BALAKO (Balkan Latin Kollective) is one of the newest Romanian projects dedicated to jazz music, created by the members of world famous band Mandinga. The project started in 2013, at the Montreux Jazz Festival, one of the most renowned Jazz festivals in the world.
The project BALAKO, which first started as Mandinga Latin Jazz, has become a central focus point for the six musicians from Mandinga and it rapidly evolved into a new band. Conceived as an amazing musical journey throughout the Balkan culture, BALAKO is a dazzling mixture between traditional rhythms from the Balkan folklore and catchy Latin sounds, enriched with classic jazz influences.
The new blend of electrifying sounds transformed BALAKO into one of the most promising world music representatives offering to the public the most mesmerizing live shows. After the debut, the band started to gain more and more attention, having the opportunity to perform on the same stage with other international artists like Buena Vista Social Club, Manolito Simonet y Su Trabucco, Bamboleo, Havana Lounge, Billy Cobham or Luis Conte.
All of its members are trained and schooled as professional musicians: Elena Ionescu (lead vocals), Marius Cristian Ciupitu - Chupi (drums), Alexander Himely Benavides - El Niño (congas), Omar Secada Dihigo (piano), Valentin Andrei Zachar - Zach (saxophone) and Antonio Segui Rolando - Tony (trombone). On stage, the six Balako musicians always perform alongside three guest stars: Sebastian Yoo (bass), Leonard Vasile (accordion) and Sebastian Burneci (trumpet) and the result of this surprising combination of instruments is an amazingly well orchestrated collection of songs, full of passion, energy and positive vibrations that set the crowd in motion.
In 2014, BALAKO is invited to play at some of the most important Jazz festivals in Europe, but also in the Middle East. This year, the special live show of BALAKO can also be seen at North Sea Jazz, the place where many great jazz legends like Benny Goodman, Miles Davis, Sarah Vaughan, Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie and Stan Getz made history!
