
DRÓMENO
Δρώμενο
GREEK / BALKAN DANCE MUSIC

VIDEOS
(Things we played mostly during the COVID-19 lock-down)

Wedding-on the floor.

CALENDAR
THURSDAY, APRIL 27th
Town Hall- Opening for Aynur
1119 8th Ave, Seattle, WA 98101
7:30-8:15
SUNDAY, May 14th
Royal Room- Benefit concert
Earthquake victims of Turkey and Syria
5000 Rainier Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118
7:30-8:15
SATURDAY, May 27th
Cornish - Turkish showcase
5000 Rainier Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118
7:30-8:15
SATURDAY, June 3rd
House concert- ZAG
4218 NE 103rd Pl, Seattle, WA 98125-8146
7:30-8:15
SATURDAY, June 17th-24
Mendocino-Balkan music and dance camp
SATURDAY, September 1st-4th
Camp Angelo's
32149 SE Stevens Rd. Corbett, OR
Photo By: Paul Joseph Brown

THIS IS DRÓMENO

Photo By: Paul Joseph Brown
DRÓMENO is a traditional ensemble presenting regional folk music from the Greek mainland and beyond, overlapping into the surrounding regions and finding the musical legacy that connects the traditions of the Balkans. Featuring clarinet and voices, the instrumentation includes accordion, saxophone, violin, oud, bouzouki, zourna, guitar, laouto, kanun and percussion, and enables the group to span the sounds of Greek music, from western Macedonia and Ipiros, through Thessaly, Thrace and Asia minor.
Drómeno: (from ancient Greek) An artistic, social, cultural performance-spectacle, (sometimes dramatized).
A cultural event and/or ritual.

Photo By: Paul Joseph Brown

Photo By: Paul Joseph Brown
BIOS
Christos Govetas is a gifted multi-instrumentalist and brings his authentic voice and earthy clarinet style from his homeland in Eastern Macedonia. After moving to this country in his teens, Christos discovered his love of traditional music and went on to learn regional music from all over Greece, and beyond. In addition to the clarinet, Christos plays the zourná, bouzouki and outi, bringing his 40 years of performing experience to the mix. Christos is a beloved teacher at many music and dance workshops and has performed and toured extensively in the US, Canada, Europe and Greece. In addition to leading Dromeno, Christos also plays with Pasatempo Rebetika, and also plays laouto and sings regional Greek music with Ziyiá and SeaMuse. Christos is the 1999 recipient of the prestigious Northwest Folklife Fellowship Award honoring his cultural contribution to the Greek-American and Folk dance communities. Christos and Ruth are also the recipients of the Ethnic Heritage Council's Gordon Ekvall Tracie award of 2017. Christos is also a member of Bill Frisell's Grammy nominated The Intercontinentals.
Ruth Hunter began her musical career singing and playing Bulgarian folk music, but immersed herself in Greek music and culture after marrying Christos in 1995. She sings and plays accordion, tambura and kanun, and for ten years led the folk-choir at Saint Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church as well as playing with Drómeno. Ruth has been actively performing Greek and Balkan music since 1985 as a founding member of the iconic women's group, Medna Usta, and playing with many other groups, including The Balkan Noyz Boyz and the Bay Area Balkan Ensemble. In addition to playing with Drómeno, Ruth also sings and plays Rebetika with Pasatempo Rebetika and has taught music and singing at workshops and toured in the US, Canada and Greece with Drómeno and Pasatempo Rebetika. Ruth and Christos are also the recipients of the Ethnic Heritage Council's Gordon Ekvall Tracie award of 2017.
Eleni Govetas has been immersed in music since day one. She began performing (on doumbeléki) with her parents at the age of nine and has continued to add instruments to her repertoire. Eleni has mastered the nuances of regional music on the défi and doumbeléki, and has added saxophone, zourná acoustic and electric bass and in the last four years is a sought-after traditional Greek violinist to her growing list of musical endeavors. Eleni is equally at ease playing folk music and old-style Rebetika and has a love for the music that shows in her playing. She has performed at dance competitions, concerts, workshops and parties in the US, Canada and Greece. She has played with the Bucharest Drinking Team and The m9 in the Seattle area and is a member of Melez band as well as Kultur shock. She's also taught kid's band in Mendocino Balkan Music and dance camp in California.
Bobby Govetas is following in his sister's footsteps and is already an accomplished percussionist, performing on daouli, defi and drum kit as well as bass, trombone and keyboards. He is equally at home playing the subtle rhythms of Macedonia and Thrace as he is rocking out with his friends. He has performed at dance competitions, concerts, workshops and parties in the US, Canada and Greece and brings his own special energy and enthusiasm to the music. Bobby also plays in the Seattle area with The m9.
Nikos Maroussis grew up dancing to the sounds Christos and Ruth as part of the dance program at Saint Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Seattle. He joined the band in 2008 and has become a masterful laouto player, as well as bringing his unique guitar sound to the group. Nikos is quickly becoming a sought-after laouto and bouzouki player and has performed at dance competitions, concerts and parties as part of Drómeno and also toured with Pasatempo Rebetika in 2012. Nick also plays with the Bay Area group, Palamydhi. Nikos has also taught bouzouki and Greek strings Mendocino Balkan Music and dance camp in California.
