Taraf de Haidouks (Romania)

 

This "band of bandits" consists of 12 folk gypsy musicians (called lautari) between the ages of 20 and 80, from the small village of Clejani, located southwest of Bucharest. For years, they didn't play outside of their own region. The situation changed when Belgian fans fell in love with their music and Crammed Discs record company released their first album „Musique des Tsiganes de Roumanie”. Taraf de Haidouks introduces listeners to the rich world of Gypsy music from Romania: medieval ballads, Turkish-sounding Balkan dance melodies and characteristic songs reminding about the origin of the Gypsies from the Indian subcontinent. Taraf became the first village band to tour the world with such great success.

Between concerts and recordings, band members return to Clejani. They live from music and for music. Music also accompanies the most important events of the family village, such as baptisms, weddings and funerals. Older people bring heart and experience to music, younger ones - speed and energy.

 

"Their wild energy is the essence of Gypsy music (...), their music is a geyser of ideas for 20th-century music (...) in their music you can find bebop, salsa, the rhythms of Zimbabwe and Nigeria."

"New York Times"

 

Concerts as part of the festival: July 19, 2003, 8:00 PM, Main Square

19 July 2003, about 10:15 PM, Festival Club: Hala T. G. SOKÓŁ (27 Piłsudskiego Street)