Twelve magnificent hits of the grandmasters of Gypsy Brass out on high-quality VINYL now!
The Romanian speed brass combo Fanfare Ciocarlia sums up thirteen years of band history and five much valued albums on a first vinyl longplayer.

With their 6th CD-release the Gypsy brass band Fanfare Ciocarlia gives an exquisite taste of the incomparable experience of seeing Romania’s musical export hit live on stage. The one-hour-long live recording of a concert in the “Kesselhaus der Kulturbrauerei” in Berlin-Prenzlauer Berg will not only delight devoted fans.
As a bonus the DVD „Gypsy Brass Legends-The Story of the Band“ released on Asphalt Tango Records back in 2004 is also included. Amongst others the DVD contains the acclaimed movie “Iag Bari-Brass on Fire” and gives an insight into the life in and the music of Zece Prajini, meanwhile famous hometown to Fanfare Ciocarlia.

For its fifth album, Fanfare Ciocărlia 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.
Guests: Saban Bajramovic † (Serbia), Esma Redzepova (Macedonia), Jony Iliev (Bulgaria), Ljiljana Butler (Bosnia), Dan Armeanca (Romania), Mitsou (Hungary), Kaloome (France), Kal (Serbia) and Florentina Sandu (Romania)

When the enslavement of Romania´s Gypsies officially ended in 1864 tens of thousand fled the nation for new horizons. Several thousand landed in the United States, often settling in the black ghettoes of the Southern US states, where they continued to make music. Ioan Ivancea (†), Fanfare Ciocărlia´s oldest member and group historian, once answered when asked if jazz was a big influence on the Fanfare, "Who´s to say our cousins who went to the US didn´t help invent jazz?" On Ancient Secrets this matter and other mysteries of Gypsy magic are set forth.

Time to rearrange your living room, folks! Now it's all happening in YOUR house! Invite Fanfare Ciocarlia to blow off your roof or at least for a party to remember, take a glance behind the scene, meet the members of the band in their home village, jump on the bus and join them on tour! On 25th of October 2004 Asphalt Tango Records releases the first DVD of Fanfare Ciocărlia. Get ready for more than 150 minutes face to face with the Speed Demons of Gypsy Brass. The DVD "Fanfare Ciocărlia-The Story Of The Band" covers an entire live concert, the acclaimed movie "Iag Bari-Brass on Fire" as well as two video clips and aplenty extras. Ever heard of the "Super-Rom-Image- Studios" in Romania?! That's where the band edited their very own 8mm film showing the early years.

Famed for their breakneck speed, the Romanian Gypsy Horns once more prove their incredible capacity to produce leg- and heart-moving music of the finest sort. After two records of deliriously celebratory brass music an ever greater subtlety shows up. On the way back from the stages of the world to their village beyond the mountains they stopped over in Bucharest to record with the Romanian godfather of Oriental Pop Dan Armeanca and others to give this album a special urban edge. With a bonus video clip advancing their full-length Fanfare film-documentary "IAG BARI - Brass On Fire".

What better place for a world wide wedding than in the shadow of the Carpathian Mountains - here where the 12- strong Gypsy brass band Fanfare Ciocarlia serve up a fantastic Musica Tziganeasca.

"We used to play at wedding in Zece Prajini and all over Moldova. We've played in Germany and France and Belgium. Next year we're going to play America and Bulgaria and in a couple years we'll playing on Mars - just you wait!" (Lazar Radulescu - trumpeter) The vibrating trumpets, driving timpani, embellishing saxophones and wild clarinets all create a music to accompany major occa- sions in life like baptisms, weddings, funerals and indeed almost any other party!