For over a decade now, ambassadors of groove Balkan Beat Box have kept the world party bumping with deft and exuberant stylistic cross-pollination, and a smouldering lyrical flow. With each entry in its oeuvre, BBB has crafted wildly imaginative grenades of enlightenment and garnered critical acclaim, an engaged fan base, and earned the respect and admiration of other artists.
There is an unmistakable, hypnotic, even quality to the music produced by the trio. The musicians draw inspiration from traditional sounds of Mediterranean region, which they blend with woeful notes of traditional Gypsy and pure energy of Balkanian music. Combined with middle-eastern, Klezmer in particular, and African rhythms are non-compromising punk-rock attitudes and beats hailing straight from the New York club scene. Balkan Beat Box draws on the tradition of the music of the world - both modern and traditional, not relying on anything else than pure talent, inspiration, and vision. Their music is a manifesto and a perfectly executed example that good music is a truly pan-global experience.
Balkan Beat Box have released six acclaimed albums, each of them inspired by the artist's own very individual experience of living in a diaspora community and influenced by the current social mood. The core members of the band - Tomer Yosef (leading vocals, percussion, samples); Ori Kaplan (saxophone); Tamir Muskat (drums, percussion) are keen observers of reality, vocal about social injustices.
Balkan Beat Box have released six acclaimed albums, each of them inspired by the artist's own very individual experience of living in a diaspora community and influenced by the current social mood. The core members of the band - Tomer Yosef (leading vocals, percussion, samples); Ori Kaplan (saxophone); Tamir Muskat (drums, percussion) are keen observers of reality, vocal about social injustices.
The BBB album catalogue represents a profound artistic continuum that’s high on concept, politics, and authenticity. Each album pulsates with undeniable grooves and its own distinct spirit. 'Shout It Out' - the latest release from the creative powerhouse that is Balkan Beat Box - represents an intriguing time for the band. When the core trio gathered in the studio, they found themselves favouring personal lyrics, minimalist production, and a watershed method of creating that involved playing together freely with their close-knit group of musical collaborators for three days straight and then sampling the best bits. Much like a crate digger building tracks from vintage vinyl, they pored over hours and hours of jams seeking choice grooves and bold textures. “A lot of weird stuff came out,” allows saxophonist Ori Kaplan. “We would listen to jams and go ‘oh, here’s a moment, let’s sample it!” and build a track from four bars.
We’ve been able to create this hub of art where we can go into a room, search deep within our souls, and create together. The real mojo behind BBB is our relationships as friends. It’s been an amazing journey
Tamir Muskat on the decade of the band's work
