Search - Various Artists :: Best of 2000: Gypsy Folk Groups From Hungary

Millennial Folk Music Album From the Rroma of Hungary

08/21/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"From the 18th of February to March 31, 2000 the Kalyi Jag Group assembled some of the top Gypsy bands of Hungary to record a millennial album of their folk music. The album was produced by Kalyi Jag and was recorded in the Hungaroton Studios in Budapest. This is the first time ever that various Hungarian Gypsy groups have collaborated on an album. The groups involved in this recording are Romanyi Rota (Gypsy Wheel), Ternipe (often referred to as the Young Kalyi Jag), Kanizsa Csillagai (Stars of Kanizsa), Romano Drom (The Gypsy Road), Nagyecsedi Fekete Szemek (Black Eyes of Nagyecsed), Kalyi Jag (Black Fire) and the singer Janos Balogh who has long been associated with the Ando Drom (On The Road), Kalyi Jag and Black Eyes Groups. Missing from the lineup is the Ando Drom group because they disbanded prior to the recording sessions. Romano Drom is a new band made up of some of the Ando Drom people and other musicians. Gone, among others, are Ando Drom's female vocalists (and I do miss them).
The resulting album is a cultural statement from the Rroma (the Gypsy people) to their community and to the outside world. The 20th Century was a horrendous one for the Rroma, but on this album you won't hear songs like "Green is the Hill - Song for Mercy" or many songs of hardship and suffering. Most of the songs on this album are love songs and songs of celebration. It is a hopeful look forward, not a reflection back.
There must have been a rare and magical chemistry at work in the studio during the recording sessions. I'd give anything to have been there to see this collaboration of talents. A documentary film would have been appropriate for such an historic event. We do have the CD. Better get it while it's still available. It's a special album with great musicians and great music."

The Hottest Gypsy Music from Hungary ALL ON ONE CD

Erika Borsos | Gulf Coast of FL, USA | 04/05/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"One can credit Kalyi Jag ("Black Fire" in Romani) with sharing the Gypsy music of Hungary around the world! They are one of the most popular contemporary Hungarian gypsy bands who spread the love of life and their musical heritage wherever they travel. I was lucky to see them perform live in 1999 with "The Gypsy Caravan". Their stage presence is dynamic... they mesmerize the audience with their performance. They have toured throughout Western & Eastern Europe, Canada & the USA, South America, Japan, India, China and even Japan. It is no surprise they were the role models for Romanyi Rota and a few other gypsy bands featured on this CD. Before a group develops its own style, they emulate *the* most successful band. "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery" and it's true. However, Ternipe Egyuttes and Kanizsai Csillagai are two bands on this CD that are unique and original. Their style and interpretation of traditional and new gypsy music is clearly identifiable as their own. This CD has an outstanding array of the finest Gypsy music available in Hungary today. Track #1 by Kalyi Jag contains catchy rhythms and music that have the listener humming along or tapping one's fingers or toes to the music. Kalyi Jag is prominently featured on this CD to the delight of this listener who appreciates their interpretation and dazzlng musical skills. In, "The Gypsy Music Plays Again" they sing about a dancer who danced all 30 pieces played by the band. Afterwards he abducted a fair maiden, whom he married. He expresses gratitude to his mother-in-law for raising the fair maiden for him. He is admonished not to show off his dancing skills, as the rest of the gypsies are likely to thrash him for it. Kanizsai Csillagai (The Stars of Kanizsa) play with cheerful abandon and enthusiasm, in a style remniscent of South America, such as from Peru and the Andes Mountains. Ternipe Egyuttes sing and play a nostalgic piece, which includes a violin accompaniment that has one of the most astonishing and beautiful musical phrases on the CD. The tempo of the music and melody are breath-taking. The female soloist has a clear, crisp fresh voice that grabs the listener's attention for its lyrical style. Too bad, one selection, "This River is Wide" [Kovacs Antal of Gojma] is given only one minute and 25 seconds of play time, it has Balkan-like rhythms which has great possibities for improvisation and interpretation. Another astonishing group is "Fekete Szemek' ("Black Eyes") who display marvelous talent in performing a traditional gypsy song that includes a female vocalist with a dazzling style. Bodi Varga Gusztav, also of Fekete Szemek, displays spectacular vocal skills in "Sunday Morning" (track #13), the cimbalom accompaniment is sensational. If discovering new style Hungarian gypsy music or listening to traditional gypsy music with modern interpretations appeals to you ... look no further, this CD will amaze you. It will likely influence you to buy one or more CDs by some of these bands. Erika Borsos (erikab93)"