Monday's mp3: Authentically Neo-Roma

CD REVIEW

KAL: Radio Romanista
(Asphalt Tango)

KAL makes Roma/Gypsy music; KAL makes modern urban music. And there's no separation between the two.

The musical equivalent of nuclear fusion, the Serbian band seems to create ever more energetic tunes, upping the ante from their self-titled 2005 debut with the 13 songs on Radio Romanista (the title track tells of a radio station in the imaginary nation of Romanistan, homeland of the Gypsies). Traditional touches pervade the album, co-mingling with urban beats and outstanding (and often very speedy - check out the fiddling on "Romozom" and "I'm Gypsy"!) instrumental prowess. (audio samples)

[mp3] KAL: Krasnokalipsa featuring Marcello
from the album Radio Romanista

KAL bandleader Dragan Ristic has a fantastic ear for modernizing his rich musical roots without losing the essential elements. With KAL's success," says Ristic, "we're proving the music of your ancestors is still valid, still lives." And it's not merely alive, it's dancing down the street and pulling you along it its wake.

Ignore the narrow-minded reviewer who said of this album: "It's a sad commentary on the state of the world when you can no longer count on ethnic groups to behave the way you want them to." Tradition isn't static, music is constantly evolving. KAL's sound is as authentically "Gypsy" as anything from Vera Bila, or anything from Gypsy.cz, for that matter.

Sure it's early in the year, but go ahead and mark Radio Romanista as one of the best albums of 2009.

More KAL:
website
label site
youtube
wikipedia

Mondays mp3: More Gypsy Pride

CD REVIEW
Gipsy.cz: Reprezent
(Indies Scope)

Unabashedly Gypsy, unabashedly modern, Radoslav “Gipsy” Banga raises his hands and eyes on the cover of his new album. Shocked at his musical success? Praying for his culture’s survival? Or perhaps (note the bed-head) awakened suddenly to the duty to continue spreading a socially conscious message along with his infectious, feel-good Roma fusion?

Whatever it “reprezents,” the cover opens to reveal an album that I’m told is full of social content but appeals to this non-Roma as a damn fine party album and a fantastic fusion of traditional and modern sounds. From ballads like “Vecernice” to scratch-laced rap tunes like “Dobry Den” to full-tilt dance numbers like the opening “Benga Beating (video here),” Gipsy.cz’s varied compositions are unceasingly engaging, and flat-out fun, with a rare, energizing in-your-face cultural pride (the kind also seen in the Maori-fusion of Moana and the Moahunters). Highly recommended!

[mp3] Gipsy.cz: Gejza Usti
from the album Reprezent

More Gipsy.cz:
website
myspace
youtube
buy this CD

Monday's mp3: Gypsy Spy Brass

It's a perfect convergence of movies and sounds. First, there was my recent viewing of When The Road Bends: Tales of a Gypsy Caravan. Then, the release of the new (or are we calling it a remake?) James Bond adventure, Casino Royale. Add them up and what do you get? Gypsies playing the James Bond theme song. Oh, yes.

Fanfare Ciocarlia is one of the five Gypsy/Rom artists featured in When The Road Bends, and Gili Garabdi is their most recent album. While often referred to as Balkan Speed Brass, this kind of music isn't all about pushing the pace. While much of it is fast and furious, that would get dull without the contrasting slow sections and without the emotion that underlies it all, fast or slow. Among the Ancient Secrets of Gypsy Brass on this album are Gypsyfied covers of Ellington's "Caravan" and Brubeck's "Time Out" as well as a colorful essay by Garth Cartwright, author of Princes Amongst Men: Journeys with Gypsy Musicians.

[mp3] Fanfare Ciocarlia: "007 (James Bond Theme)"
from Gili Garabdi-Ancient Secrets Of Gypsy Brass

If you like this track and/or When The Road Bends, be sure to check out the documentary Iag Bari - Brass on Fire for more on the band and their 400-resident Romanian village, Zece Prajini.

tags: worldmusic, gypsy, brass, james bond, fanfare ciocarlia, romania