RAYA BRASS BAND presents AN IMPROMPTU, OFF THE CUFF, FREE FORM CIRCUS, VAUDEVILLE SHOW AND MUSICAL PERFORMANCE ON THE CONEY ISLAND BOARDWALK Calling all circus performers, contortionists, belly dancers, fat ladies and men, skinny little things, fire eaters, chariot racers, jugglers, clowns, magicians, pin-up girls and boys, mad hatters, red queens of both sexes, acrobats, [...]

We played for a lovely wedding procession from Smith and Union to Union and Nevins on Saturday. The bride and groom rode down the hill on a wooden horse their friends had made for them and then we ended up at the Green Building on Union for an Irish/Indian wedding. It was a sweet afternoon. [...]

We’ll be bringing the Balkan Sound of Brooklyn to the Hudson Valley this weekend to play for a benefit and celebration for Time & Space Limited in a big barn in Ancramdale. Stop on by for this romp if you’re nearby. TIME & SPACE LIMITED Special Event: Big Barn BBQ In Ancramdale at the Spencer-Shimkin [...]

We’ll be playing in the Bay Ridge Greenmarket this Saturday from 11-1 at 3rd Ave and 95th St. Stop on by if you’re in the neighborhood. Map: http://bit.ly/cT503i Market Info: http://www.cenyc.org/bayridgegreenmarket

We’re pleased to be returning to our favorite Brooklyn cultural center and bar, Barbes, on Thursday, July 29. We play @ 10 pm and hope you’ll come down and dance dance dance. And dance some more. And don’t miss legendary Klezmer clarinetist and mandolin player Andy Statman @ 8 pm in the same venue. Get there [...]

We played a show up in Tivoli, NY a few weekends back and had the great pleasure of playing a fantastic Fourth of July party at Rokeby Farm – there’s an article in today’s NY Times about the place. © 2010 New York Times We’ll be back in Tivoli this Saturday for The Fourth Annual [...]

We appeared along with Black Sea Hotel and Fishtank Ensemble for this annual fundraiser for the East European Folklife Center in May 2009.

We thought you’d like to see the place where many of us got our start, in Michael Ginsburg’s brass band class at the EEFC Balkan Music and Dance Camp. There’s still space at this year’s workshop at Iroquois Springs! Go! Dive in! The water’s real nice!

We return to our favorite Williamsburg/Central European/Brooklyn biergarten, Radegast Hall, on Thursday night, July 1. Bier, brat and Balkan tunes with Raya Brass Band in a gorgeous room. Drop on by! Thursday July 1, 2010 Raya Brass Band at Radegast Hall http://www.radegasthall.com/ Radegast Hall and Biergarten 113 N 3rd St in Williamsburg, Brooklyn map: http://bit.ly/c4Q9IM [...]

We’re travelin to Pittsburgh, Philly, Baltimore, Winchester, and Washington, DC on June 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20 and bringing the Raya Brass Band sound to new audiences, new cities, new venues. Tell your friends! -Wednesday 6/16 – Pittsburgh – 9 pm Howler’s Coyote Cafe Venue: http://howlerscoyotecafe.com/ $8 adv/$10 door. 21+ 4509 Liberty Ave Pittsburgh [...]

We’re baaack! Its another festive Saturday night in the LES with Raya Brass Band at the legendary Bulgarian Bar, aka Mehanata. The lovely Tina Richerson will be holding down the door and we will be doing our usual stalking around the room and bamboozling every possible combination of dancers, diners, uncomfortable first dates, annoyed people [...]

Just a friendly reminder that we’re playing at Mehanata tonight. It would be fun if you came and showed us your dance moves from the 70s, 80s, 90s and aughts. 1770, 1880, 1990, 2010 – whaddya got? There will also be special performances by belly dancing friends of ours. And remember no one turned away [...]

Raya Brass Band is looking forward to a great week with a fine Brazillian/Balkan/Cajon/Balkan/Argentinian mashup at Public Assembly on Wednesday an appearance at Radegast Biergarten on Thursday a benefit for Alchemy Dance Theater on Friday celebrating the 2010 opening of the Brooklyn Flea on Saturday and a concert at the Queens Library on Sunday. And [...]

It was great to see so many of you this past weekend in Boston. Raya Brass Band really had a great time touring up there and playing about town despite monsoon like conditions. For those of you who didn’t make it out to one of the shows, or who would just like a little bit [...]

Pics taken at the True/False Film Festival over the past weekend. Max and Greg glam it up for the camera

Just in case our drummers are out of town: Thanks, Jessica!

From Derek Sivers, the founder of CD Baby, here is a talk he gave at the 2010 TED Conference about leadership as displayed by one super crazy dancer. Watch it and you’ll know why we like it! – Max See orginal post.

Balkan Music Night presents a concert and five-hour folk dance party featuring more than twenty Balkan bands and choruses from the Greater Boston area and beyond. Previous dance experience is not necessary. Basic dances are taught during the first half hour of the party; many of the other dances can be followed. Refreshments are provided [...]

News From Our Colleagues in the Stumblebum Brass Band: Crazy Ron Caswell is now their tuba player. He’s the man about town with the hair like a chicken’s, often seen wearing a kilt and carrying a gigantic brass instrument. Read on: Dear Stumblebums, Come to our BIG show introducing our NEW tuba player, Disco Ron, [...]

Clip from “Ko to tamo peva” or “Who’s That Singing Over There?” Film by Slobodan Sijan 1980

Cell phone song! (aka “Sajzerski Cocek”) One of our recent favorites.

Sarah Alden (violin), Brian Slattery (violin), Cristina Crowder (accordion), Benjy Fox Rosen (bass) playing Moldavian music at Golden Festival 2010.

If we’re lucky, Tania the Chicken will show up! Spotted here at Patty Farrell’s killer Staggerback Brass Band show on Jan 9 at Union Pool. At right, JR Hankins of Veveritse is counting his chicken after it’s hatched. The PGFBBHAS is happening on SUNDAY AT DON PEDROS If you can’t make it to the Golden [...]