Eastern Blok

The Los Angeles Times calls Eastern Blok’s music “relentlessly innovative work.”Downbeat Magazine claims that “the ensemble playing is often breakneck and consistently challenging.”Acoustic Guitar Magazine raves that Eastern Blok plays with “blazing virtuosity and sheer beauty.”EASTERN BLOK’s “extraordinary pan-cultural ensemble effortlessly blends classical and jazz music with the rich folkloric traditions of Macedonia, Bulgaria, and Serbia. The resulting music is as alluring as it is complex. Exotic Middle Eastern motifs merge gracefully with the evocative sounds of Eastern European klezmer music. Beautifully conceived folk passages are followed by perfectly executed Mahavishnu-inspired pyrotechnics. The passion and urgency at which this group plays is heard in every note…” (Minor 7th Magazine).EASTERN BLOK features classical guitar virtuoso GORAN IVANOVIC, joined by DOUG ROSENBERG on woodwinds, MATTHEW ULERY on upright bass, and MICHAEL CASKEY on percussion.The band was originally dubbed Goran Ivanovic Group by founding members Ivanovic and Rosenberg. They teamed up with Ulery and Caskey in 2004. After successfully packing venues throughout the country and honing their musical direction, the band released their self-titled debut album in 2005. "The Goran Ivanovic Group" record met with critical acclaim, combining traditional folk music from the Balkans along with Latin, flamenco and klezmer elements, European classical influences and American jazz. The track “Blacksmith’s Dance” was selected out of thousands of submissions as one of three finalists in the 2005 John Lennon Songwriting Competition.In 2006, the group began performing under the name EASTERN BLOK. At this point, it had already been invited to present educational concerts and masterclasses at major universities like Princeton, Cornell, Carnegie Mellon, and University of Michigan among others. The group’s sound, its musical influences and the academic training of the band members worked especially well as an educational springboard at music schools across the country.Year 2007 brought the group further recognition following their performance on Chicago Public Radio’s “Chicago Undercover,” and their headlining of the World Music Festival in Chicago.Eastern Blok’s next record, “Folk Tales,” was recorded that same year and released at their performance in the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago. "Folk Tales" features a somber, serious sound with a lively and elusive beat. Having drawn upon highly dynamic classical and jazz aesthetics rather than relying on a recent fad of gypsy-jam-band antics, Eastern Blok maintained a timeless sound and virtuosic approach.With “Folk Tales” in hand, the group continues trekking across the country, performing at venues like Blues Alley and Twins Jazz in Washington D.C., The Metro and Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park in Chicago, The Krannert Center in Urbana, Joe’s Pub and Makor in NYC and Chris Jazz in Philadelphia to name just a few.

• http://www.easternblok.net