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

Benin Meets Romania

...and KAOS ensues, on Spin The Globe, 22 August 2008 edition.

Today's show ping-ponged between the musics of Benin and Romania, with some fun surprises. And more broad-ranging sounds in hour 2. Congratulations to listener Richard, who won the Fanfare Ciocarlia CD Maskarada that was today's giveaway.

The Playlist: (Artist - Song - Album)

hour 1
Fa -- Tale Tale -- Defi
Fanfare Ciocarlia w/ Antoine Tato Garcia & Sabrina Romero -- Quando tu Volveras -- Music Meeting Festival Highlights 2008
Gangbe Brass Band -- Ajaka -- Togbe
Toni Iordache -- Hora de la Bolintin -- Rough Guide to the Balkans
Julien Jacob -- Graine -- Shanti
Yale Strom -- Reizel -- Garden of Yidn
Taraf de Metropulitana -- Espresso -- Rough Guide to the Music of Balkan Gypsies
Gansango -- Ji / Rain -- Ji
Denagan Janvier Honfo -- Sinago -- Hovivi
Taraf de Haidouks -- Romanian Folk Dances (Bela Bartok) -- Maskarada
Angelique Kidjo -- Bitchifi -- Fifa

hour 2
Shukar Collective -- Taraf -- Urban Gypsy
Fela Kuti -- No Agreement -- The Best Best of Fela Kuti
Watussi -- El Bato -- Tequila * Sangre * Fuego
Getachew Mekuria & The Ex -- Sethed Seketelat -- Moa Anbessa
Nation Beat w/ The Klezmatics -- Mare Cheia -- Legends of the Preacher
Kalman Balogh -- Kalotaszegi Cigany Csardasok -- Master of the Gypsy Cimbalom
Sultana -- Kusu Kalkmaz -- Rough Guide to Turkish Café
Bajofondo -- Cristal -- Mardulce
KAL w/ Rambo Amadeus -- Komedija -- KAL
Elisa Vellia -- I Myrtia -- Ahnaria
Chambao -- Respira -- Con Otro Aire
Rupa & the April Fishes -- Poder -- eXtraordinary Rendition

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