Fanfare Ciocarlia

I would urge anyone to go and see Fanfare Ciocarlia, a twelve piece Balkan brass band from Romania. They have been together for almost twenty years and made a name for themselves just playing weddings and baptisms. Every song that they play is a true spectacle, with everyone singing along throughout, and when there is just an instrumental section then everyone will dance. They launch in to “Asfalt Tango” which was even sampled by Basement Jaxx the British Electronic Dance Music Group. There is utter hysteria when this band launch into a cover of the James Bond Theme tune, which is actually featured on the Gypsy Beats and Balkan Bangers. It is no wonder that they won the BBC Radio World Music Award for Europe in 2006. They are promoting their latest release entitled “Queens and Kings” which features work that would blow some of the worlds best clarinet, saxophone, and trumpet solos right out of the water as they play with such incredible speed – Sometimes at 200 beats per minute!