Balkansambel is a brass band from Slovakia which mixes Balkan music with Slovak folk music, jazz and classical music.

Since 2010, Balkansambel has been one of Slovakia’s most popular brass bands. The multidisciplinary, multigenre experience of Balkansambel’s members enables them to mix seemingly incompatible musical styles. Though Balkansambel draws inspiration mainly from Balkan traditional music, they also play Slovak folk, classical music and jazz.

What’s more, the musical compositions of composer and multi-instrumentalist Marek Pastírik, are refreshingly blended with free improvisations. Their live performances are an especially adrenalizing experience, enriched with rhythmical power and witty banter.

Their second album Šlamastika was released in 2016 and shows how these musicians take a fresh approach to what we think of as brass band music. Imagine Bach´s music with Greek levendikos rhythms, or Bizet´s Carmen as Bulgarian wedding dance and you can get closer to the music of Balkansambel.

This unique attitude gained the attention of the WMCE jury; and they peaked in the 15th position in WMCE in January 2017. Balkansambel was selected for the Tallin Music Week 2017, toured in India and Germany and performed at Czech Music Crossroads 2017 and Budapest Ritmo 2018.

Balkansambel  spolu s Martinom Geišbergom a Danom Špinerom pokrstila v uplynulom roku 2019 nový spoločný album “Na modrej planéte” https://www.slnkorecords.sk/martin-geisberg-und-daniel-spiner/na-modrej-planete

Marek Pastírik – sax, caval,taragot, bag pipes, bawu
Andrej Rázga – trumpet, flugelhorn
Martin Noga – trombone, bass trumpet
Juraj Hodas – tuba
Peter Hrub‎ý – accordion
Martin Králik – drums
Veronika Važánová – lead vocal

Balkansambel 2011, Agon Bratislava, Slovakia
Šlamastika 2016, OZ pre podporu netradičných foriem umenia
Martin Geišberg, Daniel Špiner & Balkansambel – Na Modrej Planéte (Slnko records, 2019) – Winner of the Radio Head Award 2019 (Slovak Grammy)

Festivals:
World music festival Bratislava 2016
Pohoda festival Trenčín 2012
Fest Dobré Bohunice 2013
Staromestské slávnosti Žilina 2011, 2014, 2015
Jazz fest Uherské Hradište 2014
Mesterségek Unnepe Budapest 2015
World Music festival Polanica Zdrój 2015
Panonica Folk Fest 2016
FIF Cismigiu festival Bucharest 2015
Hudba sveta Žilina 2015, 2016
Babel Sound Lite Hungary 2013
Kolkata India /Balkansambel tour, August 2016
Tallin Music Week 2017
Czech Music Crossroads 2017
Colours of Ostrava 2017
Budapest Ritmo 2018

Ranking:
Album Šlamastika – World Music Charts Europe, No.15 in 1/2017

Reviews/Quotes:
„Right from the first note, “Šlamastika” is an outburst of creativity and infectious joy. It is striking how effortlessly Balkansambel forges the bridge between folk tradition and contemporary jazz, confecting a seamless blend that can even incorporate Gillespie’s “A Night In Tunisia”, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Naturalness is the key word! In spite of all their intricacy, the compositions never sound contrived even for a second. The band’s playing leaves nothing to be desired in its accuracy and energy. Add to this the mesmerizing voices of the guest singers, and you get an exuberant, accomplished album bristling with ideas and musical fun.
Chapeau!!!“

Johann Kneihs – staff editor with Austrian Public Radio ORF Ö1