Just about any brass band from the Balkans might consider themselves a "gypsy brass band," so strong is the Romany influence, with a majority of the bandmembers often from this ethnic background. This is a recording of a Macedonian brass band, which mixes in some instruments that would certainly be out of place in a typical American high school brass band. These include the accordion and the Turkish drum called a darbuka, layered on top of the obese, low-end sound of three baritone horns and one tuba. There's also a sax and clarinet player who tangles with leader Naat Veliov's splattering riffs, the leader's son on second trumpet, and a female vocalist tying the bow on the package. Veliov also gets the credit for the striking arrangements. This is a recording of folk music, yes, but organized with the high-powered finesse bandleader
Buddy Rich described as "a right hand on your brain." Veliov has a wide choice of influences to tap into, not only the rich Turkish/Slavic/Balkan stew but the distant yet pungent aroma of Indian music stretching back to the Romany's original homeland. On the whole, the astonishing fluidity of the instrumental numbers makes it a bit harder to appreciate the vocal numbers with Violeta Filipova. ~ Eugene Chadbourne