Contrary to popular belief, Golem is neither a towering Jewish Frankenstein who defended the Jews of 17th Century Prague, nor a creature from “Lord of the Rings.” Golem is a 6 piece Eastern European folk-punk band.

Fronted by Annette Ezekiel - singer, accordionist, and 5-foot powerhouse; and vocalist, tambourine player, crazy-man Aaron Diskin; violin virtuoso Alicia Jo Rabins; trombonist extraordinaire Curtis Hasselbring; elegant upright bassist Taylor Bergren-Chrisman, and unstoppable drummer Tim Monaghan, Golem’s sound evokes wisps of old-world elegance filtered through the successes and disappointments of new-world dreams. Spending nights in Lower East Side immigrant-owned bagel shops and summers in Eastern Europe, Annette collects Jewish, Gypsy, and Slavic folk songs, and, with Golem, rewrites, adds, edits, and rearranges them along the way. These are the songs to which Eastern European grandparents danced over a century ago, and now Golem has its unwrinkled fans moshing to the same pulsing beats.

"The word on "Fresh Off Boat":
Love stories? Check. Dances? Check. Warnings to future son-in-laws? Check. Dysfunctional families forcing kids to sell bagels on the street? That’s here too.

After 2004’s Homesick Songs, GOLEM has paired with not-for-profit label JDub (Matisyahu, Balkan Beat Box) and producer Emery Dobyns (Patti Smith, Antony and the Johnsons, the Battles) for their latest release, Fresh Off Boat (a reference to new immigrants who call each other F.O.B.s). Thirteen tracks in five languages, the album hits stores August 8th, 2006, and features Phish bassist Mike Gordon, and legendary Patti Smith guitarist Lenny Kaye and more."

01. Ushti Baba
02. Mazel
03. Bublichki
04. Klezmerke
05. Warsaw In Khelm - (featuring Amanda Palmer)
06. School Of Dance
07. Charlatan-Ka
08. Rent, The
09. Mazurka
10. Golem Hora - (featuring Mike Gordon/Lenny Kaye)
11. Stick It!
12. Czardas
13. Le Mariage

Link



EtnoRom ensemble was founded in 2005 by József Balog and Ágnes Künstler, the world-famous soloists of the Hungarian Gypsy group, "Kalyi Jag". Their new formation, Etnorom presents a unique range of fiery Gypsy music and dances from the Balkan Peninsula to Andalusia. The songs appear in exciting, new scoring by outstanding Romany musicians, who grew up singing and playing music and worked as members of Middle Eastern Europe's most famous Gypsy and folk groups. Etnorom's incredibly colorful repertoire includes; Gypsy music from Hungary, the Balkans, Serbia, Romania, Russia, Greece, Turkey, Spain, and - which is a real delicacy - the Arab world! The concerts are enriched with belly dance performed by Alexandra, and various Gypsy dances from the region. An "audience dance participation section" is often added to the show that gives the audience the possibility to learn belly dance moves and traditional Romany dances.'

From band:
"EtnoRom has an alternative approach towards Gypsy music by merging the authentic tunes with contemporary world music, swing and jazz elements. Why is this approach new today, when world music is the main trend? Because EtnoRom managed to create a musical balance so that the music saves the extreme power of real traditional tunes and rhythms.
EtnoRom's mission is to build contact between Romany tribes who wandered from Northern India and settled down in various parts of the world: In Northern Africa, Andalusia, Turkey, The Balkan Peninsula, Serbia, Russia, Romania and Hungary. In most of the cases the Gypsy people themselves don't know the music and dances of their brothers and sisters. EtnoRom aims to make Gypsy and non-Gypsy people know about the incredible diversity of Gypsy music. This mission, combined with the musical approach of the group has created a new, brave form of Gypsy music that roots in the authentic Gypsy basics and harmonically integrates other musical trends, as well."

01. Kanak Devla me pijav, When I drink...
02. Zsanezs Sukar Te Khelesz
03. Phirdem me ande luma, I walk all alone...
04. Aven, aven Romale!, Come, Gypsies, let's dance!
05. Romanos
06. Soha senkit nem szerettem, I never loved anyone
07. Jek fogasi me kerav, My style
08. Kotyka tele bassaven, They are making music down there...
09. Muro cino kalorro, My little black son
10. Rogyom me Tut Ande Luma
11. Phirdem me ande luma, I was wandering through the whole world
12. Miert Sir Az En Tulipanom
13. Ajaj Devla de margyan man!, My God, how you’ve treated me bad!
14. Tu Szan Muro Pirano
15. Romale aven ke mande!, Gypsy people, come with me!

Musicians:
Jozsef Balog - guitar, vocals
Ágnes Künstler - vocals
Sándor Kuti - cimbalom
László Major - violin
István Balogh - percussion, oral bass, dance
Miklós Balogh - keyboard

Guests:
Tamás Smuk - darbuka, cajon
Zoltán Balogh - solo guitar, bass guitar, buzuki
Zoltán Lakatos - solo guitar, accord guitar
Rudolf Balogh - Spanish rhythmic guitar

Link

pass: bluesmen-worldmusic.blogspot.com



There can be little doubt that Felix Lajko is an incredible violinist with an exceptional talent.

"I had heard that Lajkó is regarded with awe in the Balkans, but was still unprepared for the impact of hearing and seeing him at such close quarters.... he attacks his violin with such ferocity that broken threads cascade from his bow during each number. There is a tendency for Balkan musicians to fit into one of several generic categories – gypsy, folk, Klezmer, etc – but Lajko seems to have invented a style of his own, and any reference to existing genres would be misleading. Each of his instrumental songs had a clear structure, and yet each seemed open to the spirit of the moment."

Charlie Gillett, BBC

"My music is based on the delicacy and colourfulness of my instrument. I do not play any new types of musical genre, I only follow my own path and improvise and write music. I cannot see differences between musical styles and ways, so I play folk-, classical-, rock-, blues-, and improvisational music. I have written music to several theatre plays and films for Yugoslavian and Hungarian directors. I wrote a musical piece for the festival commemorating the Sarajevo Cultural Olympics."
Lajkó Félix

1. Play 1
2. Single
3. Play 2
4. String Quartet
5. Solo
6. Finale

Musicians:

Félix Lajkó - violin
Zsolt Kelemen - viola
Michael Babinchak - cello
Ferenc Kurina - double bass
Tibor Takács - drum

Link

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