Romanian Fanfare Ciocarlia to tour in America

Fanfare Ciocarlia, the brass orchestra from the village of Zece Prajini in North-Eastern Romania, is one of the world’s foremost live Gypsy bands. Introduced to North American audiences in 2001 as part of the hugely successful “Gypsy Caravan Tour,” the band took a break for nine long years afterwards, and only came back to the US and Canada in September 2012 to play eight sold-out shows. The 12-piece ensemble is now returning to these shores again this summer to spread their lightning-fast Gypsy Brass sound on their “Worldwide Wedding Tour”, which will be presented in NYC, Chicago, LA and San Francisco.

According to the official press release from Romanian Cultural Institute New York, everyone who has heard Fanfare Ciocarlia agrees on one thing: No brass band plays as fast. Their breakneck speed, technical chops, ripping rhythms and sweet’n sour horns are different from any other brass band on earth. Their sound has been sampled and covered, championed and emulated by countless DJs, bands and Gypsy orchestras. Their radical reinterpretations of popular Western standards like the “James Bond Theme” and Duke Ellington’s “Caravan” show how this Romanian orchestra can effortlessly put a Gypsy spin on any music they get their horns on.

Fanfare Ciocarlia has won the prestigious BBC-3 Planet Award in the European category. Their rendition of “Born To Be Wild” was featured in the 2006 hit movie “Borat” and they have twice developed brilliant musical theatre in “The Gypsy Queens & Kings” and “Balkan Brass Battle.” Fanfare Ciocarlia have released eight albums, several of which have topped the European World Music charts, and played over 1,200 concerts in sixteen years. Most recently they were invited to perform at the Nobel Peace Prize Award Ceremony in Oslo.