Fanfare Ciocărlia
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Fanfare Ciocărlia is a twelve-piece Romani Balkan brass band from the northeastern Romanian village of Zece Prăjini. They are known for their fast, high-energy music with complex rhythms and high-speed
staccato Staccato (; Italian for "detached") is a form of Articulation (music), musical articulation. In modern notation, it signifies a note of shortened duration, separated from the note that may follow by silence. It has been described by theorists and ...
clarinet The clarinet is a Single-reed instrument, single-reed musical instrument in the woodwind family, with a nearly cylindrical bore (wind instruments), bore and a flared bell. Clarinets comprise a Family (musical instruments), family of instrume ...
,
saxophone The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed instruments, sound is produced when a reed on a mouthpiece vibrates to p ...
, and
trumpet The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz musical ensemble, ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest Register (music), register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitche ...
solos. Fanfare Ciocărlia's music includes traditional Romanian, Romani, and Eastern European folk pieces, as well as arrangements of Western songs, including " Born to Be Wild", "
James Bond Theme The "James Bond Theme" is the main signature theme music of the List of James Bond films, James Bond films and has been used in every Bond film, starting with ''Dr. No (film), Dr. No'' in 1962. Composed in E minor by Monty Norman, the piece has ...
", "
Caravan Caravan or caravans may refer to: Transport and travel *Campervan, a type of vehicle also known as a motor caravan *Caravan (travellers), a group of travellers journeying together **Caravanserai, a place where a caravan could stop *Caravan (trail ...
", and " Summertime". The band performed at the 2012
Nobel Peace Prize The Nobel Peace Prize (Swedish language, Swedish and ) is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the Will and testament, will of Sweden, Swedish industrialist, inventor, and armaments manufacturer Alfred Nobel, along with the prizes in Nobe ...
ceremony in Oslo, Norway. They are featured on the soundtrack of ''
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm ''Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan'', or simply ''Borat Subsequent Moviefilm'' or ''Borat 2'', is a 2020 mockumentary Comedy film, black comedy film d ...
'', released in 2020. The band's version of " Moliendo Café" is used as the theme of the 2024 animated series ''
Creature Commandos The Creature Commandos are the name of several military special forces groups appearing in American comic book, American comic books published by DC Comics. Co-created by writer J. M. DeMatteis and artist Pat Broderick, the team first appeared i ...
''.


History


Origins

Fanfare Ciocărlia, a twelve-member
brass band A brass band is a musical ensemble generally consisting primarily of brass instruments, most often with a percussion section. Ensembles that include brass and woodwind instruments can in certain traditions also be termed brass bands (particularl ...
, originate from Zece Prăjini, a village located in
Western Moldavia Western Moldavia (, ''Moldova de Apus'', or , also known as Moldavia, is the core historic and geographical part of the former Principality of Moldavia situated in eastern and north-eastern Romania. Until its union with Wallachia in 1878, the P ...
, northeastern Romania. The village is entirely populated by Romani families. Traditionally, most men in the village work either as subsistence farmers or at factories in nearby towns. Playing an instrument is a family tradition, and while the village is noted locally for its brass musicians, none consider themselves to be professionals. The group's instruments include
trumpet The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz musical ensemble, ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest Register (music), register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitche ...
s, tenor and baritone horns, tubas,
clarinet The clarinet is a Single-reed instrument, single-reed musical instrument in the woodwind family, with a nearly cylindrical bore (wind instruments), bore and a flared bell. Clarinets comprise a Family (musical instruments), family of instrume ...
s,
saxophone The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed instruments, sound is produced when a reed on a mouthpiece vibrates to p ...
s,
bass drum The bass drum is a large drum that produces a note of low definite or indefinite pitch. The instrument is typically cylindrical, with the drum's diameter usually greater than its depth, with a struck head at both ends of the cylinder. The head ...
, and various
percussion A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a percussion mallet, beater including attached or enclosed beaters or Rattle (percussion beater), rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or ...
instruments. Their song lyrics are usually in either Romani or
Romanian Romanian may refer to: *anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Romania **Romanians, an ethnic group **Romanian language, a Romance language ***Romanian dialects, variants of the Romanian language **Romanian cuisine, traditional ...
. Their musical style stems primarily from the traditions of Romani and Romanian
folk dance A folk dance is a dance that reflects the life of the people of a certain country or region. Not all ethnic dances are folk dances. For example, Ritual, ritual dances or dances of ritual origin are not considered to be folk dances. Ritual dances ...
music, but they also borrow freely from Turkish, Bulgarian, Serbian, and Macedonian musical styles, and they incorporate a number of tunes gleaned from international radio,
Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood ...
, and
Bollywood Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, is primarily produced in Mumbai. The popular term Bollywood is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (former name of Mumbai) and "Cinema of the United States, Hollywood". The in ...
into their repertoire.


From village obscurity to European fame: 1996–1999

Henry Ernst, a German
sound engineer An audio engineer (also known as a sound engineer or recording engineer) helps to produce a sound recording, recording or a Concert, live performance, balancing and adjusting sound sources using equalization (audio), equalization, Dynamic range ...
who frequently travelled to Romania, returned to northern Romania in October 1996 to search for traditional village musicians. In
Moldavia Moldavia (, or ; in Romanian Cyrillic alphabet, Romanian Cyrillic: or ) is a historical region and former principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between the Eastern Carpathians and the Dniester River. An initially in ...
, a farmer suggested he head to the small Romani village of Zece Prăjini, where a brass band existed and played at weddings and baptisms. Once there, Ernst was introduced to Ioan Ivancea, a local farmer and clarinet player who was considered the leader of the village musicians. Ivancea assembled the brass band and they performed for Ernst, who was impressed by their skill level. He decided to return to Germany and set up a tour for Fanfare Ciocărlia—as the band had now named themselves—and told the musicians that they should apply for passports. Ernst managed to book the band for a series of festival and club dates. Afterward, Ernst received a phone call from WDR, a German public broadcasting institution and festival promoter, who wanted to book Fanfare Ciocărlia and was willing to pay a fee that would cover all transport, visas, and other expenses. The deal allowed Ernst and his collaborator, Helmut Neumann, to form the management and booking agency Asphalt Tango. Fanfare Ciocărlia quickly won a large following in northern Europe, with their powerful brass sound appealing to
rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wale ...
and
rave A rave (from the verb: '' to rave'') is a dance party at a warehouse, club, or other public or private venue, typically featuring performances by DJs playing electronic dance music. The style is most associated with the early 1990s dance mus ...
fans as well as
world music "World music" is an English phrase for styles of music from non-English speaking countries, including quasi-traditional, Cross-cultural communication, intercultural, and traditional music. World music's broad nature and elasticity as a musical ...
audiences. In 1997, Ernst and Neumann brought the band into Bucharest's Electrecord studio to create their debut album. The record, '' Radio Pașcani'', was released on the Berlin label Piranha Musik in 1998 and proved an instant success. ''Radio Pașcani'' received positive reviews—many reviewers noted that they had never heard a brass band who played with such speed and Eastern flavour—and went on to become one of the biggest-selling albums in Piranha Musik's catalogue (selling over 150,000 copies on CD), making it amongst the most popular Eastern European albums released in the West.


From European success to worldwide fame: 1999–2005

From 1999 to 2005, Fanfare Ciocărlia toured extensively, playing across Europe and the United States. The band's second album, '' Baro Biao'', was also recorded at Electrecord's studio and released on Piranha Musik. ''Baro Biao'' was well received and helped further Fanfare Ciocărlia's international popularity. Dates in Japan and Australia followed, as well as playing at the UK's WOMAD Festival. In 2001, Piranha Musik released the band's third album, '' Iag Bari''. The record featured music influenced by New Orleans
jazz standards Jazz standards are musical compositions that are an important part of the musical repertoire of jazz musicians, in that they are widely known, performed, and recorded by jazz musicians, and widely known by listeners. There is no definitive List ...
(West Side Blues), along with Romanian folk music, including the ballad "Lume Lume". Fanfare Ciocărlia continued their international touring schedule, accompanied by German film director Ralf Marschalleck, who followed them from their village to Berlin and Tokyo for his feature-length documentary, ''Iag Bari – Brass on Fire''. In 2005, Ernst and Neumann produced the Fanfare Ciocărlia album '' Gili Garabdi – Ancient Secrets of Gypsy Brass'', both in the band's home village of Zece Prajini and in Berlin's Headroom Studio. The album featured the band's interpretations of "
James Bond Theme The "James Bond Theme" is the main signature theme music of the List of James Bond films, James Bond films and has been used in every Bond film, starting with ''Dr. No (film), Dr. No'' in 1962. Composed in E minor by Monty Norman, the piece has ...
" and
Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American Jazz piano, jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous Big band, jazz orchestra from 1924 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D ...
's "
Caravan Caravan or caravans may refer to: Transport and travel *Campervan, a type of vehicle also known as a motor caravan *Caravan (travellers), a group of travellers journeying together **Caravanserai, a place where a caravan could stop *Caravan (trail ...
". Both tracks became popular staples of the band's repertoire. British world music DJ Charlie Gillett often played "Caravan" on his
BBC Radio BBC Radio is an operational business division and service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a royal charter since 1927. The service provides national radio stations cove ...
shows and included it on his double-CD compilation ''World 2006''. In 2005, Fanfare Ciocărlia appeared on the cover of Garth Cartwright's book ''Princes Amongst Men: Journeys with Gypsy Musicians''. The book contained interviews with Ernst and members of the band.


Death of Ioan Ivancea; concert and recording collaborations: 2005–2015

Ioan Ivancea was diagnosed with cancer in 2005 and, after a short period of illness, died in October 2006. After a period of mourning, Fanfare Ciocărlia determined that they would continue playing. Balkan Gypsy music was now at the zenith of its popularity and Fanfare Ciocărlia were considered to be amongst the genre's most popular bands, their concerts attracting large audiences, while DJs played their records in clubs. Ernst and Neumann decided that an effective way of both celebrating Ivancea's life and capitalising on the public's enthusiasm for Gypsy music would be by publishing a new album. This involved getting an array of guest vocalists to sing on selected songs, with Fanfare Ciocărlia backing them. The vocalists engaged for the album were Esma Redzepova (
Macedonia Macedonia (, , , ), most commonly refers to: * North Macedonia, a country in southeastern Europe, known until 2019 as the Republic of Macedonia * Macedonia (ancient kingdom), a kingdom in Greek antiquity * Macedonia (Greece), a former administr ...
), Saban Bajramovic (Serbia), Kaloome (France), Ljiljana Buttler (
Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...
), Jony Iliev (Bulgaria), Florentina Sandu (Romania), Dan Armeanca (Romania), and
Mitsou Mitsou Annie Marie Gélinas (born September 1, 1970, in Loretteville, Quebec) is a Canadian pop singer, businesswoman, television and radio host, and actress. She is credited as Mitsou Gélinas when acting, but records simply as Mitsou (the Fre ...
(Hungary). The record, titled '' Queens and Kings'', finished with "Farewell March", a funeral ballad sung by Ioan Ivancea that had been recorded by Ernst but never previously released. It also included " Born to Be Wild", Fanfare Ciocărlia's rendition of the Steppenwolf classic that the band had recorded for the soundtrack to ''
Borat ''Borat'' (also known as ''Borat! Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan'') is a 2006 mockumentary directed by Larry Charles, which stars Sacha Baron Cohen as Borat Sagdiyev, a fictional Kazakhs, Kazakh jou ...
'' in 2006 (their music was later featured in the 2020 sequel, ''
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm ''Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan'', or simply ''Borat Subsequent Moviefilm'' or ''Borat 2'', is a 2020 mockumentary Comedy film, black comedy film d ...
''). The first concert on the Gypsy Queens & Kings tour took place in Bucharest in December 2006 and found Fanfare Ciocărlia playing Romania's capital for the first time, joined on stage by Esma Redzepova, Jony Iliev, and Mitsou. ''Queens and Kings'' was released by Asphalt Tango in 2007, and the band began touring across Europe and Australia. After more than two years on the road, Fanfare Ciocărlia took a year off to rest. Bucharest-based Gypsy band Mahala Rai Banda backed the group for the latter part of 2009 and much of 2010. Fanfare Ciocărlia won the
BBC Radio 3 BBC Radio 3 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It replaced the BBC Third Programme in 1967 and broadcasts classical music and opera, with jazz, world music, Radio drama, drama, High culture, culture and the arts ...
World Music Award for Europe in 2006. Asphalt Tango Records released ''Princes Amongst Men – The Soundtrack to the Book'' in 2008. The compilation came out to complement the German edition of Garth Cartwright's book and featured Fanfare Ciocărlia on the cover. In September 2009, Asphalt Tango simultaneously released two Fanfare Ciocărlia albums: ''Live'', which featured the band's Berlin concert, and ''Best of Gypsy Brass'', a compilation record. Fanfare Ciocărlia returned to the studio in early 2011, with Ernst producing on the ''Balkan Brass Battle'' sessions. This album—and subsequent concert tour—pitted Fanfare Ciocărlia against Serbian Gypsy brass band Boban & Marco Markovic Orkestar. The pairing of the two Balkan brass bands proved popular, and the ensembles toured Europe several times, both bands sharing the stage as they engaged in a good-natured battle to see who could generate the loudest audience response. Having toured ''Balkan Brass Battle'' internationally, Fanfare Ciocărlia were invited to Toronto in 2013 to record with Canadian guitarist Adrian Raso. The resulting album, ''Devil's Tale'', was released by Asphalt Tango Records in the spring of 2014 and billed as Adrian Raso and Fanfare Ciocărlia.


Twentieth anniversary, new releases: 2016–present

In 2016, Fanfare Ciocărlia released their eighth studio album, ''Onwards to Mars!'', on Asphalt Tango Records. The album included "Fiesta de Negritos", a
cumbia Cumbia refers to a number of musical rhythms and folk dance traditions of Latin America, generally involving musical and cultural elements from American Indigenous peoples, Europeans, and Africans during colonial times. Cumbia is said to have com ...
dance track they recorded in
Medellín Medellín ( ; or ), officially the Special District of Science, Technology and Innovation of Medellín (), is the List of cities in Colombia, second-largest city in Colombia after Bogotá, and the capital of the department of Antioquia Departme ...
, Colombia with Puerto Candelaria. The same year, the band celebrated their twentieth anniversary. To commemorate this, Fanfare Ciocărlia released the compilation ''20'' and participated in a world tour. In 2021, Fanfare Ciocărlia published their latest album, ''It Wasn't Hard to Love You''.


Band members

Current * Costel Oprică Ivancea – saxophone, clarinet * Dan Ionel Ivancea – saxophone, vocals * Costică "Cimai" Trifan – trumpet, vocals * Paul Marian Bulgaru – trumpet * Lazăr Rădulescu – trumpet, vocals * Crăciun Ovidiu Trifan – trumpet * Benedikt Stehle – percussion * Costel "Gisniaca" Ursu – bass drum * Constantin Cântea – tuba * Monel Trifan – tuba * Constantin Călin – tenor horn * Laurențiu Mihai Ivancea – baritone horn Past * Ioan Ivancea – vocals


Discography


Studio albums

* '' Radio Pașcani'' (1998) * '' Baro Biao – World Wide Wedding'' (1999) * '' Iag Bari – The Gypsy Horns from the Mountains Beyond'' (2001) * '' Gili Garabdi – Ancient Secrets of Gypsy Brass'' (2005) * '' Queens and Kings'' (2007) * '' Onwards to Mars!'' (2016) * ''It Wasn't Hard to Love You'' (2021)


Collaborations

* Aco Bocina (special guest Fanfare Ciocărlia) – ''Aco Bocina'' (2001) * Boban & Marko Marković Orkestar with Fanfare Ciocărlia – ''Balkan Brass Battle'' (2011) * Boban Marković, Fanfare Ciocărlia & more – ''Brass Noir – On the Trans Balkan Highway'' (2011) * Adrian Raso and Fanfare Ciocărlia – '' Devil's Tale'' (2014)


Live albums

* ''Live'' (2009)


Compilations

* ''Princes Amongst Men – The Soundtrack to the Book'' (2008) * ''Best of Gypsy Brass'' (2009) * ''20'' (2016)


DVDs

* ''Gypsy Brass Legends – The Story of the Band'' (2004)


See also

* Lăutărească music * Ciocârlia (lăutaresc tune)


References


External links


Fanfare Ciocărlia
on Asphalt Tango Records * {{DEFAULTSORT:Fanfare Ciocarlia Romanian Romani musical groups Balkan music Lăutari and lăutărească music Brass bands Romani-language musical groups from Romania Musical groups established in 1996 1996 establishments in Romania