Fanfare Ciocarlia

In the Roma village of Zece Prăjini in Romania's Moldavia, Fanfare Ciocărlia formed in the mid-1990s around a core of musicians rooted in oral tradition, heirs to the region's rural brass bands. The group, a brass band with a flexible lineup centered on brass and percussion, developed a repertoire that blends wedding music, Balkan dances, Romanian tunes, Turkish influences and Roma heritage, characterized by fast tempos, tight counter-melodies and a pronounced taste for collective arrangements. Spotted by the Berlin label Asphalt Tango, Fanfare Ciocărlia released Radio Pascani in 1998 and Baro Biao – World Wide Wedding in 1999, then broadened their audience with Iag Bari (2001) and Gili Garabdi (2005). The album Queens and Kings (2007) highlights collaborations with various Roma vocalists, while Balkan Brass Battle (2011) engages in dialogue with Boban & Marko Marković Orkestar. With Devil’s Tale (2014), recorded with Canadian guitarist Adrian Raso, followed by Onwards to Mars! (2016) and It Wasn’t Hard To Love You (2021), Fanfare Ciocărlia has continued a trajectory marked by numerous international tours, regular festival appearances and ongoing reinterpretation of the Balkan repertoire.