CD Review: Taraf de Haidouks' 'Of Lovers, Gamblers and Parachute Skirts'

Taraf de Haidouks
Of Lovers, Gamblers and Parachute Skirts
Crammed Discs

The iconic, Gypsy music band from Romania, Taraf de Haidouks, releases yet another glorious album of European and Turkish-infused tunes with a bit of Romanian pizzazz and Balkan candor. The fourteen, dizzying tunes feature the best in Gypsy strings, wind instruments, percussion, and other indelible musical attributes that are top-notch. There are instrumental portions, but this is not an instrumental album. The vocals are very straight-forward, earthy, and neo-classical. The jaunty rhythms are what you would expect from a group of this caliber. Every song is like a mini-party that is full of high energy and nostalgic embellishments. The track titles are translated in English and Romanian on the album. The liner notes contain English and French translations of song meanings. Overall, fans of Gypsy music should already know about Taraf de Haidouks, but if not, this would be an excellent introduction to the band. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Oana Catalina Chitu's 'Divine: Romanian Songs From The Repertoire of Maria Tanase (1913-1963)'

Oana Catalina Chitu
Divine: Romanian Songs From The Repertoire Of Maria Tanase (1913-1963)
Asphalt Tango Records

One of Romania's greatest chanson singers, Maria Tanase, created music in every venue imaginable--from clubs, restaurants, theatres, suburbs, and beyond--showcasing her inner and outer talent with memorable folk songs. The musical repertoire featured cymbalom, guitar, violin, sax, accordion, drums, and double bass that are carried on by today's singer, Oana Catalina Chitu. A native Romanian herself, Oana sings the music of Maria with such memorable and iconic abilities that transcend time and world regions. There are a dozen songs on the new album that convey a true Balkan presence with heady rhythms, folk tunes, dances, waltzes, and vocal earthiness so inherent in Maria's original music. Anyone familiar with female vocal music that is folksy and nostalgic should check out Oana's latest work. Fans of Maria Tanase will love the diverse musical incarnations that do her original music justice. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Veretski's Pass' 'The Klezmer Shul Live'

Veretski Pass
The Klezmer Shul Live
Golden Horn Records

The California-based, Veretski Pass, is an instrumental group that reinterprets centers of musicmaking--shuls--which were synagogues that were originally created as gathering places for craftspeople, tailors, stonecutters, and musicians. Utilizing styles and melodies from various lands of Jewish inhabitants, Veretski Pass uses classical, avant-garde, and free jazz genres from Czech Republic, Moldova, Romania, Ukraine, Hungary, and Poland. The instrumental nature of the music is vibrant, reflective, and calming throughout. The twenty-three different compositions are divided into four different poetic groups movements or groupings: Without Beginning, A Sign Upon Your Head, Remembrance, and The Wonder of Being. Cookie Segelstein plays violin, Joshua Horowitz plays button accordion and piano, and Stuart Brotman plays bass cello and the rarely heard tilinca--an end-blown flute from the border of Romania and Ukraine. Anyone with an interest in Klezmer classical music will love it. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Electric Balkan Jazz Club's 'Balkan Dogs'

Electric Balkan Jazz Club
Balkan Dog
Musique Estetica

From the Mediterranean to the Balkans, Electric Balkan Jazz Club presents an exciting mix of music inspired by Greece, Macedonia, Serbia, Romania, and German music traditions. The upbeat percussion, wailing brass, and whirling melodies are accomplished with the guitar, bass, accordion, bouzouki, oud, saz, mandolin, darbuka, sax, clarinet, and others. The twelve tracks contain energetic rhythms and melodies that are reminiscent of klezmer and gypsy songs, too. The mix of vocal and instrumental songs provides a great selection of danceable tunes. The emotive vocals and ballad-esque repertoire on some occasions, makes Balkan Dog nothing to 'balk' at! ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Les Yeux Noirs Releases 'Tiganeasca'

Les Yeux Noirs

Tiganeasca

Zig Zag Territories

The prevalence of Gypsy music throughout Europe and other regions has caught the attention of world music listeners everywhere. Les Yeux Noirs, or "Black Eyes," release their latest album, Tiganeasca, of Romanian, Gypsy, Yiddish, and Klezmer musings. The album title is Romanian for 'Gypsy.' The fast guitars, percussion, strings, and vocals stir up a flurry of activity into a musical melee well-balanced and executed. The sometimes jazzy or folk-riddled instrumental repertoire is not for the faint of heart. In fact, the musical energy of 'Sirba Dili' is so envigorating it seems to jump off the CD and right into your soul. Fans of folk, Russian, European, Gypsy, Klezmer, Yiddish, or instrumental music will find Tiganeasca most appealing. Get your Gypsy on with Les Yeux Noirs! ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Ireland's Lazik

Lazik

Far Fetched

Self-Release

The Ireland-based group, Lazik, is a production of traditional music tunes from Ireland, Scandinavia, Balkan, and Gypsy areas of Europe. The album opens with a lively Bulgarian tune, "Gankino Horo." Vocalist Tatiana Sabinska lends her voice to another Bulgarian tune, "Katerino Mome." A number of other instrumental tunes from Sweden, Norway, Romania, Greece, and France round out the album. "Waves of Rush" is a striking fiddle tune from Romania. The Yiddish-tinged "Di Zaposhkelekh" is a vocal and instrumental love-song inspired by a door handle. The giddy "Opa Cupa" is a Hungarian or Balkan tune with vocals. The mostly instrumental nature of the songs provides a fun and inventive opportunity to dance with a partner or go solo. The group's primary repertoire comes from the Irish guitar skills of Barry O'Donovan; the French flute maestro and vocalist, Christelle Moisan; Stella Rodrigues' Dutch violin playing, and Dylan Gully as the founder of Lazik and Txutxukan. Far Fetched is an album with all of the instrumental and vocal fixings one can relish. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Tango From Bucharest, Romania

Oana Catalina Chitu

Bucharest Tango

Asphalt-Tango

Bucharest Tango is a 2008 release of Oana Catalina Chitu's resurrection of classic folk ballads of tango songs from 1913-1963. Of course, tango music is normally frenetic, and Oana's music is no different. Still, there are some slower moments indicative of a sultry, lounge club. Nonetheless, there are hints of Klezmer, Balkan, Mediterrean, and South American influences. There are some very skilled virtuosos on violin and cymbalom which are well worth a listen. Instruments include violin, cymbalom, guitar, double bass, sax, clarinet, and accordion. There is always room for another tango album in your collection, and Bucharest Tango belongs at the top! Liner notes include lyrics in Romanian and English. ~ Matthew Forss