AMALGAMY

Sat night in Manhattan, why not go play #gajda #tupan on the East River at midnight? @amalgamy_ and @mattmoinbk in spontaneous mode after some fun recording.

NO SSP! AT BARBÈS ON 5/13! Come hear great Balkan dance music with Niva duo (9pm) and Lubo Smilenov and Matt Moran (10pm-midnight). Niva sings and plays Macedonian roots music on traditional instruments - alternately lyrical, mournful, ecstatic and spooky music that used to be the soundtrack of everyday life back in the day. With Bridget Robbins - kaval; and Kristina Vaskys - tambura & vocals. Lubo and Matt bring to life complex, odd-time rhythms of Bulgaria with the distinct sounds of traditional instruments such as the kaba gaida bagpipe, the gadulka (an ancient bowed instrument), and the tupan (super funky double-headed make-you-crazy drum). @amalgamy_ @mattmoinbk @bridgerob718

We’ve got just TWO SHOWS left this season before we break for summer! First up: SUNDAY May 18th, 7-9pm @bjslounge , we’ll be collaborating with our pal @amalgamy_ (Lubomir Smilenov) plus other secret special guests. One night only for this backyard shindig! $20 at the door — don’t forget your cash!

We’re so excited to bring something very special to our New Orleans community this Sunday 🌿🎶🎉 For the first time, Trendafilka will be joined in our hometown by the phenomenal @amalgamy (Lubomir Smilenov), a Bulgarian-American multi-instrumentalist playing gaida, gadulka, kaval, and more. We first collaborated with Lubomir this past January at @zugoldenfest in NYC, and now we’re reuniting right here in the Bywater at @bjslounge , merging traditional Bulgarian instrumentals with our signature polyphonic vocals. Come out for this special one-night-only performance! Sunday, May 18th BJ’s in the Bywater (4301 Burgundy St) 7–9pm $20 at the door — cash only! #Trendafilka #BalkanMusic #Gaida #BulgarianMusic #NewOrleansMusic #NOLAevents #BywaterNOLA #Polyphony #polyphonic #polyphonicchoir

Crossroads Concerts: Irish & Bulgarian Traditional Fusion Join us for an evening of traditional music from Ireland and Bulgaria, featuring a unique collaboration between artists from both traditions. The program will include Irish and Bulgarian folk tunes, presented through a mix of traditional arrangements and collaborative interpretations. Performers: Cillian Vallely – uilleann pipes Colin Harte – voice, piano, bodhrán & bones Jerry Kisslinger – Tupan Petya Shehova – vocals Hristo Shehov – vocals Lubomir Smilenov – Gaida, Gadulka, Kaval Wednesday, April 24 | 7PM New York Irish Center 1040 Jackson Ave, Long Island City (One stop from Grand Central on the 7 train) Ticket link bio via Eventbrite Supported by the Irish Institute of New York

Lubomir Smilenov, born in Bulgaria and raised in New York City, found a unique expression of his heritage through the Kaba Gaida, the traditional Bulgarian bagpipe. Listen to the mesmerizing set from Ragas Live Festival 2024 with Matt Moran on our podcast! Link in bio @ragaslivefestival @amalgamy_ @mattmoinbk

What a treat to see my great friend @rc_acet from Istanbul in nyc! And to play with him and my other great friend @amalgamy_ was a real treat. We recorded some awesome stuff including a few tunes from Ruçen home village. #kaman #kanun #tanbour #acoustic #acousticguitar #violin #kamancheh #tanbur #sleepy #jam #

🌟 Goldenfest Pre-Party Alert! 🌟 Join us at Jalopy Theatre in Brooklyn for an unforgettable night of music and dance! 🗓️ When: Thursday January 16th, 8 PM 📍 Where: Jalopy Theatre, Brooklyn 🎟️ Tickets: On sale now at Jalopy’s website ✨ Featuring an incredible lineup: 🎤 Trendafilka – 10-part Eastern European polyphony, coming all the way from New Orleans! 🎵 Lubomir Smilenov – Traditional Bulgarian dance tunes on gaida & tapan. 🎻 Senavazi – A mesmerizing mix of Persian, Kurdish, Roma, and more, blending kamancheh, clarinet, ney, davul, and vocals. 🎉 Don’t miss this magical evening of global traditions and rhythms! Kick off your Goldenfest weekend with us! #Goldenfest #JalopyTheatre #BrooklynEvents #LiveMusic #Trendafilka #LubomirSmilenov #Senavazi #EasternEuropeanMusic #PersianMusic #BrooklynNights

🌆 NYC, GET READY! 🌆 Trendafilka is coming all the way up from New Orleans for @zugoldenfest next week, and this Pre-Golden Fest party is going to be EXTRA special!🌟 🗓 Thursday, Jan 16th, 8pm 📍 @jalopybrooklyn ✨ A night full of collaborations, new music, and traditions from around the world: 🎵 Trendafilka will perform a full set, PLUS collaborate for the first time ever with the incredible Lubomir Smilenov (@amalgamy ), who will join us on traditional Bulgarian instruments! 🎶 Matt Moran @mattmoinbk will also perform a set of traditional Bulgarian songs with Lubomir, and the amazing Senavazi (@darobehroozi , @mattmoinbk , @mehrnam_rastegari ) will bring their repertoire of Persian, Kurdish, Azeri, Roma, Turkish, Arabic, and original tunes inspired by the region. This is a rare, one-of-a-kind evening that you won’t want to miss! 🎟 Tickets in bio! Let’s pack the house, NYC! ❤️

The party begins Friday Jan 17, 2025 in Astoria, Queens NY 39th ZLATNE USTE GOLDEN FESTIVAL NYC’s #1 Balkan Music Dance Party 5 bands, + Balkan dance workshop, + complementary Balkan appetizers All included in the admission! 🔗 in bio to: See the bands and schedule Get more info Get tickets The amazing bands featured on Friday are: Zlatne Uste Balkan Brass Band Dimitris Stefanidis (Greek Pontian Lyra) Niva (Macedonian Izvorno) Lubomir Smilenov (Bulgarian Bagpipe) Kavala Band (Greek Brass) Celebrate Community through Vibrant Music, Dancing & Art from the Balkans & Beyond - great dance music - complementary meze - cash bar - Charshiya Balkan marketplace Friday Jan 17 - First day of the Festival General admission: $50 Under 30: $30 You’ll want to come Saturday too! 50+ bands! General admission: $79 Under 30: $59 #zugoldenfest2025 #balkanmusic #danceparty #balkanskamuzika #folkdance #folkculture #nycevents #nycmusic #astoriaqueens #klezmermusic #dancing #singing #trumpets #brassband #bagpipe #greece #bulgaria #macedonianmusic #serbia #albania #kosovo #turkishfolkdance #romania #greekmusic #greekdance #armenianmusic

From Bulgarian songs to Rhodope bagpipe Get Ready for Joy! ZLATNE USTE GOLDEN FESTIVAL Jan 17-18, 2025, Astoria, Queens NY Celebrate Community through Vibrant Music, Dancing &Art from the Balkans & Beyond Over 50 Musical Groups including the following performing from Bulgarian traditions: Yasna Voices Valeri Georgiev Petya Maglova Shehova Lubomir Smilenov Young Bulgarian Voices 101 Kaba Gaidi Lauren Brody Accordion Bulgarian Bitov band Zlatne Uste Complimentary Balkan appetizers + cash bar Charshiya Marketplace: Traditional & contemporary craft Fri 7:30 Balkan dance workshop; Dance Party w/ 5 bands till 12:30am General admission: $50 Under 30: $30 Sat 6pm-2am; 4 stages w/all live music + space for jamming General admission: $79Under 30: $59 Ticket link in bio #zugoldenfest2025 #zlatneuste #balkanmusic #gadulka #bulgariantraditions #kaval #bulgarianfolkmusic #bulgarianfolkdance

Strings of The World invites you to an unforgettable night at @nublunyc where traditional and modern string instruments from diverse cultures come together in a shared exploration of sound. Discover the sounds of the kamancheh shared between Persia and Turkey through the expressive performances of @mehrnam_rastegari and @rc_acet . @amalgamy_ will feature tupan player Matt Moran performing alongside the resonant tones of the Bulgarian gadulka, followed by @gabriel.marin.music trio’s innovative performances on guitar. This event pays tribute to the rich musical heritage of various cultures, weaving ancient melodies with contemporary interpretations. Join us for a unique celebration of cross-cultural soundscapes, where rhythm and strings unite across borders. Link to Tickets in Bio. 📅 Date: Sunday, November 17th ⏰ Time: 7 PM 📍 Location: Nublu