Biography
The band name Slavic Soul Party! might suggest Eastern European players tackling covers of James Brown, Sam & Dave, and Wilson Pickett, an impression rooted in the genuine popularity of 1960s and 1970s soul throughout that region. In reality the ensemble consists of New York jazz musicians who, beginning in the early 2000s, applied their own interpretive approach to the instrumental folk traditions of Macedonia and the Balkans. Although centered on Balkan material, the group avoids purist or strictly traditional methods; instead its five musicians layer jazz and funk elements onto that foundation while occasionally drawing on Indian, Russian, and Jewish influences as well. Not a klezmer outfit, Slavic Soul Party! nevertheless reflects klezmer influences, which has helped it connect with enthusiasts of New York’s klezmer-jazz scene in Lower Manhattan, where stylistic parallels between the two traditions are readily apparent. The members gravitate toward instrumental Balkan music for the same reason they embrace jazz: a shared affinity for improvisation. Traditional Balkan forms, like jazz or klezmer, routinely feature extensive extemporization, and the band exploits those affinities by featuring Duke Ellington’s “Blue Pepper” (from the 1966 album The Far East Suite) in its performances.
Every member possesses a jazz background, including trombonist Curtis Hasselbring, cornetist Rossen Zahariev, clarinetist Chris Speed, drummer Matt Moran, and accordionist Ted Reichman. Moran, Speed, and Reichman also belong to John Hollenback’s Claudia Quartet. Speed, equally at home with inside and outside improvisation, has served as a sideman for pianist Myra Melford and trumpeter Dave Douglas while maintaining his own recording career as a leader. Reichman has similarly participated in experimental jazz contexts, working with figures ranging from Douglas to Uri Caine. Moran has collaborated with big-band veteran Lionel Hampton yet also pursued more exploratory work alongside pianist Paul Bley, bassist William Parker, arranger and bandleader George Russell, and third-stream pioneer Gunther Schuller. Hasselbring has appeared as a sideman with drummer Bobby Previte and trumpeter Tom Harrell, while Zahariev has performed with organist John Medeski of Medeski, Martin & Wood, pianist Steve Kuhn, and vocalist Abbey Lincoln. Although most of the musicians were born in the United States, Zahariev is Bulgarian by birth; Balkan music has flourished in that country for centuries. After establishing themselves through performances in Lower Manhattan, the quintet traveled to the source region in October 2000, touring Macedonia and recording several shows. Those dates yielded the live album In Makedonija, issued by Knitting Factory Records in 2002.
Every member possesses a jazz background, including trombonist Curtis Hasselbring, cornetist Rossen Zahariev, clarinetist Chris Speed, drummer Matt Moran, and accordionist Ted Reichman. Moran, Speed, and Reichman also belong to John Hollenback’s Claudia Quartet. Speed, equally at home with inside and outside improvisation, has served as a sideman for pianist Myra Melford and trumpeter Dave Douglas while maintaining his own recording career as a leader. Reichman has similarly participated in experimental jazz contexts, working with figures ranging from Douglas to Uri Caine. Moran has collaborated with big-band veteran Lionel Hampton yet also pursued more exploratory work alongside pianist Paul Bley, bassist William Parker, arranger and bandleader George Russell, and third-stream pioneer Gunther Schuller. Hasselbring has appeared as a sideman with drummer Bobby Previte and trumpeter Tom Harrell, while Zahariev has performed with organist John Medeski of Medeski, Martin & Wood, pianist Steve Kuhn, and vocalist Abbey Lincoln. Although most of the musicians were born in the United States, Zahariev is Bulgarian by birth; Balkan music has flourished in that country for centuries. After establishing themselves through performances in Lower Manhattan, the quintet traveled to the source region in October 2000, touring Macedonia and recording several shows. Those dates yielded the live album In Makedonija, issued by Knitting Factory Records in 2002.