Bazurka

Bazurka is a seven-piece band based in Wellington, performing high-energy music from the Balkan regions, including traditions from Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Macedonia, Romani communities, and Greece. Their performances are driven by fast rhythms, bold brass, and powerful percussion, creating an infectious, party-like atmosphere.

The band has been performing together for over a decade and has also developed a body of original Balkan-inspired music, culminating in the release of their album Novi Grad All Stars. Briar is the lead vocalist and brings a deep passion for Balkan music, shaped by her cultural roots in Greece, which shares many musical traditions with the region.

Bazurka has toured extensively throughout New Zealand, appearing at festivals including Lunasa, the Auckland Folk Festival, Cuba Dupa, Newtown Festival, and Slav Fest, as well as performing at the prestigious APRA Silver Scroll Awards ceremony. They continue to write new music and perform regularly both locally and around the country.

APRA Silver Scrolls

A long-standing tradition of the APRA Silver Scroll Awards ceremony is that each nominated song is reimagined in a surprise performance by an artist from a completely different genre. Briar was invited to arrange Jenny Greenteeth by her sister’s band SKILAA, transforming the neo-soul pop track into a Balkan-inspired arrangement featuring Balkan instrumentation, a 7/8 time signature, and passages sung in Greek.

With additional support from Creative New Zealand

Albums

Bazurka | Novi Grad All Stars

View on Bandcamp

Overview: An energetic collection that brings together traditional Balkan folk songs and original, Balkan-inspired music written by members of the band.

Release year: 2023

Performed by: Thomas Friggens (drums), Andrew Laking (bass), Justin Firefly Clarke (guitar), Jake Baxendale (sax), Tristan Carter (violin), Mike Costeloe (trumpet), Briar Prastiti (vocals)

Listen and purchase here:

https://bazurka.bandcamp.com/album/novi-grad-all-stars