Taraf de Haïdouks
 

Badass Lăutari band from Clejani, Romania.

This is legit awesome. You and your video are both quality, cucumber. Welcome to the best part of MB, and please don't go! I almost feel like I've heard the song before somewhere. Do you know if it's used in any mainstream stuff I might have seen? Also: are you Romanian?

Omg! I fgured out where I have heard something similar:



COINCIDENCE?

Thanks for the kind words. I'll certainly stick around this forum; I love traditional music. Romani music is one of my passions. I am not Romanian, but I was introduced to this group by my composition teacher, who is from Romania.

That's lovely! So you study composition. I don't know what that's like but I imagine you yourself are an instrumentalist as well? I used to play violin (poorly) but I'd love to get back into it someday.

You should pick it up again. Violin is difficult because you really need to work to get decent tone and intonation, but it is a rewarding instrument. It wouldn't be hard to go to thesession.org, pick out a couple of tunes, and learn to play them. That's what I did when I started learning mandolin back in October (mandolin and violin are tuned the same way).

Thanks for the encouragement! It's too bad my violin is far away in Maine right now xD I live in Istanbul. I think I was hesitant to bring it here but I think I'll be here for a while, and I guess I should just bring it over next time I'm there. :) I do miss it!

By the way, any other Taraf de Haidouks tracks you recommend?

Oh, right, the topic. Their music is a way of life. Gypsy musicians develop their skills from an early age. Watch this documentary from 17:20 to see little kids shredding alongside members of the band (and please do watch the rest as well):



(Unfortunately, the only interview is with the producer. Still, a good documentary.)

Their musicianship is incredible and the stock of the music is traditional, so anything you hear is going to be pretty consistent. I like these a lot:

Mugur, Mugurel (Little Buds)


A beautiful song. Originally, the lyrics are about Russian communist tyranny in Moldova (Translation of "Mugur, mugurel" by Tudor Gheorghe from Romanian to English), but I don't think they're singing the same lyrics in this version.

The Return of the Magic Horses


I love this one. So damn fast! At 3:59, the flute (Ney? Kaval?) plays a melody that I've heard before, but in a completely different context (Peruvian folk music, I think). I'll try to find it.

These next two have very rhythmic vocal work:

Dumbala Dumba


Carolina


The only record that I would consider questionable is Maškaradǎ, which is a bunch of arrangements of Gypsy-influenced classical music. It doesn't have the same sincerity to me. That said, this is sick:

Ostinato and Romanian Dance (Béla Bartók)

I´ve really enjoyed these Taraf de Haidouks clips too. I especially like the metallic percussive thing that comes in about 4 mins into the first clip.
I see what you mean about the last track, which has lost a little of the genuine gypsy sound, but actually that´s probably the first album I´m going to explore. I guess that being a wedding band, it´s necessary to play some fast, furious, joyous music, but I´d be much more interested in some mellower material from them - any suggestions, QC ?

You mean the cimbalom.

These ones are mellower:

Suita Maškaradǎ


Absinth I Drink You, Absinth I Eat You


Sorrow, My Only Sorrow (Dorul meu e numai dor)


In A Persian Market


Check out "Mugur, Mugurel" in my previous post.

Hey, thanks, Quality Cucumber ! That first clip was all that I had hoped for ; a sedate pace and lots of -ahem- cimbalom.
That last track, In a Persian Market, I´ve heard before, but in a rather too smooth classical incarnation. For me, your version strikes just the right balance and confirms that Maskarada is the album for me!

BTW, if you´re interested in Gypsy music, you might like to look at the following thread, started by our very own misspoptart. ( In a furthur by the way, the Latcho Drom movie that Right-Track mentions is quite extraordinary.)

http://www.musicbanter.com/country-f...-chalga-2.html