The Afro-Balkan Experience is a duo born of a desire to bring different cultures together and to combine the artistic explorations of two virtuoso musicians in an all-new repertoire.
Pianist Omar Sosa hails from Cuba. His musical journey has led him to draw on traditional Cuban music and carry it into jazz, hip-hop, and African music.
Multi-instrumentalist Stracho Temelkovski comes from Macedonia, a country on the Balkan Peninsula whose odd-meter rhythms he especially loves. His musical world also draws on urban, cosmopolitan sounds, reflecting his desire to put emotion at the heart of creation.
Together, they develop a contemporary, multicolored musical palette full of the most unexpected timbres and a subtle blend of scales.
Centered on Africa, this work lets the writing build a bridge between East and West. From Cuba to Africa by way of Balkan Macedonia, a new sonic continent takes shape—one where their traditional music resonates and blends with jazz accents.
