INSTRUMENTS: ALTO SAXOPHONE, CLARINET, VOICE
GENRES: BALKAN, GREEK, KLEZMER
Gregory Masaki Jenkins is a Mountain View, California native known for his passionate expression of Balkan music. He was exposed to the music by his parents, longtime Balkan folk dancers, who brought him to Balkan Camp in Mendocino at age 13, where he learned about Balkan brass music and band-leading from Michael Ginsburg and Greek clarinet from Christos Govetas. His teaching experience includes teaching Kids Band for 15 years at Balkan Camp and has been on staff at Lark Camp since 2015. He recently made a pilgrimage to the Balkans in 2015 that led him to meet and study with Balkan heavyweights Ferus Mustafov, Dzambo Agusev, and Nikos Filippidis.
Greg is not only a fantastic musician, but has been a cornerstone of the Bay Area Balkan music scene for over 20 years. A founding member of Brass Menazeri, Greg now heads his own Balkan brass band Fanfare Zambaleta.
Fanfare Zambaleta (roughly meaning crazy street party with brass) is a 10 piece Balkan Brass band specializing in high spirits music of the Serbian, Macedonian, Bulgarian, Greek and especially the Romani people. They got their start in 2012 as an off shot of the SF Music and Dance school Zambaleta and been rocking clubs, weddings, and dance halls ever since! Combining a love of the classic brass bands of the past with the modern sounds coming out of the Balkans, Fanfare Zambaleta brings an irresistible blend of old and new to get you dancing! They've learned from some of the greats including Demiran Ćerimović , Džambo Aguševi Orkestar and Nizo Alimov (of Kočani Orkestar) and are also now embarking on a new journey to write original tunes inspired by their deep love of the music.
As a teacher, Greg's attention to detail and technical precision comes through not only his communicative and direct instruction, but in his own playing and demonstration for his students. Greg has a very laid back and zen personality, but a very devoted approach to music. It makes for a learning environment that is welcoming, encouraging, and motivating.
