Performer List
Please see our Program page for more information on the performing group schedule.
Balktoberfest will offer a virtual fountain of quality entertainment. Actual schedule will be determined shortly. Below is a list of the performers that are currently confirmed to play:
- Balkanics
- Gogofski
- Harris Brothers Band
- Lyuti Chushki
- Trio Elitsa
- Vardo Sisters
- Zlatne Uste
- Zurli Drushtvo
The Balkanics
For this iteration of our Balktoberfest, we are literally crossing the Atlantic Ocean to play a set. Jeff Suzda is flying all the way from Paris, where he currently resides and studies, to re-join the Balkanics for a hot set of Turkish, Romani and Bulgarian music. The Balkanics are Tzvety Weiner - vocals, Varol Saatcioglu - keyboards, vocals, gaida, Jeff Suzda - saxophone, Len Newman - bass, guitar, Valeri Georgiev - kaval, Bryndyn Weiner - drums.
Balkanics on Myspace
Gogofski
Gogofski plays music of the Republic of Macedonia and nearby regions. Gogofski will play you a concert of killer songs, or an evening of dynamite dances. The members of Gogofski are Melinda Fields, accordion, David Golber, clarinet, Henry Goldberg, drums, and Corinna Snyder, vocals. Contact Dave Golber, dgolber@aol.com.
Harris Brothers Band
Created by the brothers - Drew (Saxophone and Clarinet) and Laine Harris (Truba) - with dear friends Melinda Fields (Accordion) and Helen Marx (Boban and Darambuka) the Harris Brothers Band plays Balkan Music heavily influenced by the Roma (Gypsy) style brass bands of South-eastern Europe: Serbia, Bulgaria, Macedonia, and Northern Greece. The band's lean, mobile style recreates the authentic, intimate experience of dancing to roving Roma musicians. Expect an "in your face," high energy musical experience at Balktoberfest! Check the for other gigs and video clips at http://www.youtube.com/user/HarrisBro2 and http://www.myspace.com/harrisbrothersband.
Lyuti Chushki
Lyuti Chushki means "Hot Peppers," and that is the kind of spicy traditional Bulgarian music this band plays. Lyuti Chushki is a combination of professional musicians from Bulgaria and American musicians from the Baltimore/Washington area who have been playing together for festivals, weddings, concerts, and other special events since 1997. The toe-tapping music, played on traditional instruments from Bulgaria, takes you back to the old country - it is joyful, evocative, compelling and lyrical, in modes and rhythms generally not found in western music. The instruments we play include kaval (end-blown flute), gaida (bagpipe), gudulka (bowed stringed instrument with resonating strings), tambura (fretted instrument similar to a guitar) and tupan (large drum), all of which serve to accompany the unique Bulgarian vocal style which has a beauty on its own. Website: www.lyutichushki.com
Trio Elitsa
Elitsa Stoyneva, age 24, is a seven-time gold medalist Bulgarian folk singer from Turgovishte, Bulgaria. She has been studying Bulgarian folk singing professionally since the age of 5 and graduated "Prof. Nikola Marinov" Secondary School in Targovishte, major subject "Music" under the expert guidance of Elena Vasileva. She has performed at competitions and concerts throughout Bulgaria as well as in Egypt, Switzerland, Greece and USA. She made her U.S. debut in Maine 2006 and since then she has performed numerous times throughout Maine with the Maine Women's Balkan Choir. She had first prize for high achievement in student academic work in 2004 and is now graduating from University of economics-Varna with a degree "International business", Bulgaria.She has spent two summers in Bar Harbor, Maine, directing the Maine Women's Balkan Choir and teaching voice technique.
Kirsten Stockman and Anne Tatgenhorst are co directors of the Maine Women's Balkan Choir, an ensemble of 15+ women that have been singing Eastern European music for nearly 10 years. Prior to the the formation of the choir Kirsten and Anne were part of the trio "Sviata Duma" which performed in Washington DC in 2007. Kirsten has travelled throughout Bulgaria where she met the Bisserov sisters and made arrangements to bring them to the US for their debut American tour in 2002. Anne learned her first Bulgarian song as a child from her uncle Ivan Stancioff who currently resides in Varna Bulgaria. Anne and Kirsten have been so fortunate to have Elitsa Stoyneva work with the choir as guest director for the past 3 years and they are thrilled to be performing with her at Balktoberfest.
Vardo Sisters
Performers: Leslie Clark, Lynette Garlan, R.J. Heid, James Rumbaugh, Jeff Senn, Stoyan Kostov.
The Vardo Sisters sing and play Romani music from Serbia, Macedonia and Bulgaria. This group is an offshoot of the Balkan Babes Balkan Babes. Singers are Leslie Clark and Lynette Garlan with musicians Stoyan Kostov on guitar, James Rumbaugh on clarinet, Jeff Senn on doumbek/tupan, RJ Heid on drums/percussion and Lynette Garlan on accordion. Most songs we do are dance tunes as well. http://www.myspace.com/vardosisters
Sponsored by the Fluffy Gravy Foundation.
Zlatne Uste
ZLATNE USTE ("Golden Lips") BALKAN BRASS BAND, based in New York City, is an internationally known group of American-born musicians performing in the Romany (Gypsy), Serbian, Macedonian, and Bulgarian brass band traditions. Four-time invited guest at the Dragačevo Brass Festival in Guča, Zlatne Uste is among the foremost presenters of traditional Balkan dance music in the United States. For more about the band see www.zlatneuste.org , and visit our myspace page for sound clips and photos.
Roster: Michael Ginsburg, Catherine Foster, Marian Eines, Laine Harris, Morgan Clark, Matt Smith, Emerson Hawley.
Zurli Drushtvo
Zurli Drushtvo - (loosely translated: "Zurla Guys") was formed in 1985 in response to the insatiable demand for the amazing sound of paired zurlas with tapan accompaniment. (A Zurla, for the uninitiated, is the distant country cousin of the oboe - loud and unrefined, suitable for outdoor fun - Definitely not parlor music!) ZD blends traditional Macedonian and Albanian dance music with modern Roma tunes in a compelling experience. No one stands by idly while Zurli Drustvo plays! Zurli Drustvo has never been recorded in a studio - it is not clear that this wild sound would survive in captivity. However, you can find video clips of Zurli Drustvo at http://www.youtube.com/user/HarrisBro2. For Balktoberfest 2008 the ensemble includes Drew Harris, Laine Harris and Henry Goldberg.
