Ajde Aman plays melodies as old as time and original hits written for today. Come gather round the soulful folk melodies and odd rhythms of South Eastern Europe for this special, unplugged & unfiltered set. The four piece ensemble will include Abby Alwin (cello), Douglas Lane Allen (bouzouki/oud), Will Van Kampen (bass), and Alex Sobolev (accordian).
About the performers:
Douglas Lane Allen (bouzouki/oud/vocals) has studied, played and danced to the music of Southeastern Europe for over 25 years. His primary instrument is the Irish Bouzouki which he uses for a multitude of styles of music. He has formed and performed with multiple bands around the United States. He also has written & produced over forty original pieces under the name douglaslaneallen. Find him on Spotify.
Abby Alwin (cello/vocals) is a multi-instrumentalist and music-educator, whose musicianship casts a large, deep net within western European classical traditions, music of the Balkans, and free improvisation. She has performed, recorded, and collaborated with a multitude of local and regional creative artists. As an educator, her unique musical frame of reference illuminates her approach, and she is recognized at the local, state and national levels for her teaching.
Alex Sobolev (accordian/percussion) is a designer, instrument maker, and musician based out of Ann Arbor Michigan. As a multi-percussionist he plays a wide range of drums from all over the world and has focused for more than a decade on Eastern European music. More recently, to support that passion for Balkan music, as well as his Ukrainian heritage, he has added Bayan & chromatic button accordion to his repertoire of instruments which is his main focus with Ajde Aman.
Will Van Kampen (bass) is a bassist, vocalist, and songwriter whose music spans rock, jazz, soul, funk, folk, and world traditions. He studied jazz improvisation at the University of Michigan and performs with several Ann Arbor–area ensembles.