photos by Raymond van Tassel
 
International Roma Day Celebrations - 2009
 
Sponsors about Intl. Roma Day San Francisco event Featured Artists

• San Francisco - Friday April 3 - 7:30 pm
TICKETS!  - Croatian American Cultural Center - 60 Onondaga St., San Francisco, CA - $15, kids under 12 free. Afterwards, the musicians and crowd will migrate to the
After-party at Bollyhood Café! 3372 19th St at Mission. DJ Zeljko spinning Balkan Romani (Gypsy) music – followed by live music with featured artists - $10-separate charge; combo ticket for both events $20. ...also Friday afternoon Workshops 

• Sebastopol - Saturday April 4 - 6-10 pm
TICKETS!  - Aubergine - 755 Petaluma Avenue, Sebastopol, CA - $10, $18 with meal (middle eastern). Dance workshop, film discussion, silent auction; Orkestar Sali: Rumen Shopov, Peter Jaques, Dan Cantrell, Sean Tergis.

• Arcata - Sunday April 5 - 5-10 pm
Redwood Raks Studio (Creamery) 824 L Street. 5 pm dance workshop $15 - 6:30 potluck dinner - 7:30 live music dance party $15 (workshop + party, $25). Orkestar Sali (see April 4).

• Arcata - Monday April 6
Short concerts at Humboldt County schools!

• Los Angeles - Saturday April 11 - 7:30-11:30 pm
"Café Aman" at Pacific Arts Center, 10469 Santa Monica Blvd. $15 (cash or checks only). Local contacts: Mady Taylor madelyntaylor-AT-hotmail.com, Ian Price ianpricebey-AT-hotmail.com.
Romani music, with chalgija from Macedonia and Bulgaria, Serbian kolo and starogradske pesme (old city songs) from the Balkan countries. Sani Rifati will be teaching both the Balkan Basics and the Mahala (Romani neighborhood-style) dances classes. Band lineup: Rumen Sali Shopov (tambura, drums, vocal); Dragan Pavlovic (accordion, from Serbia); Sani Rifati (drums, vocal)... special guests Barry Fisher (accordion); Benji Rifati (trumpet).

• Los Angeles - Sunday April 12
VOR sponsored performance of a Serbian-Romani repertoire for an event in the Romani community in North Hollywood.

• San Francisco (#2) - Friday April 17 - 9 pm
TICKETS!  - El Rio, 3851 Mission St., San Francisco (near Cesar Chavez). $10. Orkestar Sali (see April 4, plus Djordje Stijepovic!)

Sponsors about Intl. Roma Day San Francisco event Featured Artists
 
Description of the San Francisco event (April 3)

Featuring: Rumen Sali Shopov, tambura & percussion, Macedonian Rom clarinetist Ismail Lumanovski (from NYC), Chris Bajmakovich, Rom accordionist from Chicago, and Djordje Stijepovic, bass, together with the popular Bay Area Balkan band, Edessa.

Additional performing artists include Bay Area's Brass Liberation Orchestra. VOR will include a brief panel presentation by several individuals to discuss their experiences as ESL teachers and as volunteers with VOR projects assisting Roma in Kosovo. Mediterranean appetizer-meze plate, hand made Romani crafts, CDs and literature will be available for purchase at the event. On both Friday and Saturday afternoons, featured musicians are also offering instrumental workshops from 4-5:30pm.

  International Roma Day 2009