Fanfare Ciocarlia: Legends of Balkan Music and Gypsy Brass Bands

Tuesday, January 17, 2012 in Balkan Music, Brass Band Music, Gypsy Music, Romanian Music

Fanfare Ciocarlia is gypsy brass band legends. Balkan Music is my favorite genre that I wrote posts about musician side of Emir Kusturica and Taraf de Haidouks. Today, would like to write about another Balkan Music legend, Fanfare Ciocarlia. The band consists of 12 funny gypsy musicians from Romania. They do not perform ordinary gypsy music like many groups. They perform gypsy music with the other styles like flamenco, tango, rock and so on. Fanfare Ciocarlia is world music’s happy face that they carried gypsy brass band music to higher levels. German music producer Henry Ernst visits their village in Romania and convinces them to become a touring band. Since they discovered by Ernst, they played in many concerts in many countries from Australia to America.

This video crated with Creative Commons License. It is not a subject of copyright.

Brass band music is one of the most important elements of Balkan Music and gypsy music. It takes very important place in Balkan countries, especially in weddings and funerals. We saw Fanfare Ciocarlia in Underground the Emir Kusturica movie. Emir Kusturica means mobile music and it was a good choice to work with Goran Bregovic and Fanfare Ciocarlia in this project. They appeared as walking and playing brass band in the movie. They say that Balkan brass music was affected by Turkish army music that they also use some elements from Turkish, Bulgarian, Serbian, and Macedonian music, although they perform Romanian folk music. The band’s lineup includes trumpets, tenor and baritone horns, tubas, clarinets, saxophones, bass drum and percussion. Speed is their nature that some musicians could reach 200 beats per minute. Virtuosity and diversity make Fanfare Ciocarlia different from the others. Lyrics are in Romanian or Romani languages.

Live performance is the best way to determine a group’s musicality. I could say Fanfare Ciocarlia is the monster of live performance. I have watched their videos many times. I also had an opportunity see them in Istanbul in 2008. Improvisation, harmony, virtuosity and speed of instruments are perfect in their live performance. They discovered the world again and played in more than 1200 concerts in many countries. A gypsy brass band became a worldwide music group. In 2006, they won BBC Radio 3 World Music Award.

The band also has some projects with the other famous Balkan Music performers. They made an album with Boban and Marko Markovic Orchestra from Serbia. Balkan Brass Battle is very funny and fascinating project and album made by Fanfare Ciocarlia and Boban and Marko Markovic Orchestra. The album released in 2011. Both two funny bands tour Europe together. They played in many concerts, and they will play in the future. It will be very nice to see them in Istanbul in May 2012.

Let us talk about Fanfare Ciocarlia albums. You could find discography of the band with my explanations and suggestions.

• Radio Pascani (1998) is a nice debut album. You could find many famous folk songs from Balkan countries. Nicoleta and Hora Cu Strigaturii songs are my favorites.
• Baro Biao: World Wide Wedding (1999)
• Iag Bari (2001) is also described as The Gypsy Horns from the Mountains Beyond. This album made them well known and reputed band in world music. Although Iag Bari is the most famous song, I also suggest Tu Romnie, Bubamara and Hora Di Petrosnitza songs. This album is extremely suggested album. Do not lose it!
• Gypsy Brass Legends (2004) is the story of the band. You could find documentary about them, live performances and so on. It was released as DVD.
• Gili Garabdi (2005) is called as Ancient Secrets of Gypsy Brass. It is BBC Radio 3 world music awarded album. It is very funny to hear James Bond 007 Theme in Balkan brass music. Alili, Golden Days, and Godzila are my favorite songs in the album.
• Queens and Kings (2007) is a perfect album that the most famous Balkan Music artists meet with the band. Saban Bajramovic and Esma Redzepova are some of them. It is very interesting to hear Born to be Wild with brass band rhythms. Sandala, Ibrahim, Que Dolor (flamenco version of Iag Bari) and Born to be Wild are my favorites.
• LIVE! (2009) is a live album that their live performance in improvisation is perfect.
• Balkan Brass Battle (2011) was made together with Boban and Marko Markovic Orchestra. Do not think to buy the album, only but it. You will enjoy hearing music from Balkan Music legends. It is an excellent album that James Bond Theme, Asphalt Tango, Devla and Disco Dzumbus are my favorites.

 

Fanfare Ciocarlia is one of the legends of Balkan Music and gypsy music. They carried local music into world music stage successfully. Do not lose the funny band. You could visit their official website to listen to some previews and buy their albums. You could also check tour dates. If they visit your country, do not lose to see their live performance.

http://www.asphalt-tango.de/fanfare/artist.html

Bye for now!

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Taraf de Haidouks: Gypsy Music Influence in World Music

Wednesday, January 11, 2012 in Balkan Music, Gypsy Music, Romanian Music, Taraf de Haidouks

Taraf de Haidouks! It is a gypsy band from Romania. If you like gypsy music and Balkan music, read it carefully. You will meet with one of the best gypsy band of the world. They are world music’s smiley faces. The band carries gypsy music to the stage of world music successfully. Could an instrument talk? Taraf de Haidouks members do it. It is a Clejani, Romania based gypsy band consists of 15 funny musicians that they perform from 80’s. Although some members died, the band still plays with musicians from the first and the second generations. Romania hosts the largest gypsy community of Europe. It is possible to find many gypsy orchestras and group in Romania. The country exports high quality gypsy music with Taraf de Haidouks and Fanfare Ciocarlia. They are the milestone of gypsy music and Balkan music. When you hear their music, you will enjoy and try to control yourself not to dance.

This video has been created with Creative Commons License. It is not subject of copyright issue.

Taraf de Haidouks’ musical journey on world music stage began after their debut album in 1991. The group appeared in Tony Gatlif’s awarded movie Latcho Drom. Actually, the movie tells a story about them. They became famous and reputed gypsy music group after they appear in this movie. Tony Gatlif is also musician that his movies are about gypsy culture. Taraf de Haidouks also have some famous fans like actor Johnny Depp and fashion designer Yojhi Yamomoto. They appeared in Johnny Depp’s The Man who Cried movie. Some of their songs released in the soundtrack album as well. Yamomoto invited them to his fashion show in Tokyo and Paris as model and musician. The group also played with violin virtuoso Yehudi Mehunin and Kronos Quartet. Working with reputed artists and appearing in awarded movies made the group one of the best representatives of gypsy music.

Taraf de Haidouks polyphonic sound consists of some instruments like violin, double drum, accordion, flute, cimbalom, double bass, and some wind instruments. Group members’ musical abilities are perfect that it goes to the virtuosity. They joined countless concerts, festivals and organizations. Some musicians from Turkey, Macedonia and Bulgaria also worked with them during the group’s world tour. Their live performance is excellent that I have been to their concerts two times. Improvisation ability, abilities in instrument playing, rotation make their music original and enjoyable. You could see violinist plays accordion in another song. Many of group members are also multi instrumentalist. They had some musical projects with some famous Balkan music and gypsy music groups like Kocani Orkestar and Boban Markovic. Their performance with one of the most important Balkan brass band Kocani Orkestar should be listened. The group won BBC Radio 3 Awards of World Music in 2002. Although it is the most important awards, the group was awarded by many organizations.

Let us see Taraf de Haidouks albums.

• Musiques de Tziganes de Roumanie (1991)
• Honourable Brigands, Magic Horses and Evil Eye (1994)
• Dumbala Dumba (1998) is one of my favorite albums. Improvisation is perfect.
• Taraf de Haidouks(1999) is a compilation album.
• Band of Gypsies (2001) is another extremely suggested album. A la Turk and The Return of the Magic Horses are the best songs in the album.
• The Continuing Adventures of Taraf de Haidouks (2006) is a good documentary about the group. You could see their excellent live performance. The album released as CD and DVD.
• Maskarada (2007) is an album that some classical compositions like Asturias and Bartok rearranged and played in gypsy music standards. Do not lose the album. It is perfect.
• Band of Gypsies Part Two (2011) is one of my favorites. You could see the group performance with Kocani Orkestar. A gypsy group and a Balkan brass band play a masterpiece together.

Taraf de Haidouks is one of the best gypsy group and orchestra in the world music market. If you want to hear excellent performance, improvisation and virtuosity, do not lose the band. You could find some videos and song previews in their official profile page.

http://www.myspace.com/tarafdehaidouksbandofgypsies

Bye for now!

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