Artist description Inspired by ethnic music of the whole globe as well as its Detroit home, Immigrant Suns produces an exotic sound sometimes described as Balkan village indie-rock, Arabic garage folk, or avant world beat.

Music Style World Ethnic Music

Musical Influences Global Village Folk Music, Muzsikas, Ashkhabad, Simon Shaheen, Frank Pahl & Only A Mother, Latcho Drom(soundtrack), Artie Barsamian, various Klezmer artists, and many more...

Similar Artists Camper Van Bethoven, 3 Mustaphas 3, Poi Dog Pondering

Artist History Immigrant Suns was inspired and formed in late 1992, in Dearborn, Michigan; while improvising by blending rock-n-roll and ethnic folk instruments such as the qyteli (an Albanian gourd-like lute) and the accordian. The instrumentation and repertoire expanded, culminating in 1994 with the first CD, Montenegro, on Phonetic Records. The band received some national acclaim that enabled it to get its first taste of extensive touring. The band followed up with a second release in 1996, Back From Durbecca, on Schoolkids' Records. This further defined the band's devotion to discover the soul of obscure ethnic folk music traditions from remote villages and mountains of the world. After several coast-to-coast tours and various collaborations with ethnic folk musicians and improvisers, the band released its most ambitious work to date, More Than Food; a 1998 release on its own label, Phonetic Records. After six years of "Blue Moons and Flying Pigs," the band had its first personnel change when Doug Shimmin left the group. Djeto Juncaj, Joel Peterson, Ben Temkow, and Mark Sawasky are continuing as a quartet. Expect new releases in late 1999 and early 2000.

Group Members Djeto Juncaj - guitar, qyteli, accordion, cello, tenor banjo. Ben Temkow - violin, accordion, penny whistle, mbira, vocals. Joel Peterson - double bass, oud, clarinets, saxophone, vocals. Mark Sawasky - doumbek, tar, talking drum, riqq, bongos, ghatam, trapkit, vocals.

Press Reviews The Wire-London, UK (May 99) Immigrant Suns - More Than Food - Pho-net-ic - PR0598IS - CD Detroit's equivalent to Three Mustaphas Three serve up ersatz Balkan folk rock on tracks like tracks like "Surfin' Albania," "Abdurrahman's Umbrella" and "Charlton Heston." The instrumentation takes its particular character from ukelele, bouzouki, two stringed fiddle and accordion, but the Suns are happy to import any instrument or stylistic component to break down lingering inhibitions in their audience. Montenegran Djeto Juncaj injects a dash of Old World authenticity, but not enough to jeopardise the ensemble's joyfully bogus impact.

Location Detroit, MI - USA

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