Avram Pengas' Noga Group has been a staple of New York 's downtown music scene for nearly twenty years.

The CD, "Santorini," is the group's latest effort (its first being 1983's self-titled "Noga") and lakes its name from the beautiful Greek island and the > Greenwich Village cabaret that was filled, each week, with the exotic music of the Noga Group.

But while Santorini, the cabaret, prided itself on its Greek heritage, "Santorini," the CD, offers more diverse pleasures. Pengas' breathtaking Bouzouki and expressive guitar, Nick Mandoukos' exquisite guitar, Dick Barsamian's velvety oud, Lefteri Bournias' sultry clarinet, Zohar Fresco's dazzling percussion, and the melodic support of Emmanuel Mann's fretless bass combine to create a rich musical palette of the entire Mediterranean region and beyond: Israeli pop grooves, sinuous Arabic melodies, pulsating Persian and Turkish rhythms, Latin beats, Armenian dance sounds, even traditional Yiddish folk — all synthesized in a dynamic, often improvisational style that recalls American jazz.
> What also sets "Santorini" apart is that it is "Noga uninhibited." With this CD, the Group sets a somewhat different mood: While previous recordings tended to recreate the live nightclub sound, this recording was made for listening as much as dancing.

The arrangements are creative and progressive - there are more taqsim, solo instrumental improvisations. "Santorini" was recorded over a period of just four months at HyperStudio in West Hempstead, New York, without the use of headphones. The musicians listened to each other and just played straight. The resulting vibe is fresh and innovative. Ethnic! Of course. Jazzy? Definitely. Modern, infectious, and kinetic! Certifiably.

As Pengas says, "You don't have to know anything about the musical cultures we draw from... You've just got to groove."