BEMAC presents WORLD MUSIC CAFE: The Shenzo Gregorio Trio & MZAZA

Back by popular request after their sold out show with Vardos earlier this year, gypsy folk favourites MZAZA return to the BEMAC stage for a special edition World Music Café on Friday, December 15.  

Just back from an 18 date regional tour the two-time Queensland Music Award winners are looking forward to premiering some new songs and delighting fans with older favourites. 

Always in good company, these enchanting musicians from Australia and four corners of Europe bring another talented friend in tow – brilliant violinist Shenzo Gregorio, best known for his work in the Shenzo’s Electric Stunt Orchestra, Fourplay and for his appearances in projects such as the Doch Gypsy Orchestra and Flamenco Fire. 

For this special World Music Café, Shenzo joins the bill with at the helm of a gypsy jazz trio that will take you back to the Paris hot clubs of the 1930s. 

If this fantastic line up is not reason enough to make your way to Queensland Multicultural Centre on December 15, 10% of ticket sales will be donated to the Motor Neurone Disease (MND) foundation towards further research into this progressive, terminal neurological illness that affects over 2000 Australians today and for which there is no known cure or effective treatment. 

MZAZA 

Award-winning six-piece MZAZA provides Balkan French sounds for vodka-drinking, sophisticated folk lovers around the world. Lead by enchanting French-Sephardic vocalist Pauline Maudy, this group of talented musicians from Bosnia, Latvia, Greece, Turkey, France and Australia will mesmerise you with inspired performances and draw you into a world that knows no borders.   

The impressive musicianship of MZAZA – realised with accordion, violin, percussion, double bass and guitar – has enraptured audiences in Europe and Australia at MONA FOMA, Queensland Music Festival, Woodford Folk Festival, Pflasterspektakal Festival and visited airwaves internationally.  

Shenzo Gregorio 

Shenzo Gregorio has been performing professionally for almost 20 years. career highlights include performing at NYC World famous Carnegie Hall with Fourplay String Quartet and Author Neil Gaiman. He’s a leader in his field of jazz and world styles having performed in Russia, Brazil, Asia, India, parts of Europe and all over Australia at various festivals. 

Shenzo has performed in concert with Natalie Cole, Ben Folds, Amanda Palmer, James Morrison, Lyndon Terrachini, Elena Kats-Chernin, Graeme Connors, Casey Donavan, William Barton, Katie Noonan, Johnny Diesel, The Ten Tenors, Il Divo, Shellie Morris, and supported international acts such as Mariah Carey, Mike Patton, Leo Kottke, and the Buena Vista Social Club.  

He’s recorded on some 50 + albums and received numerous awards for his work, including the Golden Fiddle award for best band -Fourplay String Quartet, Best of the Fringe award at the 2002 Adelaide Fringe festival, Aria award winner for his work on Monsieur Camembert’s third album and Three Helpmann award nominations for his work with Adelaide Circus Company – Gravity and other Myths.