A five-piece ensemble from Boston, Mass., Cocek! Brass Band plays music influenced by Eastern European and New Orleans dance songs, Afrobeat, Klezmer and elements of reggae and Western classical pieces.
Throughout 2018, Cocek! Brass Band is releasing a new song with different artist and musician collaborations through their project entitled Storm. For April's release Alec Spiegelman jumped on board for a guest performance. Sam Dechenne – trumpet, vocals, composer; Ezra Weller – flugelhorn; Clayton Dewalt – trombone; Jim Gray –Tuba, Grant Smith –tapan.
https://cocekbrassband.bandcamp.com/track/storm-feat-alec-spiegelman
Digital track: $2
DRÓMENO is a Seattle-based 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. This CD of music from Epirus features Christos Govetas – clarinet, voice; Ruth Hunter – accordion, voice; Nick Maroussis – laouto, electric guitar; and Eleni Govetas – violin, defi, voice.
Click to read the review of this CD elsewhere in this issue.
Now celebrating its 39th season, Kitka is an American women’s vocal arts ensemble inspired by traditional songs and vocal techniques from Eastern Europe. Dedicated to developing new audiences for music rooted in Balkan, Slavic, and Caucasian women’s vocal traditions.
Kitka's material ranges from ancient village duets to complex choral works, from early music to contemporary theater. Kitka performs a capella as well as with instrumental musicians.
Their latest release, Evening Star, includes 22 pieces inspired by the winter season. This collection features songs sung in Bulgarian, Russian, Romanian, Georgian, Yiddish, Latvian, Serbian, Ukrainian, Mingrelian, Svan, Laz and Greek.
Kitka members include Shira Cion, Janet Kutulas, Kelly Atkins, Caitlin Tabancay Austin, Erin Lashnits Herman, Kristine Barrett, Hannah Levy, Lily Storm, Natalie Bartlett, Corinne Sykes, Michele Simon, Barbara Byers, Briget Boyle, Juliana Graffagna.
Preview, then download or order Evening Star here
Eva Salina & Peter Stan announce the release of their new recording, SUDBINA: A Portrait of Vida Pavlović.
In their collaboration, Eva Salina & Peter Stan pick up and continue an interrupted legacy of empowered female voices in Balkan Romani (gypsy) music.
The album features eight songs from the late Serbian Roma singer Vida Pavlović, and will mark Eva Salina's first album as a duo with accordionist Peter Stan.
Preview the album here or purchase it directly from Eva here.