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Ando Drom: "Chants Tziganes de Hongrie"

07/11/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is Ando Drom's first album, released on the Planett label by 7 Productions (France) in 1992. In my opinion it is Ando Drom's best album. It depicts the band, then a group of 15 Olah (Hungarian Vlach Romani) singer-dancer-musicians, as they sounded back when they performed only for the Romani community. They had been in existence for almost 10 years, touring Hungary's Romani villages, workers communes and children's summer camps before being spotted by agents from Strasbourg, France. They were then sent to the Festival International d'Ete de Nantes where they made one of their first appearances outside of Hungary. This album was a result of that gig.
They have a beautiful acoustic folk style with male and female singers backed by mandolin, guitars, milk cans, finger snapping, clapping, spoons, vocal bass, etc.
Monika "Mitsou" Juhasz Miczura was at that time a junior member of the group, long before she became a Hungarian Gypsy superstar. Her name doesn't even appear on the liner, though her vocal presence on the disc is unmistakable.
The song selection is very well balanced and very tasteful, making this disc a classic. Here's the track list in Romanes and French, as it appears on the album cover:
1. Keren Chave
Faites place que je danse!
2. A potchaki khangueri
L'eglise de Potch
3. Opre phirdeme
J'ai parcouru la terre entiere
4. Xanamiko
Compere
5. Tchore roma
Pauvres Gitans errent sur le long chemin
6. Muro gajo ratientsa...
Mon mari travaille le soir...
7. Sostar Mangue Mamo
A quoi sert ma jeune vie, ma mere
8. Lashi rati, Mori Gaji
Bonsoir, ma femme
9. Liza
10. Avilas o shave
De pays etranger le fils est arrive
11. La ritournelle de Mathilde
12. Verte est la foret
This album had a very small release, with only few copies trickling into America.
I am writing this review because it is such a fine album it deserves to be re-released. I hope that some record producer will track down the rights and re-issue this album. With all the international attention that has been given to Olah folk singing since this album was released, it certainly deserves an honored place among all the others currently available. It is simply one of the best Olah folk song albums I have ever heard, and I do have a large collection. Davidbb"