Karolina Wegrzyn & Banda in many Slavonic languages means “a group of noisy people” or simply the “bandits”. Karolina Wegrzyn & Banda are a unique ensemble show casing some of the most beautiful and dancy folk sounds of Eastern Europe. Karolina hails from Sub-Carpathia in South-Eastern Poland.
Growing up surrounded by folklore, her passion lies in preserving and sharing the rich cultural heritage of Poland, Ukraine, Slovakia, Roma people and the Balkan states. She collects folk songs by recording senior citizens in her native villages. In 2011 Karolina was awarded by the Polish Ministry of Culture and in 2021 she was a laureate at the True Musician's Tournament in Szczecin, Poland.
Ann Jones is an internationally renowned violinist performing classical to folk, balkan dance to gypsy punk. She is passionate about world folk and the connections between each countries music.
Stephen Plummer, conservatoire trained percussionist and guitarist enjoys exploring the music of other cultures and sharing his passion with new audiences.
Mike Bethel plays on almost everything stringed. He has recorded three well-received albums and will be joining the group on double bass. Together, the band creates an eclectic fusion of Eastern European sounds.
They believe that music has the power to connect people across borders and cultures. They strive to evoke emotions and create meaningful connections with the audiences, to create a sense of community and shared history.
Karolina has just released her debut single “Rozczesała Rozpuściła (Wedding Song) on all streaming platforms, which will be followed by a full length album later this year. Single: https://karolinawegrzyn.bandcamp.com/track/rozczesa-a-rozpu-ci-a-wedding-song
Karolina Wegrzyn and her wonderful band are fast gaining popularity for their upbeat and exhilarating shows.
Celebrating Sanctuary Birmingham
It’s quite a find
Ian Anderson from Podwireless, former editor of fRoots
A wonderful voice. Unbridled, pure and eloquently exuberant.
A fan
Music:
YouTube: https://youtu.be/egZBi_rJOGM
Facebook: @fanfarestation
