The Balkan Consort

What is jazz good for? What is folk music good for? What
good can be reached if these two kinds of music is mixed
together? These questions have already been answered
by many jazz musicians by searching for their own music
world on the border between jazz and folk music. The
Balkan Consort is such a new formation that its
music cannot be identified by the names of the members
of the band. It was formed at the end of 2010 and both
jazz and folk musicians play here. The initiative was
started by the following concept: they wanted to play a
music which is not as distant as jazz yet it ensures
improvisation. Hungarian and southern Balkan music lacks
the latter one while Bulgarian music is built on
improvisation of music circles. The two-hour long concert
programme of TBC was created by a rehearsal having
lasted for six months. In its sound and loudness this fiery
stuff is very close to rock music but because of its ability
to be improvised it is connected to jazz as well. However
it cannot fit into the eclectic, fusion trend which is so
popular nowadays. The virtuous instrumental material of
The Balkan Consort is built on the steady basis of the
difficult, rhythmically unique and virtuous Bulgarian folk
music.