The Rickshaw Stop in San Francisco is set to host the 18th annual Kafana Balkan party, showcasing renowned Balkan musicians like Ismail Lumanovski and Inspector Gadje. In celebration of International Women's Day, the event highlights a talented group of female artists, including Diana Gameros and Naima Shalhoub. The collaboration between Gameros and Inspector Gadje reflects organic artistic growth, while the concert offers a preview of Gameros' first album in years. Lumanovski's contributions have elevated the visibility of Balkan music, promoting its rich, intertwined traditions amidst cultural divisions.
Beyond a sneak preview of Gameros' first new album in eight years, Saturday's show will include Shalhoub performing a song by legendary Lebanese vocalist Fairuz, and the return of Miletich, 'who's done so many Kafanas she's our unofficial singer,' Peris said.
For one, the Civic Center venue lacks a marquee to promote upcoming acts. It's devoid of any signage, actually, that might indicate what's behind the tentacles-and-glaring-eye mural adorning the façade: one of San Francisco's essential musical outposts.
As in many past editions, the festivities center on Macedonian clarinet great Ismail Lumanovski, leader of the New York Gypsy Allstars. He's joined by the Bay Area's Inspector Gadje Balkan Brass Band and, in celebration of International Women's Day, a dazzling cast of women artists.
In a fractious scene that embodies the conflicts that turned 'Balkan' into a descriptor for divisions, he is universally hailed as a champion of the region's intertwined musical traditions.
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