Chubritza was founded in 1993 in Arcata, California. Chubritza is the name of a Bulgarian table spice which is usually served as sharena sol, a mixture of savory, salt and paprika. The name reflects the band's variety and mixture of international musical tastes and textures, while retaining a Balkan and Eastern European emphasis

Chubritza plays international dance music for folk dance events, weddings, bar mitzvahs, cultural celebrations, parties and festivals.
Chubritza plays the first Friday of each month at the Humboldt Folk Dancers' First Friday Dance Parties. The band also performs concerts and festivals in Humboldt County including the Fortuna Concert Series, Arts Alive! in Eureka, Arts Arcata!, St. Innocent's Orthodox Church's Ethnic Food & Dance Festival and various dance festivals in northern California and southern Oregon.

Chubritza will participate at the 2024 Filcich Folk Festival in Arcata and the 2025 California Statewide Festival.

Chubritza had a wonderful time as the house band for the Stockton Folk Dance Camp in 2003, 2005, 2009 and 2023. The band has also played for the 2018 Tamburitza Extravaganza in Burbank, CA, Kolo Festival in San Francisco, Mendocino Folklore Camp, Sacramento International Folk Dance Camellia Festival, the California Folk Dance Federation's Statewide Festivals, the Veselo Festival in Eugene, Oregon, and the San Francisco Tamburitza Festival.

Chubritza had the honor and great pleasure playing a 10-day tour of folk dance events and concerts in Israel in June of 2010 sponsored by the Balkanitsa Haifa Balkan Dance Group on their 25th anniversary jubilee and supported also by the dance groups of Dunav and Nua-Am.
Derek Shaw - tambura, brač, guitar, oud, prim

Janet Finney-Krull - flute, pennywhistle, recorder, frula, accordion, brač, dumbek, tŭpan, snare, melodica, vocals

Rick Kruse - bass, violin, gŭdulka, čelovič, tambura, mandolin, banjo, vocals

Craig Kurumada - gajda, clarinet, prim, brač, accordion, tambura, spoons, snare drum, tŭpan, tsimbl mic, violin, vocals

Meadow Lo - tambura, bass, brač, čelovič, trumpet, guitar, dumbek, tŭpan, vocals

Linnea Mandell - accordion, tambura, bugarija, tŭpan, recorder, dumbek, snare, vocals
Chubritza performs traditional dance music and songs from both urban and village traditions from Albania, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, England, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Macedonia, Mexico, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, Scotland, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine, U.S.A. and the Jewish/Klezmer and Romany peoples. These songs reflect many universal themes: the passion of being in love, the sorrow of lost love, and the happiness music and dance brings to the heart.
Chubritza plays a wide variety of traditional instruments used in folk music throughout Eastern Europe and other parts of the world. In addition to the accordion, clarinet, flute, trumpet, violin, bass and guitar, some of the instruments which may be less familiar to audiences include:
  • Frula - a Balkan fipple flute
  • Gajda - a Balkan goatskin bagpipe
  • Dumbek - an hourglass shaped hand drum
  • Gadulka - a Bulgarian bowed rebec with many sympathetic strings.
  • Tamburitza - a family of stringed instruments from Croatia, Serbia and Bosnia including the prim, brač, bugarija, čelo, and berde.
  • Tambura - a long-necked stringed instrument from Bulgaria and Macedonia.
  • Tsambal mic or tsimbl mic - a hammer dulcimer from Transylvania.
  • Tŭpan - a two-headed Balkan drum played with a heavy beater and a light stick