Fanfare Ciocarlia

Rising from a reputedly 'invisible' village, Fanfare Ciocarlia, the world's foremost Gypsy brass band, have gone on to create a furious Balkan funk that has set the planet dancing. The 12-piece orchestra from Romania's Moldova region came to prominence initially in 1995 when German national Henry Ernst stumbled across their tiny village of Zece Prajini - not on any map! - and found a secret hothouse of Gypsy music. Ernst was impressed enough to go back to Germany, sell all his possessions and book some concerts for the orchestra he had named Fanfare Ciocarlia: fanfare is a French word for brass band while ciocarlia is the Romanian lark.The art of playing music has been handed down from generation to generation since time immemorial. There is no sheet music. The instruments, bearing the marks of the previous decades, have lost their shine and gained their own patina. On them FANFARE CIOCARLIA manage to set off a musical firework display, with an unbelievable talent for intricate rhythms and dizzy tempos. Traditional dances from Romania and rhythms from Turkey, Bulgaria and Macedonia are played on horns, trumpets, clarinets and timpani. For each different moment in life there is an appropriate piece: geamparale, sîrba, hora, and if the mood requires, a racy ruseasca at the end.

Nettsted: http://www.fanfare-ciocarlia.com/