About Balkan Cabaret

There are songs for sitting and listening while enjoying drink and conversation with friends, as well as high energy dance tunes. Whether on your feet or sitting back, you are taken to a time when feelings, reflection and community were not so overwhelmed by the rush of technology.

The two CDs, Balkan Cabaret - Nostalgic Café Songs from the Balkans and Somewhere Far Away have received critical acclaim and airplay here and in the Balkans. Performances are marked with a warmth that reflects a deep respect for and knowledge of the cultures which gave birth to this beautiful music. Because of this Balkan Cabaret has been uniquely embraced by ethnic audiences, folk dancers and the general public. Recognizing the importance of returning to the roots of the music, Balkan Cabaret has close ties within Balkan communities and often works with traditional guest artists including John Morovich, Dragi Spasovski, Marko Vukadinovic and others. The band enjoys working with American experts in the field of Balkan music and culture including Mark Forry, and percussionists Polly Tapia Ferber and Dan Auvil.

Balkan Cabaret was formed in 2001 as a collaboration between vocalist Mary Sherhart and the accomplished San Francisco area folk dance band Nisava, all of whom have a long and rich connection to Balkan music and dance.

Vocalist Mary Sherhart has an outstanding reputation as a performer, teacher, choral director and producer. She is recipient of the 2006 Artist Trust / Washington State Arts Commission Fellowship in folk arts category. Over the past two years, she has recorded three CD's in Bosnia and toured with legendary artist Omer Pobric. Mary is president of the Sevdah Institute North America, a community based network in diaspora communities from Bosnia and Hercegovina. Mary’s path started in 1970 as a teenager in Seattle’s Koleda Ensemble. The years and experience have added to her personal belief in the healing powers of music. The joy of singing and finding one’s passion are interwoven throughout every performance and workshop. Visit her website at http://www.marysherhart.com.

In July 2007, The Balkan Cabaret Band recently spent 12 memorable days touring the Midwest with guest artist John Morovich playing for enthusiastic folkdancers and concert goers. The group was featured at the 28th Annual Door County Folk Festival in Wisconsin. During their stay, they performed for four dance parties and conducted singing workshops directed by John Morovich, all to wide acclaim. In the Greater Chicago area they performed with Tamburitza Roma at the Hothouse and to a crowd of over 500 for the City of Chicago Summerdance series. They concluded their tour at the legendary Jovial Club in South Chicago to an audience which included luminaries of the ethnic music and dance community.

The Balkan Cabaret Band includes Joe Finn, fiddle and clarinet, Michael Lawson, accordion and vocals, Steve Ramsey, bugarija, guitar, tambura and vocals, and Rich Thomas, bass and vocals.

				About Balkan Cabaret
				Balkan Cabaret brings the passion and poetry of traditional ballads and favorite old standards from the cafés and cabarets of Belgrade, Sofia and Sarajevo, and other Balkan cities from long before the influence of rock and roll. Their performance spans Sevhdalinka ballads from Bosnia and Hercegovina, old town Starogradski tunes from Bulgaria, and favorites of many generations from Croatia, Serbia, and Macedonia.		Photo by Julia McHugh
						Photo by Julia McHugh
				There are songs for sitting and listening while enjoying drink and conversation with friends, as well as high energy dance tunes. Whether on your feet or sitting back, you are taken to a time when feelings, reflection and community were not so overwhelmed by the rush of technology. The two CDs, Balkan Cabaret - Nostalgic Café Songs from the Balkans and Somewhere Far Away have received critical acclaim and airplay here and in the Balkans. Performances are marked with a warmth that reflects a deep respect for and knowledge of the cultures which gave birth to this beautiful music. Because of this Balkan Cabaret has been uniquely embraced by ethnic audiences, folk dancers and the general public. Recognizing the importance of returning to the roots of the music, Balkan Cabaret has close ties within Balkan communities and often works with traditional guest artists including John Morovich, Dragi Spasovski, Marko Vukadinovic and others. The band enjoys working with American experts in the field of Balkan music and culture including Mark Forry, and percussionists Polly Tapia Ferber and Dan Auvil. Balkan Cabaret was formed in 2001 as a collaboration between vocalist Mary Sherhart and the accomplished San Francisco area folk dance band Nisava, all of whom have a long and rich connection to Balkan music and dance. Vocalist Mary Sherhart has an outstanding reputation as a performer, teacher, choral director and producer. She is recipient of the 2006 Artist Trust / Washington State Arts Commission Fellowship in folk arts category. Over the past two years, she has recorded three CD's in Bosnia and toured with legendary artist Omer Pobric. Mary is president of the Sevdah Institute North America, a community based network in diaspora communities from Bosnia and Hercegovina. Mary’s path started in 1970 as a teenager in Seattle’s Koleda Ensemble. The years and experience have added to her personal belief in the healing powers of music. The joy of singing and finding one’s passion are interwoven throughout every performance and workshop. Visit her website at http://www.marysherhart.com. In July 2007, The Balkan Cabaret Band recently spent 12 memorable days touring the Midwest with guest artist John Morovich playing for enthusiastic folkdancers and concert goers. The group was featured at the 28th Annual Door County Folk Festival in Wisconsin. During their stay, they performed for four dance parties and conducted singing workshops directed by John Morovich, all to wide acclaim. In the Greater Chicago area they performed with Tamburitza Roma at the Hothouse and to a crowd of over 500 for the City of Chicago Summerdance series. They concluded their tour at the legendary Jovial Club in South Chicago to an audience which included luminaries of the ethnic music and dance community. The Balkan Cabaret Band includes Joe Finn, fiddle and clarinet, Michael Lawson, accordion and vocals, Steve Ramsey, bugarija, guitar, tambura and vocals, and Rich Thomas, bass and vocals.