Metisse Music

LIVE

Label: Asphalt Tango Records
Distribution in France: Abeille Musique
Release date: September 24, 2009

As soon as the 11 Allstars of Gypsy Brass enter a stage – be it in Tokyo, Moscow, Melbourne, Helsinki, London or Berlin – and set off their dazzling musical fireworks one can notice the audience going through astounding changes: entire rows of seats are spontaneously shifted aside, hats and skirts whirl through the air and even the stiffest guy finds himself dancing away to the most tricky Balkan rhythms so easily.
With their 6th CD-release the Gypsy brass band Fanfare Ciocarlia gives an exquisite taste of the incomparable experience of seeing Romania’s musical export hit live on stage, as recorded at the Berlin venue Kesselhaus der Kulturbrauerei. As a bonus the DVD „Gypsy Brass Legends – The Story of the Band“ released on Asphalt Tango Records back in 2004 is also included. Amongst others the DVD contains the acclaimed movie “Iag Bari – Brass on Fire” and gives an insight into the life in and the music of Zece Prajini, the meanwhile famous hometown to Fanfare Ciocarlia.

Queens and Kings

Label: Asphalt Tango - CD-ATR 1207
Distribution in France: Abeille Musique
Release date: March 23, 2007

For its fifth album, Fanfare Ciocarlia travelled throughout Europe to record with musicians from the continent’s extended Romany community. More than two dozen musicians from France to Bulgaria came together to create “Queens and Kings” – an extraordinary celebration of Gypsy songs. Casual observers may wonder how Fanfare Ciocarlia’s roaring Balkan funk could possibly fuse with the flamenco guitars of French Gitans Kaloome or Macedonian legend Esma Redzepova’s accordion driven music? Zece Prajini’s musical magicians shrug off such concerns, noting that they share elements of language, experience, and an almost indescribable yet very Gypsy musical synergy with their guests. Hungarian music has permeated northern Romania for centuries, while Yugoslav and Bulgarian music came from encounters with travelling Gypsy communities or on pirate cassettes. Spain and France existed in pre-war memories, lost yet not forgotten Latin connections; as did jazz and pop flavours long filtered through closed borders.” From these sources and their own ancient Gypsy roots, Zece Prajini’s musicians built Fanfare Ciocarlia. Here, accompanied by some of Europe’s finest singers, Romania’s brass dervishes share tales of life, love and loss. “Queens and Kings” celebrates unity in diversity while standing as a testament to the vision of Ioan Ivancea, Fanfare Ciocarlia’s clarinet-playing patriarch, who died in October 2006. To Ioan then, a true Gypsy King, this album is dedicated. (Text extract: Garth Cartwright)

Gili Garabdi

Label: Asphalt Tango Records - ATR 0605
Distribution in France: Night & Day
Release date: April 18, 2005

Tirelessly, the Romanian Fanfare Ciocarlia continue their conquest on our ears with a brilliant new album, their fourth; some tracks with a jazzy feel to them, a surprising cover of the James Bond Theme, of titles by Duke Ellington and Juan Tizol make for a surprising and totally successful production – that band never sounded better. Two superb new ballads complete the picture: “Ma Maren Ma” and “Godzila”, sung by the Bulgarian gypsy singer Jony Iliev.When asked if jazz was a big influence on their brass band, Ioan, Fanfare Ciocarlia´s oldest member and group historian,once answered:”Who´s to say our cousins who went to the US didn´t help invent jazz?” On “GILI GARABDI” this matter and other mysteries of Gypsy magic are set forth.

Iag Bari

Piranha CD-PIR1577 distrib. Night & Day

Famed for their breakneck speed, the Romanian Gypsy Horns once more prove their incredible capacity to produce leg and heartmoving music of the finest sort. After two records of deliriously celebratory brasss music an ever greater subtlety show up. On the way back from the stages of the world to their village beyond the mountains theiy stopped over to record with the “Voix Bulgares Angelites” and with the Romanian godfather of Oriental Pop Dan Armeanca in Bucharest, to give this album a special urban edge. With a bonus video clip in advance of their full-length film documentary “IAG BARI - Brass on Fire”, to be shown on Arte (amongst others).

Release Date: October 2001