Trumpet player/producer Will Magid aka Balkan Bump kicks off the year with a brand new self-titled project. The 4 track EP follows his Talib Kweli assisted single "Aymo". The Oakland based ethnomusicologist has gathered a wide variety of inspiration for this project from the four corners of the globe. "Balkan Bump" is upbeat, rousing and goes against the grain at every turn. The musical pieces he is putting out are buoyant jams packed with rich layers of celebratory horns, bouncing percussion, classical strings and even a bit of ambient noise.
Finding an affinity-based in his own Balkan roots, Gramatik has championed the new project; debuting Balkan Bump’s first live performance at Gramatik’s anticipated NYE show at Terminal 5. This thrilling blend of live brass and electronic production carries over to Balkan Bump’s live show, as he joins Gramatik to unveil his horn-infused live set to a North American audience in Spring 2018. Balkan Bump's creative process is undoubtedly untethered and refreshing but it's more than just music for him as he explains thus;
"Balkan Bump is an exploration of my ancestral roots blended with funk, hip-hop, jazz and the electronic music that I grew up with in California. A huge part of this project is a reflection on what led my distant ancestors across the Middle East and Europe to eventually find a home in California amongst other immigrants. My last name "Magid" means traveling teacher in Hebrew. I strive for my music to always include joy, some suffering, but more than anything hope. "
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