For its fifth album, Fanfare Ciocarlia travelled throughout Europe to record with musicians from the continent's extended Romany community. Overcoming borders and visas, foreign tongues and rhythms, more than two dozen musicians from France to Bulgaria came together to create "Queens and Kings" - an extraordinary celebration of Gypsy songs. Casual observers may wonder how Fanfare Ciocarlia's roaring Balkan funk could possibly fuse with the flamenco guitars of French Gitans Kaloome or Macedonian legend Esma Redzepova's accordion driven music? Zece Prajini's musical magicians shrug off such concerns, noting that they share elements of language, experience, and an almost indescribable yet very Gypsy musical synergy with their guests. Hungarian music has permeated northern Romania for centuries, while Yugoslav and Bulgarian music came from encounters with travelling Gypsy communities or on pirate cassettes. Spain and France existed in pre-war memories, lost yet not forgotten Latin connections; as did jazz and pop flavours long filtered through closed borders." From these sources and their own ancient Gypsy roots, Zece Prajini's musicians built Fanfare Ciocarlia. Here, accompanied by some of Europe's finest singers, Romania's brass dervishes share tales of life, love and loss. "Queens and Kings" celebrates unity in diversity while standing as a testament to the vision of Ioan Ivancea, Fanfare Ciocarlia's clarinet-playing patriarch, who died in October 2006. To Ioan then, a true Gypsy King, this album is dedicated. Garth Cartwright   (read more)

Musicians

Costica "Cimai" Trifan - trumpet, vocals
Paul Marian Bulgaru - trumpet
Radulescu Lazar - trumpet, vocals
Oprica Ivancea - clarinet, alto saxophon
Daniel Ivancea - alto saxophon
Constantin "Pinca" Cantea - tuba
Monel "Gutzel" Trifan - tuba
Constantin "Sulo" Calin - tenor horn
Laurentiu Mihai Ivancea - baritone horn
Costel "Gisniaca" Ursu - large drum
Nicolae Ionita - percussion

SPECIAL GUESTS:
Esma Redzepova - vocal (7 & 10)
Ljiljana Butler - vocal (11)
Mitsou - vocal (4 & 6)
Florentina Sandu - vocal (6 & 9)
Saban Bajramovic - vocal (3 & 8)
Dan Armeanca - vocal (1)
Jony Iliev - vocals - vocal (12)
Sabrina Romero (Kaloome) - vocal, cajon (2 & 5)
Antoine "Tato" Garcia (Kaloome) - guitar (2 & 5)
Christ Mailhe (Kaloome) - vocal, guitar (2 & 5)

ADDITIONAL GUEST APPEARANCES:
Pancirel Constandache - trumpet (2,4,6,8,11)
Boril Iliev - saxophon (12)
Dragan Ristic (KAL) - guitar (3)
Djordje Belkic (KAL) - violin (3)
Dejan Belkic (KAL) - accordion (3)
Steve Evans - drums (1,2,6,11,12)
Michael Metzler - percussions (all titles - except 12 & 13)