Meet OBI |
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Natalie Nowytski, Dee Langley, Colleen Bertsch, Tim Wahl, Katrina Mundinger |
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| OBI Orkestar Bez Ime, meaning "orchestra without a name" in Bulgarian, met in the Ethnic Dance Theatre and has since grown to be one of the Midwest's hottest and most sought-after international dance bands specializing in Balkan music. Using a mix of folk and modern instruments-including accordion, clarinet, dumbek, flute, guitar, kaval, tambura, violin and voice-the group stays close to traditional Eastern Europe through its American melting-pot sensibility. | ||
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Sound Clips fron Nice Driveway Vol. 1 |
OBI performance schedule |
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Comprised of alumni and members of Ethnic Dance Theatre (EDT), OBI focuses mainly on Balkan music, but presents the full range of international folk dance interests from Scandinavia to Israel to French Canada and beyond. Members include Dee Langley who has played accordion since age 4 squeezing all the way to play for the Dolina Folk Dancers (1989-1996) and Ethnic Dance Theatre (since 1998). Tim Wahl (kaval, tambura, kitchen sink) was a founding member of EDT 30 years ago. He likes nothing more than a set list which requires him to change instruments for each tune. Natalie Nowytski honed her vocal skills at her grandmother's knee. She also percusses. Katrina Mundinger has played clarinet for 25 years and folk music for 10. She was a member of Rakia and a leader of Boris & Natasha. In 2000, Colleen Bertsch bravely answered a panicked call from EDT for violinists. In the last 4 years she has weathered more than her fair share of odd meters and fast tunes, and brings a wonderful string sound to OBI. |
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NICE DRIVEWAY Volume 1: Cheers from the land of the Freeze |
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Contact OBI |
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SOUND SAMPLES
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PERFORMANCES
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PURCHASE
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