nroath
09-21-2007, 08:14 PM
ABQ's annual Halloween Balkan Bash 10/27/2007
Goddess of Arno-Balkan dance bandhosts its annual Halloween Balkan Bash.
Albuquerque,New Mexico,USA-
On Saturday night, October 27th, New Mexicans will be celebrating a Balkan style Halloween with the exciting and exotic music of ABQ's premier Balkan dance band, Goddess of Arno. Performing upbeat dance tunes and traditional songsfrom Albania, Macedonia,Serbia,Greece and Bulgaria-many in thethe Romani (Gypsy) styleand language- this 2002 New Mexico Music Industry award-winning ensemble accompanies beautiful solo and 3-part vocals with traditional ethnic string and percussion instruments as well as violin, guitar and electric bass. Four special guest performers will add to the band's hot sound. Veteran folk dancer Patsy Gregory will lead the traditional Balkan line dances on Winning's wood floor and she'll give a crash course in the basics at6:15PM. When the Balkan Bash officially begins at7PMyou can also dance your own dance - or just sit, relax and enjoy the music and ambiance. The Halloween Balkan Bash will also feature Halloween decorations and prizes for the best costumes (costumes are optional, but encouraged); and it will take place at Winning Coffee House, located at 111 Harvard SE (south of Central near UNM) -- admission is $5.00 at the door, kids 12 and under get in for free.
The band personnel line-up for The Halloween Balkan Bash includes Goddess of Arno members Leanne Mennin-percussion (tupan, daide & dumbek) & vocals; Barbara Friedman-electric bass, Bulgarian & Macedonian tamburaci & vocals; and Beth Cohen-violin, guitar, Macedonian tambura & vocals. The special guest performersare:Randy Edmunds-guitar, Macedonian tambura and vocals;Joey Friedman-clarinet& alto sax; Jamie Edmunds-alto sax, accordion and vocals; and Mary Masuk-percussion (riq, doumbek, and daide). Patsy Gregory is the dance teacher and leader.
Goddess of Arno's 3 original band members have been performing, studying and teachingBalkanfolkmusicfor over 23 years together and each musician has extensive experience in Balkan and other styles of music:
Percussionist and vocalist LEANNE MENNIN has been involved with Balkan music and dance since the 1960's. She was a dance director for eight years with the renowned, Los-Angeles-based, Aman Folk Ensemble, and has taught and performed extensively inLos Angelesand the San Francisco Bay Area. Leanne is a respected teacher of Balkan music who has taught workshops throughout theWestern U.S.andHawaiiincluding the East European Folk Music and Dance Camps (EEFC). InAlbuquerque, she was the director of the popular Svirka, women's Balkan chorus for over 25 years. As a performing musician, Leanne's rich voice and her skills as a percussionist provide a strong foundation for the group's tight sound. Leanne is the director of Senior Arts, Inc. and she also works for ABQ Public Schools as a substitute teacher and in the summer she works for the NM jazz camp.
BETH COHEN is featured on violin, guitar, Macedonian tambura and vocals. She is a well known vocalist, string musician and music teacher in theAlbuquerqueandSanta Feareas and received a Bachelor of Music degree in voice performance from theUniversityofNew Mexicoin 1991. Ms. Cohen has been running her own music studio inAlbuquerquesince 1983, where she teaches voice, guitar, violin, and piano to students of all ages and she is also an experienced orchestra and band teacher. Since 1995, Beth has been the cantorial soloist and musical director at Congregation Nahalat Shalom, where she also directs the 20-piece Community Klezmer Band, Alavados ensemble, and produces the annual festival Klezmerquerque. Beth performs with The Rebbe's Orkestra-Klezmer & Judaic band, Village Idioms and she was a member of Svirka women's Balkan chorus for over 14 years. In the summer of 2004, she and daughter/saxophonist Jamie Edmunds studied at The Amala School inValjevo,Serbia-Montenegro.
BARBARA FRIEDMAN successfully combines her expertise in Balkan singing and ornamentation with her experience ininstrumental music on the Bulgarian and Macedonian tamburas, and electric bass. For over 25 years, Barbara has sung and played music professionally as a member of Svirka and many other Middle-Eastern and Balkan groups. An avid collector, student, teacher and performer of Eastern European music, she regularly attends workshops and studies with the top musicians and ethnomusicologists fromEuropeand theUSA, including Esma, the Queen of Macedonian Rom (Gypsy) singers. Barbara is a member of The Rebbe's Orkestra, The Nahalat Shalom Community Klezmer band and Alavados. Barbara also works part time as public health nurse for the state ofNew Mexico.
SPECIAL GUESTS BIOS:
Dance teacher and dance leader PATSY GREGORY discovered the fascinating rhythms and tricky footwork of Balkan dancing as a teenager when she was active in her hometown international folk dance club in the late 1950's. Since that time, she has participated in recreational and exhibition Balkan dancing as a dancer, teacher and choreographer inUtah,FloridaandNew Mexico. In recent years, Patsy has concentrated on promoting Balkan dance in its more natural setting: The dance party with live music. She had been attending Balkan-American ethnic music and dance events, both public and private, and found dancing to live music to be infinitely more satisfying than executing choreographed dances to recordings. Feeling that dancing is the natural way to appreciate traditional dance music, she has developed methods of teaching basic dances quickly in party settings to allow both ethnics and non-ethnics to enjoy Balkan music to its fullest. European and American Balkan ethnics alike often comment that Patsy "dances like our best."
JOEY FRIEDMAN is on clarinet and alto saxophone. He got his start on these instuments in the Los Lunas public school's concert, jazz and marching bands - performing in these groups from 1998-2004. Joey also played in The Nahalat Shalom Community Klezband from 1996-2005, and he is currently attending NM Tech in Socorro and performs in their school jazz band. He regularly attends EEFC's Balkan music and dance camps inMendocino,California, where he plays in the Balkan brass band under the direction of Michael Ginsburg of Zlatne Uste and studies clarinet with George Chittendon of Ziyia andEdessa. Joe studied with the virtuoso Klezmer clarinetist Margot Leverett at Klezmerquerque 2004 & 2005 and also with the famed Macedonian virtuoso clarinetist of Ansambl Teodosievski, Sami "Buco" Zekiroski in 2004.
JAMIE EDMUNDS ("DZEMO") - vocals, accordion and alto sax, played the alto sax in ABQ school bands from 1999-2005 and in The Nahalat Shalom Community Klezband from 1996-2006. She sang in the prestigious women's choir Les Chanteurs at PAPA (PublicAcademyfor the Performing Arts) in ABQ and she studied voice privately with ABQ's Donna McRae for over 2 years. Jamie attends EEFC's Balkan music and dance camps where she plays with Joey in the Balkan Brass band, studies alto sax, and has studied Bulgarian singing with Kremena Stancheva and Tsvetanka Varimezova. Jamie is a former member of Svirka, women's Balkan chorus and she has also studied privately with Bulgarian singers Daniela Ivanova and Radostina Kineva. Jamie studied at The Amala School of Rromani (Gypsy) music, dance, language and culture inValjevo,Serbia-Montenegroduring the summers of 2004 and 2005.
RANDY EDMUNDS is a folk guitarist who is very experienced with the odd meters and harmonies of the Balkans as he often performs as a guest artist with Goddess of Arno, For many years he performed as a special guest with Svirka-women's Balkan chorus and he was a member of Sandanski men's Balkan Chorus. Since 1995 Randy has been the guitarist in The Rebbe's Orkestra-Klezmer band and the special guest guitarist in The Nahalat Shalom Community Klezmer band. He has also attended and studied at the EEFC Balkan music and dance camps. In the summer of 2005, he and wife/fellow band member Beth Cohen traveled toBulgariawhere they attended and were inspired by the Bulgarian national folk festival which is held every 5 years on a mountain top in the remotevillageofKoprivshtica. Over 10,000 Bulgarian musicians and dancers perform and compete in the festival which takes place over 4 days. During this trip, Randy and Beth also attended The Amala School of Rromani (Gypsy) music, dance, language and culture inValjevo,Serbia-Montenegrowhere their daughter Jamie was also studying.
For more informationabout ABQ's Annual Halloween Balkan Bash and Goddess of Arno please contact:
Contacts:
Beth Cohen, band member of Goddess of Arno
ABQ,NM
(505) 243-6276
E-mail: cohenedmunds@netzero.net
Webpages: http://members.tripod.com/arnoproductionsnm/GoddessofArno/index.htm
CD web site: www.cdbaby.com/goddessofarno
Winning CoffeeHouse (location of event)
111 Harvard SE
ABQ,NM87106
(505) 266-0000
Goddess of Arno-Balkan dance bandhosts its annual Halloween Balkan Bash.
Albuquerque,New Mexico,USA-
On Saturday night, October 27th, New Mexicans will be celebrating a Balkan style Halloween with the exciting and exotic music of ABQ's premier Balkan dance band, Goddess of Arno. Performing upbeat dance tunes and traditional songsfrom Albania, Macedonia,Serbia,Greece and Bulgaria-many in thethe Romani (Gypsy) styleand language- this 2002 New Mexico Music Industry award-winning ensemble accompanies beautiful solo and 3-part vocals with traditional ethnic string and percussion instruments as well as violin, guitar and electric bass. Four special guest performers will add to the band's hot sound. Veteran folk dancer Patsy Gregory will lead the traditional Balkan line dances on Winning's wood floor and she'll give a crash course in the basics at6:15PM. When the Balkan Bash officially begins at7PMyou can also dance your own dance - or just sit, relax and enjoy the music and ambiance. The Halloween Balkan Bash will also feature Halloween decorations and prizes for the best costumes (costumes are optional, but encouraged); and it will take place at Winning Coffee House, located at 111 Harvard SE (south of Central near UNM) -- admission is $5.00 at the door, kids 12 and under get in for free.
The band personnel line-up for The Halloween Balkan Bash includes Goddess of Arno members Leanne Mennin-percussion (tupan, daide & dumbek) & vocals; Barbara Friedman-electric bass, Bulgarian & Macedonian tamburaci & vocals; and Beth Cohen-violin, guitar, Macedonian tambura & vocals. The special guest performersare:Randy Edmunds-guitar, Macedonian tambura and vocals;Joey Friedman-clarinet& alto sax; Jamie Edmunds-alto sax, accordion and vocals; and Mary Masuk-percussion (riq, doumbek, and daide). Patsy Gregory is the dance teacher and leader.
Goddess of Arno's 3 original band members have been performing, studying and teachingBalkanfolkmusicfor over 23 years together and each musician has extensive experience in Balkan and other styles of music:
Percussionist and vocalist LEANNE MENNIN has been involved with Balkan music and dance since the 1960's. She was a dance director for eight years with the renowned, Los-Angeles-based, Aman Folk Ensemble, and has taught and performed extensively inLos Angelesand the San Francisco Bay Area. Leanne is a respected teacher of Balkan music who has taught workshops throughout theWestern U.S.andHawaiiincluding the East European Folk Music and Dance Camps (EEFC). InAlbuquerque, she was the director of the popular Svirka, women's Balkan chorus for over 25 years. As a performing musician, Leanne's rich voice and her skills as a percussionist provide a strong foundation for the group's tight sound. Leanne is the director of Senior Arts, Inc. and she also works for ABQ Public Schools as a substitute teacher and in the summer she works for the NM jazz camp.
BETH COHEN is featured on violin, guitar, Macedonian tambura and vocals. She is a well known vocalist, string musician and music teacher in theAlbuquerqueandSanta Feareas and received a Bachelor of Music degree in voice performance from theUniversityofNew Mexicoin 1991. Ms. Cohen has been running her own music studio inAlbuquerquesince 1983, where she teaches voice, guitar, violin, and piano to students of all ages and she is also an experienced orchestra and band teacher. Since 1995, Beth has been the cantorial soloist and musical director at Congregation Nahalat Shalom, where she also directs the 20-piece Community Klezmer Band, Alavados ensemble, and produces the annual festival Klezmerquerque. Beth performs with The Rebbe's Orkestra-Klezmer & Judaic band, Village Idioms and she was a member of Svirka women's Balkan chorus for over 14 years. In the summer of 2004, she and daughter/saxophonist Jamie Edmunds studied at The Amala School inValjevo,Serbia-Montenegro.
BARBARA FRIEDMAN successfully combines her expertise in Balkan singing and ornamentation with her experience ininstrumental music on the Bulgarian and Macedonian tamburas, and electric bass. For over 25 years, Barbara has sung and played music professionally as a member of Svirka and many other Middle-Eastern and Balkan groups. An avid collector, student, teacher and performer of Eastern European music, she regularly attends workshops and studies with the top musicians and ethnomusicologists fromEuropeand theUSA, including Esma, the Queen of Macedonian Rom (Gypsy) singers. Barbara is a member of The Rebbe's Orkestra, The Nahalat Shalom Community Klezmer band and Alavados. Barbara also works part time as public health nurse for the state ofNew Mexico.
SPECIAL GUESTS BIOS:
Dance teacher and dance leader PATSY GREGORY discovered the fascinating rhythms and tricky footwork of Balkan dancing as a teenager when she was active in her hometown international folk dance club in the late 1950's. Since that time, she has participated in recreational and exhibition Balkan dancing as a dancer, teacher and choreographer inUtah,FloridaandNew Mexico. In recent years, Patsy has concentrated on promoting Balkan dance in its more natural setting: The dance party with live music. She had been attending Balkan-American ethnic music and dance events, both public and private, and found dancing to live music to be infinitely more satisfying than executing choreographed dances to recordings. Feeling that dancing is the natural way to appreciate traditional dance music, she has developed methods of teaching basic dances quickly in party settings to allow both ethnics and non-ethnics to enjoy Balkan music to its fullest. European and American Balkan ethnics alike often comment that Patsy "dances like our best."
JOEY FRIEDMAN is on clarinet and alto saxophone. He got his start on these instuments in the Los Lunas public school's concert, jazz and marching bands - performing in these groups from 1998-2004. Joey also played in The Nahalat Shalom Community Klezband from 1996-2005, and he is currently attending NM Tech in Socorro and performs in their school jazz band. He regularly attends EEFC's Balkan music and dance camps inMendocino,California, where he plays in the Balkan brass band under the direction of Michael Ginsburg of Zlatne Uste and studies clarinet with George Chittendon of Ziyia andEdessa. Joe studied with the virtuoso Klezmer clarinetist Margot Leverett at Klezmerquerque 2004 & 2005 and also with the famed Macedonian virtuoso clarinetist of Ansambl Teodosievski, Sami "Buco" Zekiroski in 2004.
JAMIE EDMUNDS ("DZEMO") - vocals, accordion and alto sax, played the alto sax in ABQ school bands from 1999-2005 and in The Nahalat Shalom Community Klezband from 1996-2006. She sang in the prestigious women's choir Les Chanteurs at PAPA (PublicAcademyfor the Performing Arts) in ABQ and she studied voice privately with ABQ's Donna McRae for over 2 years. Jamie attends EEFC's Balkan music and dance camps where she plays with Joey in the Balkan Brass band, studies alto sax, and has studied Bulgarian singing with Kremena Stancheva and Tsvetanka Varimezova. Jamie is a former member of Svirka, women's Balkan chorus and she has also studied privately with Bulgarian singers Daniela Ivanova and Radostina Kineva. Jamie studied at The Amala School of Rromani (Gypsy) music, dance, language and culture inValjevo,Serbia-Montenegroduring the summers of 2004 and 2005.
RANDY EDMUNDS is a folk guitarist who is very experienced with the odd meters and harmonies of the Balkans as he often performs as a guest artist with Goddess of Arno, For many years he performed as a special guest with Svirka-women's Balkan chorus and he was a member of Sandanski men's Balkan Chorus. Since 1995 Randy has been the guitarist in The Rebbe's Orkestra-Klezmer band and the special guest guitarist in The Nahalat Shalom Community Klezmer band. He has also attended and studied at the EEFC Balkan music and dance camps. In the summer of 2005, he and wife/fellow band member Beth Cohen traveled toBulgariawhere they attended and were inspired by the Bulgarian national folk festival which is held every 5 years on a mountain top in the remotevillageofKoprivshtica. Over 10,000 Bulgarian musicians and dancers perform and compete in the festival which takes place over 4 days. During this trip, Randy and Beth also attended The Amala School of Rromani (Gypsy) music, dance, language and culture inValjevo,Serbia-Montenegrowhere their daughter Jamie was also studying.
For more informationabout ABQ's Annual Halloween Balkan Bash and Goddess of Arno please contact:
Contacts:
Beth Cohen, band member of Goddess of Arno
ABQ,NM
(505) 243-6276
E-mail: cohenedmunds@netzero.net
Webpages: http://members.tripod.com/arnoproductionsnm/GoddessofArno/index.htm
CD web site: www.cdbaby.com/goddessofarno
Winning CoffeeHouse (location of event)
111 Harvard SE
ABQ,NM87106
(505) 266-0000