balkalicious Fire Drive

Performing at 9:00pm

With searing instrumentals and fierce, sultry vocals soaring over hard-hitting grooves, the Bay Area’s rockin’ Balkan band, Balkalicious Fire Drive moves you with the raw and intoxicating energy, sound and spirit of the Balkans. The members of BFD bring with them extensive and vibrant histories in the world music scene. They are: Leslie Bonnett on vocals and violin; Stuart Brotman on bass; Shea Comfort on clarinet; Haig Kassabian on drums; and Ali Yagiz Sen on guitar and vocals.

Friday, June 9th, the Berkeley Balkan Bacchanal Presents MWE, Mano Cherga and Aya & Tano

The June edition of the Berkeley Balkan Bacchanal presents a three-part concert featuring the rare worldly talent of local Bay Area musicians. The Berkeley Balkan Bacchanal is a notoriously raucous marathon of music and dance at the Starry Plough on the second Friday of every month.

The Starry Plough Pub 3101 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley CA
Doors at 8:00pm; Show at 9:00pm
Admission is $10-20 sliding scale
21+ after 10pm (kitchen closes then)

MWE

Performing at 11:00pm

Based in San Francisco, CA, MWE puts a modern and eclectic twist on Turkish and Balkan folk music. As a five member acoustic wind ensemble, MWE plays traditional and original songs with the rarely paired clarinet and the double-reeded zurna.  Add one more clarinet, a saxophone , and a davul (a shoulder slung marching drum), and you’re about the closest to heavy metal you can get without amplification.  MWE’s shows are loud, wild, and raucous affairs known for drawing entire audiences to their feet in one song or less.

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

Website | Facebook Page

Mano Cherga

The Mano Cherga Band ( Beodan Miric- vocals and guitar, Yevgeniy Sverdlik- upright bass, Alexander Goldshtrakh- accordion, Haluk Kecelioglu- violin and oud and Edwin Meares- drums ) started performing around the Bay Area nearly 8 years a go. The band’s repertoire consists of contemporary and traditional tunes from Ex Yugoslavia, stressing mostly on the “Romani King”- Saban Bajramovic, then Goran Bregovic, Tozovac along the Hungarian, Vallachian, Macedonian, Croatian and Greek popular tunes as well, singing on more then 6 languages. Along the popular “covers”,  the band plays their original songs. Besides the obvious Balkan soulful feel and energy, unintentionally, yet obviously, Mano Cherga flirts with the popular styles and genres such as: Jump Blues and Swing from the 40’s, the 50’s Rock’n Roll and Chicago blues, British invasion, Surf and Skiffle from the 60’s, the 70’s funk and punk, 80’s and 90’s rock and metal etc. The band focuses on the theatrical, live performance representing the Serbian club scene and wedding euphoria by presenting the upbeat, steamy tempos and hypnotic Balkan rhythms along the catchy melodies and fierce violin, guitar and oud solos. Special guest for the June’s BBB is Balder ten Cate, who will join Mano Cherga on the accordion.

Aya and Tano

Back to the Bacchanal in a new iteration, we welcome back the potent creativity and beautiful harmonies of Aya Tano Band! Aya Davidson and Tano Brock are a Bay Area based duo of young musicians that perform Albanian, Greek, and Romani music. They started building their repertoire together during their travels through Eastern Europe in 2015. They will be joined onstage for this performance with Dan Cantrell on Accordion and Sean Tergis on Drums.

Tano Brock is a 21 year-old artist, composer, producer, multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, and performer. Brought up in a traveling musical family, Tano was introduced to the world of music at a young age. His first instrument was the “doumbek” (a Middle Eastern drum) which he started at age 6. He started studying piano at age 7, and at age 12 began teaching himself guitar. At age 13 he taught himself how to digitally record and produce music, which began his career as a composer/producer. He then continued to expand his array of instruments, adding saxophone/clarinet at age 13, bass and oud at 16, and laouto at 18.
Website | Facebook Page

Aya Safiya (Vocals & Violin) was born in into a richly musical household and intercultural community. She grew up constantly embraced by multi-cultural music, including music from: Egypt, Spain, Turkey, India, Japan, Brazil, Cuba and beyond. Growing up, she was especially involved with Greek culture. Over the years she built up her traditional Greek repertoire and polished her Greek styling. Now, while continuing to deepen her understanding of Greek music, she is studiously revisiting traditional musics from all over the world, as well as composing originals in the styles of Pop and Electro-acoustic. She is native to and currently resides in the Bay Area.
Website | Facebook Page

Watch Video of Aya and Tano Band live in their previous set at the Berkeley Balkan Bacchanal.

Friday, April 14th, 2017
Starry Plough Pub
3101 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley CA

Doors at 8:00pm; Show at 9:00pm
Admission is $10-20 sliding scale
21+ after 10pm (kitchen closes then)

March’s edition of the Berkeley Balkan Bacchanal presents a three-part concert featuring the rare worldly talent of local Bay Area musicians. The Berkeley Balkan Bacchanal is a notoriously raucous marathon of music and dance at the Starry Plough on the second Friday of every month.

Join the Facebook Event

Performing at 11:00pm: Radio Istanbul combines a traditional Istanbul sound with modern sensibilities. Inspired by the diverse music heard in the streets, bars and nightclubs of Turkey, Radio Istanbul’s hypnotic melodies and driving rhythms draw on Turkish, Rom (Gypsy), Balkan, and Arabic grooves. Radio Istanbul is led by the Turkish-American, SF resident Haluk Kecelioglu on oud and vocals and features some of most exciting local musicians including Gregory Masaki Jenkins, Sean Tergis, Schuyler Karr, and Faisal Zedan and will be featuring a special guest vocalist from NYC, Jenny Luna of Dolunay.
https://www.facebook.com/Radio-Istanbul-513730842106218/

Performing at 10:00pm: 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 an internationally acclaimed musician, arranger and band leader who has inspired many local musicians and groups. Ensemble Meraklii grew out of his Balkan and Romani Ensemble music/singing workshop at the Berkeley Jazz School.
https://www.facebook.com/BalkanEnsembleMeraklii/

Performing at 9:00pm: Hadi Dede (Come on, Grandpa!) is a four-piece band revitalizing eclectic repertoire from the Balkans and the Middle East, centered in Turkey. Watch out if they try to be too splendid on stage, and warn them gently if they lose touch. Join us for an entrancing musical expedition from Azerbaijan through Turkey to Macedonia. At times, they will sound like the Ottoman Navy Band, at times like a jam band, and at times like a Bulgarian wedding band. Had Dede are Jarolim ‘Yaz’ from Istanbul, on guitar, bouzouki, and vocals, Joey Friedman from Albuquerque on sax, Faisal Zedan, from Syria,
Derbakki, Riqq, frame drums, and Calvin Lai, from Glendale, CA on clarinet. Hadi!

Balkalicious Fire Drive
Tak Tak Boom
Helios

Starry Plough Pub
3101 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley, CA 94705
Doors at 8pm
Music at 9pm
Admission is $10-20 sliding scale
21+ after 10pm (kitchen closes then)

March’s edition of the Berkeley Balkan Bacchanal presents a three-part concert featuring the rare worldly talent of local Bay Area musicians. The Berkeley Balkan Bacchanal is a notoriously raucous marathon of music and dance at the Starry Plough on the second Friday of every month.

Headlining the Bacchanal, back by popular demand is Balkalicious Fire Drive (or BFD). With searing instrumentals and sultry, gut-wrenching vocals soaring over hard-hitting grooves, BALKALICIOUS FIRE DRIVE rocks you with the raw and intoxicating energy, sound and spirit of the Balkans. Band members are infused with long and vibrant histories from the Bay Area world music scene and beyond. They are: Leslie Bonnett on vocals and violin; Stuart Brotman on bass, Shea Comfort on clarinet, and Haig Kassabian on percussion and Yagiz Ali Šen on guitar.

We are proud to welcome for the first time, the mighty trio Tak Tak Boom, featuring the familiar faces of George Chittenden, Calvin Lai, and Sean Tergis of Edessa and MWE. They’ll hit the floor for an up close and thrilling set of the best Balkan zurna tunes sure to get you up and dancing. They go on at 10pm.

Opening the night (at 9pm), we are pleased to bring back the Helios Band. They have delighted audiences at Greek Festivals and weddings throughout the west coast with their infectious harmonies and make each performance a truly special and memorable event. They just released their debut CD, From Dusk Till Dawn in the Fall of 2016!

January’s edition of the Berkeley Balkan Bacchanal presents an eclectic pairing of new local Balkan combos and from NYC/Russia, special feature Vadim Kolpakov performing in Via Romen Duo. The Berkeley Balkan Bacchanal is a notoriously raucous marathon of music and dance at the Starry Plough on the second Friday of every month.

Doors at 8pm
Music at 9pm
Admisison is $10-20 sliding scale
21+ after 10pm (kitchen closes then)

We are ecstatic to present for the first time at the Bacchanal, Via Romen! Founded in 2004, Via Romen has performed to glowing reviews across North America and has established itself as the continent’s premier Russian-Romany (Gypsy) group. Nuevo Russian–Romany Music is a new style, the original creation of Via Romen members. Drawn from a vast repertoire originating in Eastern and Western Europe and enriched by jazz, Jewish, and Latino styles, this music is modern, innovative, fresh and often deeply emotional. Founder and artistic director Vadim Kolpakov (Russian seven-string guitar, dance and vocals) will lead a band of master musicians from all over the world.

Back to the Bacchanal in a new iteration, we welcome back the potent creativity and beautiful harmonies of Aya Tano Band! Aya Davidson and Tano Brock are a Bay Area based duo of young musicians that perform Albanian, Greek, and Romani music. They started building their repertoire together during their travels through Eastern Europe in 2015. Aya sings and plays violin, and Tano sings and plays saxophone, clarinet, and they’ll be joined by Dan Cantrell on accordion, Sean Tergis on percussion and Johnnie Gilmore on bass.

Also making their first Bacchanal appearance, we are proud to present the Alex Hand Band! With a setlist that ranges from Bulgarian wedding tunes to hot club jazz, the Alex Hand Band mines the common ground between swing and Eastern European folk dance music–the soundtrack of Western music moving across Balkan borders and being changed by European village music. Alex Hand, who has traveled to the Balkans to study folk music, is involved with various projects in the Bay Area’s Balkan and jazz manouche scenes, including Istanbul Connection. Backing him up will be the all-star Bay Area cast of Lewis Patzner on cello, Kevin Gerzevitz on accordion, and Valentino on drum kit.

Friday, December 9, 2016
BALKALICIOUS FIRE DRIVE
ORKESTAR RADACINA
GHOST NOTE ENSEMBLE
Starry Plough Pub in Berkeley
3101 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley, CA 94705

December’s edition of the Berkeley Balkan Bacchanal presents an eclectic lineup of three bands from the far reaches of Bay Area for a marathon of folk music traditions from all over Eastern Europe. The Berkeley Balkan Bacchanal is a notoriously raucous Balkan party bringing together local musicians and audiences at the Starry Plough on the second Friday of every month.

Doors at 8:00pm
Music at 9:00pm
Admission is $10-20 sliding scale
21+ after 10pm (as kitchen closes)

BALKALICIOUS FIRE DRIVE
With searing instrumentals and sultry, gut-wrenching vocals soaring over hard-hitting grooves, Balkalicious Fire Drive rocks you with the raw and intoxicating energy, sound and spirit of the Balkans. Band members are infused with long and vibrant histories from the Bay Area world music scene and beyond. They are: Leslie Bonnett on vocals and violin; Stuart Brotman on bass, Shea Comfort on clarinet, and Haig Kassabian on percussion.

We welcome back Orchestar Radacina, Sonoma’s hot new Balkan brass band to the Bacchanal. Orkestar Radacina plays Balkan Brass music with a funky twist. Founded in January 2015 in rural Northern California, Radacina’s nine members (trumpets, clarinets, trombone, baritone horn, sousaphone, bari sax and percussion) practice in the back of an old barn, surrounded by goats, llamas, and chickens. Sometimes the goats even sing along.

And up first, we’re looking forward to the return of the Ghost Note Ensemble. Ghost Note Ensemble weaves music from Hungarian, Moldavian, Ukrainian, and Jewish folk traditions into a tuneful time traveled tapestry, a requiem for borders of future past.