'Infectious and hypnotic music'' WNYC

Ismail Lumanovski is a "brilliant, fearless young clarinetist" Anthony Tommasini, The New York Times

"Eclectic and full of inquisitiveness" The Huffington Post

Nuyorbalkan: New York Gypsy All Stars Jump the Turnstiles of Balkanalia, Turkish Roots, and Gypsy Soul with Funky Refinement A Greek bassist ducked into a little bar in New York's Alphabet City and heard the Eastern Mediterranean and Southern Balkans pouring across the packed room. The clarinet was keening and singing, and he knew every tune. From this blown-away moment of discovery, the New York Gypsy All Stars sprang, uniting bi-musical virtuosi raised on the lush sounds of Macedonian, Greek, Turkish, and American roots and forged in the halls of the world's best music schools. With composerly ears and a madcap relish for ill and crunky sounds, the quintet of crack musicians tears through the tollgates separating the region's interlocking roots on the long-awaited album of original pieces, Romantech (Traditional Crossroads) and on tour in February with concerts in cities including Chicago and NYC. "We cover all the Balkans melodically," explains classically trained, traditionally raised Macedonian clarinet wonder and band headman Ismail Lumanovski, "and we cover the world rhythmically and harmonically." Zooming with Roma-inspired zeal from swinging salsa to pulsing bhangra, the group never loses its sharp musical focus, astounding chops, and true spirit their Gypsy namesakes. "We use lots of musical elements in our original compositions that are typically Balkan Romany in style but aren't necessarily in your face, like the 9/8 rhythm on tracks like ‘NY9' or the way we use musical ornaments throughout the songs," Lumanovski muses. "But more important than that is how we use the Gypsy term in a broader sense. We are taking what the Gypsies did, traveling from India to the Balkans and on to Western Europe and putting together the best musical ideas from every nation along the way. We're open to the world, and we just take everything we like and make it one."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDGHB9Lz7v0&list=RDHyI0_bGYoG4&index=5

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyI0_bGYoG4

Serkan Cagri

I was born in Keşan as a child of a musician family. Instruments were my toys in my childhood, people around me were telling everything in musical language. In this atmosphere, I have started to strike on the language of clarinet. With my body’s clarinet like height, I managed to attract attention of people around me. Those who listen me were saying I am talented which made me glad. Even at the age of 13 I went in a clarinet contest and won a special award that had increased my courage in this journey. However, my clarinetist father did not like this situation. I do not know why but he always tells me “do not be a clarinetist or be the best”. I cannot thank my deceased father enough who allowing me to go Conservatory. With conservatory, my dreams become real one by one. Being clarinet instructor at the conservatory, albums, concerts all around the world, academic career, projects with worldwide known musicians, having my name on a clarinet as a brand by one of the best companies and its branding process, writing the first clarinet education book in Turkey, having TV programs and presenting them, becoming a thesis topic in the Unites States of America, having actualized the International Clarinet Festival dream; these and more have been materialized after my conservatory education. I owe many things in my life to my love at the first sight wife. We got married, had two beautiful kids. We named the first as Nefes and second as Eser. I really do not have projects about them to become musicians; but if they will, I would leave the stage to them. Learning is an important process for me, every day I try to learn new things and to teach them to others. And finally, I believe in my dreams, the most.

Thank you,

Serkan Çağrı

http://www.serkancagri.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJilkswc26E

Inspector Gadje

With up to 14 musicians (12 horns and 2 percussionists), Bay Area-San Francisco-based Inspector Gadje brings a big sound to the beautiful and bumpin’ brass band music of the Balkans of south-eastern Europe. Hearing Inspector Gadje is love at first listen. The driving, tight groove of low brass and drums with soaring melodies from trumpets, saxophones, and clarinet incite joy and dance from the very first downbeat. Inspector Gadje ignites the dance floor and makes the party wherever they play, be it clubs (including notable venues such as the MGM Arena, Fox Theater, Palace Of Fine Arts, The Independent, Ashkenaz, Café du Nord, The New Parish, Rickshaw Stop, and Yoshi’s to name a few) weddings, parties, and street festivals. History Original inspiration for the group came from many years of collaboration between the Brass Liberation Orchestra (BLO), a progressive social activist street band, and the Voice of Roma, a non-profit organization that supports Romani community and cultural causes world-wide. In 2009, after years of working together, Voice of Roma secured grant funding from the Haas Foundation to teach traditional Romani music to the BLO through an intensive six months of study with master Bulgarian-Romani musician Rumen “Sali” Shopov and well-known local Balkan musician, Peter Jaques. Subsequently, members of the BLO elected to continue their study and performance through a new band solely dedicated to Balkan music. Additional musicians were recruited to form the now known and loved Inspector Gadje.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pl5l6QaMej0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiAmUr-gNzQ

Tickets:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ny-gypsy-all-stars-serkan-cagri-inspector-gadje-tickets-29555084052?utm-medium=discovery&utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&aff=esfb&utm-source=fb&utm-term=listing