Babaganoush’s music incorporates many diverse influences, drawing upon the myriad of European folk traditions and also making forays into the realms of bellydance. The band follow the sounds that they love without musical or political borders. Dance tunes with primordial beats and alluring harmonies, & popular Gypsy/Romani songs with beautiful soulful melodies are the powerful & electric foundation of the band’s musical heart.

The music is authentic. Band members have studied with masters of Eastern European musical traditions so the music often reflects the subtleties of traditional genres. In addition the musicians also take liberties, by mixing tradition with their own musical intuitions for a truly rich organic feel and sound.

Balkans & Gypsy songs & dance tunes


We are using the word ‘Balkans’ in a broad sense here to mean the
South-Eastern corner of Europe. This region is the world’s great home of irregular dance rhythms – 7/8, 9/8, 11/8. Babaganoush love to perform these intricate and intoxicating traditional tunes and songs from Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia and beyond. The Gypsy tunes Babaganoush perform are generally from the Balkan area and have a tradition of their own within the Romani/Gypsy communities. They are mainly Romanian, Hungarian, Serbian based.

Gypsy classics


These are well-known Russian Gypsy pieces such as Dark Eyes, The Basso, Two Guitars, saved for restaurant gigs, weddings on request and intimate parties.

Klezmer

Klezmer is the traditional Eastern European Jewish music, full of mourning as well as excitement and joy. Klezmer is a huge genre and Babaganoush performs a selection of slow and fast pieces including doinas, freylachs and bulgars at Jewish weddings and Bar Mitzvahs.