Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
"Barbes - Dec 31: The Zagnut Cirkus Orkestar, a rowdy Balkan brass band, rings in the New Year."
Jan 3, 2005
Clubs Listings - New Yorker
"Barbes. 10pm, $10. If the past year leaves you feeling that there's not much to celebrate, you're not alone. The Zagnut Cirkus Orkestar invites you to toss out that flute of champagne and join it in a rousing evening of Serbian plum brandy and rollicking brass-band music. You know, harder stuff for harder people in hard times."
Dec 30, 2004 - Jan 4, 2005
Starred Listing - Time Out NY
"Barbes. Dec 31: The Zagnut Cirkus Orkestar, a Balkan brass band, ignores the holiday altogether. They promise no champagne and no countdown."
Jan 3, 2004
Clubs Listing - New Yorker
"Balkan Bash - Barbes - 10:00 pm; $10 cover. Give in to the madness of Eastern European brass band music, drink Serbian plum brandy and dance the night away. Featuring the Zagnut Cirkus Orkestar, NYC's pre-eminent Balkan Band."
The L Magazine
Dec 22, 04 - Jan 18, 05
New Year's Eve Events Listings - The L Magazine
Discography
Our debut CD is due out in early February 2005.
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
ZAGNUT CIRKUS ORKESTAR
The Zagnut Cirkus Orkestar is a Brooklyn, NY-based ensemble that plays rollicking and soulful Balkan brass band music for enthusiastic audiences at clubs, dance halls and festivals. Our band is equally comfortable on stage giving a driving performance through a full sound system or playing "unplugged" outdoors, or in the middle of your bar or dance hall.
The Zagnuts have played for capacity crowds at New York bars and restaurants like Cafe Barbes, North Six, the Bowery Poetry Club, Cafe Moto, Maia Meyhane and Tagine; at weddings and parties; and for folk dancers at Zlatne Uste's Golden Festival, Hungarian House, Prospect Park, the Brooklyn Museum and the Brooklyn Library. No matter where we play audiences can't help but dance, even if they don't know the traditional steps.
We can provide a 4-8 piece band that will add Eastern European flavor to your night club, public event, wedding or private party. Whether you want subdued background music or life-of-the-party atmosphere, a fanfare for your march to the altar, a Greek gaida for your parade away from it, a dance set of Serbian kolos or Jewish freylekhs, the Zagnut Cirkus Orkestar will get your body moving with its distinctive Balkan flair.
In addition to concerts, dance parties and wedding music, we also offer instruction in Eastern European line dancing and can combine a day of music and dance workshops with a concert and dance party in the evening.
SELECTED GIG HIGHLIGHTS
BENEFITS
3/5/2004 * (NYC) March 5 - Benefit for Breezy Hill Orchard with ZCO & ZU * Angel Orensanz Center * New York * NY
CLUBS
10/31/2002 * Balkan Halloween 2002 * Barbes * Brooklyn * NY
12/31/2002 * BROOKLYN: Balkan New Year's Eve at Barbes * Barbes * Brooklyn * NY
3/15/2003 * NYC: Mar 15 - Zagnut Cirkus Orkestar at Barbes * Barbes * Brooklyn * NY
5/1/2003 * BROOKLYN: Zagnut Cirkus Orkestar at Barbes, MAY 1st! * Barbes * Brooklyn * NY
12/5/2003 * NYC: Friday 12/5 Zagnuts in Williamsburg, Brooklyn * North Six * Brooklyn * NY
12/31/2003 * BROOKLYN: 12/31 Balkan Brass New Years Eve! * Barbes * Brooklyn * NY
1/21/2004 * Zagnuts TONITE! Bowery Poetry Club * Bowery Poetry Club * New York * NY
6/11/2004 * NEW YORK: Turntables on the Hudson * Turntables on the Hudson * New York * NY
6/28/2004 * NYC FRIDAY: Zagnuts at MAIA Meyhane * MAIA Meyhane * New York * NY
7/17/2004 * BROOKLYN TONIGHT: Zagnuts at Barbes 9 pm * Barbes * Brooklyn * NY
7/23/2004 * NYC Fri 7/23: Zagnuts at MAIA * MAIA Meyhane * New York * NY
7/30/2004 * NYC TONIGHT: Zagnuts at MAIA * MAIA Meyhane * New York * NY
8/13/2004 * NYC TONIGHT: Zagnuts at MAIA * MAIA Meyhane * New York * NY
9/10/2004 * NYC: Balkan Brass Band Bar Hopping Opportunity! * MAIA Meyhane * New York * NY
9/14/2004 * BROOKLYN: 9/14 Zagnuts at Barbes * Barbes * Brooklyn * NY
10/3/2004 * Oct 3 NYC: Zagnuts at Satalla * Satalla * New York * NY
12/31/2004 * BROOKLYN: 12/31 Balkan Brass New Years Eve! * Barbes * Brooklyn * NY
FESTIVALS & DANCE PARTIES
1/18/2003 * NYC: Giant Balkan Music Festival This Weekend! * Golden Festival at Good Shepherd School * New York * NY
4/11/2003 * FRIDAY! * Zagnut Cirkus Orkestar * Hungarian House * Hungarian House * New York * NY
10/4/2003 * Spoke the Hub Octoberfest * Spoke the Hub * Brooklyn * NY
1/17/2004 * REMINDER: Golden Fest This Weekend * Golden Festival at Good Shepherd School * New York * NY
3/12/2004 * (NYC) March 12 - Set Your Clocks to Z.C.O. Time * Hungarian House * New York * NY
10/29/2004 * Balkan Brass Band Halloween Weekend * Hungarian House * New York * NY
PRIVATE FUNCTIONS
4/12/2003 * Gibson Birthday Party at Bohemian Hall * Bohemian Hall * Astoria * NY
8/9/2003 * Gold Wedding in Chatham, NY * Gold Wedding * Chatham * NY
10/18/2003 * Rosenstein Wedding in Adirondacks * Rosenstein Wedding * Adirondacks * NY
11/1/2003 * Zoe's Wedding in Great Barrington, MA * Zoe's Wedding * Great Barrington * MA
4/29/2004 * Brennan Wedding in Stockton, NJ * Brennan Wedding * Stockton * NJ
PUBLIC EVENTS
8/2/2003 * AUG 2, Brooklyn: SHEQER at Brooklyn Museum, FREE * Brooklyn Museum * Brooklyn * NY
10/6/2003 * NYC: Rain Yesterday. Zagnut's Today! * 6th & B Garden * New York * NY
4/17/2004 * NYC - SAT MAY 17 - ZAGS at BRKLYN MUS * Brooklyn Museum * Brooklyn * NY
4/25/2004 * BROOKLYN-Sunday: ZAGNUTS in Prospect Park - FREE! * Prospect Park * Brooklyn * NY
6/18/2004 * NYC: Zagnuts - TONIGHT & TOMORROW afternoon * Prospect Park * Brooklyn * NY
6/26/2004 * BROOKLYN Sat 6/26: FREE Balkan Festival at the Central Library * Brooklyn Central Library * Brooklyn * NY
11/29/2004 * NYC Mon 11/29: Lincoln Center Out of Doors Tree Lighting Ceremony * Lincoln Center * New York * NY
ABOUT THE BAND MEMBERS:
Matthew Fass is the founder, director & accordionist of the Zagnut Cirkus Orkestar. He also plays Balkan-based jazz with saxophonist Jessica Lurie in Sheqer. Matthew lives in Brooklyn, NY with his wife Jeanette Lewicki, with whom he plays klez
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