Matt
Moran’s Slavic Soul Party! plays
ecstatic old-school music, the stuff
that makes your heart ache and your feet
sing. Inspired by ensembles from
Macedonia and beyond, these young
improvisers add fuel to the fire with
their downtown rapport. The unofficial
“house band” of the NYC series Balkan
Cabaret, SSP! is downtown's answer to
Balkan party music. The debut Knitting
Factory Record’s release, In Makedonija,
features Chris Speed (Pachora) on
clarinet, an active and highly
sought-after voice in new music, serving
in the bands of Tim Berne, Myra Melford
and Dave Douglas. Matt Moran plays the
tapan – simply ‘drum’ to Slavic-speaking
Macedonians whose dances float and land
with the tapan’s chatter and boom. He is
also a member of John Hollenbeck’s
Claudia Quintet, the Mat Maneri Quintet
and the Theo Bleckmann Group.
“Slavic Soul Party! rocks. They’re real,
fearless and they hit hard. While
respectful of tradition, they are not
afraid to follow their instincts to new
and adventurous musical landscapes. I
would get married just to have them play
my wedding.” –Limor Tomer, Balkan
Cabaret (NYC) |
