Review: Band Of Gypsies Taraf De Haidouks - Page 2

More than just an album, it was the commemoration of their first ever concert in Romania. This band that had played over one thousand concerts internationally had not once played in their own country. It appears their brand of gypsy music was just a little too "real" for the liking of most concert promoters and radio stations. They didn't wear colourful folk costumes and sing schmaltzy love songs.

For these concerts, they invited the Kocani Orkestar from Macedonia, percussionist Tarik from Istanbul, and Filip, a clarinet player from Bulgaria. Even though none of them could understand a word the other was saying they were able to compose original material for the concerts in two days.

The music itself is phenomenal. At one point charging ahead like a wild animal, the next a broken hearted song for lost love. Through out, the music is filled with a raw passion that is missing from so much contemporary music.

Unabashedly sentimental without ever succumbing to melodrama, there's no need to understand the lyrics. Their instruments, including voices, have the ability to communicate through sound alone. The scratch of a bow on a violin in this group says more than fifty pop love songs could ever hope to communicate.

"Taraf de Haïdouks is one of my very favorite groups. Their passionate, earthly sound is filled with ecstasy and sadness. They take their listeners to the essence of music: that place where the bow meets the string and a world of action follows. As a member of Kronos I admire the wealth of feelings Taraf de Haïdouks create. As a violonist I love this wild place they inhabit." -- David Harrington, Kronos Quartet

Taraf de Haidouks are one of the wildest gypsy caravans you could hitch a musical horse to. If your tired of your music sanitized and mass produced for the radio waves than you'll love their album Band Of Gypsies You may have to hunt around for this recording of their concert from the year 2000, but sometimes the more elusive the prey the better the feast. This is a musical banquet you'll not want to miss

Article Author: Richard Marcus

Richard Marcus is the author of the recently published What Will Happen In Eragon IV? and has had his work published in print and on line all over the world. The not so long-haired Canadian iconoclast writes reviews and opines on the world as he sees …

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