Balkan Archives - Athens Music Week

Babo Koro (GR)

admino — Sat, 06 May 2023 07:08:13 +0000

Babo Koro are a musical mosaic completed its first album “Sisyphus” on March 2019.Their compositions echo voices from the Balkans and the Mediterranean.
In their colorful musical textile, the traditional Greek music, balkan ornaments, polyphonies, swing feel, gypsy wandering, rock bluntness, all meet under modern arrangement and polyrhythms.Their lyrics are a contemporary traditional narrative. Their appearances balance between a fiesta and a concert, sometimes up stirring and sometimes mesmerizing, yet always glorifying human passion, in a modern festivity of spontaneity and joining of the diverse.

https://babokoro.com/

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Chris Rozakis / Pentovolo (GR)

admino — Thu, 26 May 2022 16:29:52 +0000

In a state of diverse distractions, it is most decent for a musician to speak a solid language. Loving tradition makes tradition, Greek in its essence. Here is where rock, psalms, Balkan dreams, coexist with the polyphonic West and the gypsy karsilama, to form the many personas of Pentovolo. All five compositions serve a geometry, austere still leaving glades and paths to psychedelia and improvisation. The instruments (four-stringed accordion, percussion, percussion, caval, vocals) bear a contemporary mythology hence comes a sound unheard. Pentovolo defines itself as the virgin eye into the quasi known. Not belonging, addresses everybody. Unlimitedly Unconditionally.

Website | Youtube

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NAKED (RS)

Fri, 21 May 2021 18:32:49 +0000

The name NAKED stays for open heart and uncovered soul. Ideas of freedom, hope and love have always inspired Serbian band NAKED to create music, firmly rooted in unique mix of traditional Balkan, global urban, swing, funk, undeniably beats, odd rhythms and free-jazz relishes.

NAKED has started in 2007. Collaborating for over a decade, they have released four albums and ready to release the fifth one in summer, performed around the world from Chile to Korea and at festivals like Colours of Ostrava, EXIT, Read See Jazz Festival, ACC festival, to name a few.

A gypsy violin, saxophone and clarinet converse with the melody accompanied by a tight, upbeat bass and drum section. Together they generate a sense of updated- global-urbanism and accurate synergy by diversity, a natural crossover of swing, funk, trippy psychedelic dub, classical music with flashes of the Mediterranean and African, Eastern European traditions as well as bebop, odd-rhythm and free-jazz.

http://www.nakedbandbelgrade.com/

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FUNKorporation (RO)

Thu, 20 May 2021 00:03:11 +0000

FUNKorporation is a band from Romania, Cluj Napoca founded in the year 2011 with Horváth Hanna (vocals), Székely Erika (vocals), Sándor László (bass), Bajusz Gábor (drums), Balla Szabolcs (saxophone), Τúrós Tamás (trombone) and Halmen József (guitar).

Active members: Székely Erika – vocal, keys, Sárkány Szilárd – guitar, Sándor László – bass, synth bass, Balla Szabolcs – saxophone, Tommy Túrós – trombone, Szakács Zalán – trumpet, Bajusz Gábor- drumsFunky grooves, heavy low ends, exceptional vocals, spicy wind instruments, mixed with some jazz, soul, blues, balkan and positive attitude!

The band has over 200 live shows all over Romania and Hungary, in 2012 where the winners of the Transilvania International Art and Music Festival`s Award, in 2013 nominated in the best live act category of the Transilvania Music Awards. Funkorporation played as the opening act for bands like Heaven Street Seven, Kistehen, IRIE Maffia, PASO from Hungary, Şuie Paparude, Byron, Compact and Moonlight Breakfast from Romania.

In 2015 the band won the Jazz in The Park`s contest a second prize and became third at the Street Music Festival in Satu Mare.The song Downtown was at the first place for over four months in the Top 40 charts on the regional Radio Paprika.

In 2018 the band played at MMB Bucharest ShowCase, released two official videos for the songs Purple Love and Hold On Through and went on tour with Very Cool People from Latvia.

In 2019 the band played at Romania`s largest festivals like Electric Castle, Untold, Afterhills Festival. Also went on two tours in Hungary, Austria and in the Baltic states. Released a new song “Set Me Free” and the album Kronikl, a snapshot of different stages of the band`s life, a reflection of the shared experiences, the ups and downs that united 8 people in one big family. Some songs were made up on the spot and some with a lot of sweat, some we’ve been playing for years and some relative new ones. A fusion of funk, pop and disco with a splash of soul and blues. Dedicated to the band`s former bass player, Szántó Lóránd.

In 2021 the band became an INES talent and was nominated for HEMI Music Awards 2021.

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Dysanatolia (GR)

Wed, 19 May 2021 21:08:59 +0000

“Dysanatolia” is a band whose members are united by common love and aesthetics about the traditions of both Greece and the wider Eastern Mediterranean region. Although because of the constant searches and different origins of its members, their original compositions are clearly westernized and orchestrated in a fusion mood. This creates a state in which the West constantly reigns with the East and the Balkans. The kanun switches with the saxophone and the drums with the keys. The last 8 years the band is already traveling, countless live performances in Athens, Patras, Lefkada, Yannena, Arta, performances at festivals across Greece (Preveza, Poro, etc.) also in Istanbul, which is a common benchmark of the founding members. The last 2 years they have been reconstituted, with their founding members, in the kanun (Manolis Christodoulou) and saxophone (Chris Kiriazis) and adding two new ones to the keys (Christoforos Mastorakis) and the drums (Nikos Christopoulos, Simos Konstantinidis). Playing original compositions.

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BAiLDSA (GR)

Tue, 18 May 2021 23:04:51 +0000

Being alternative is much more than a music genre label. BAiLDSA’s alternate view on music making and songwriting creates an explosive mixture of post punk and indie rock tunes blended with roots elements from the Eastern Mediterranean and dub, reggae segments. This musical fusion together with their intense and deeply political point of view results in what BAiLDSA represent as a band.

Formed and based in Thessaloniki, Greece, BAiLDSA offer their signature high energy punk rock both in studio recorded albums and explosive live shows. From heavy distorted guitar riffs and steady drum and bass lines to darker, esoteric feedback soundscapes and from up-tempo ska brass lines to melting trumpet tunes from the balkan tradition, BAiLDSA always manage to stay original and unique in their own ever evolving and diverse universe. However, one thing stands still and is always present in the band’s songwriting: a firm and loud opposition against any form of fascism, racism, sexism and suppression of human rights, an endless fight against all forms of war and division and a deep faith in humanity and open, free societies.

For the past ten years, BAiLDSA have been touring around Europe and the Balkans presenting their explosive live show to a vast variety of audiences, performing in both major venues, festivals, and small clubs gaining new fans in every gig. Their latest tour for the “WarZone” album brings a fresh yet mature performance with the band reaching the highest level offering a unique experience.

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