[Dixielandjazz] Balkan Jazz

[Dan Augustine]

Folks--
     If you like
a) jazz, jazz solos, MELODY!
b) big band
c) brass
d) rhythm
e) wild infectious music
f) different music, full if LIFE!

     Buy the new release by the Sandy Lopicic Orkestra called "Balkea" 
(Network 26259, 2004).  It's a combination of Romanian brass band 
music, big-band jazz, three wonderful women-singers (singing words of 
which i understant not one word, and i don't care).  Some of the 
songs are in weird meters, but they swing!
     I loved their first CD, called "Border Confusion", and i think 
this one may be even better.
     Check 'em out at Amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/index=music-artist&field-artist=Lopicic%2C%252520Sandy/002-7597892-7221663

     I kid you not (as Jack Parr used to say).   This is some of the 
most exciting and original music i've heard in decades.
     Is it OKOM ("Our Kind Of Music")?  Well, if you take Louis 
Armstrong and make him live from birth in Romania, but let him play 
the brass and folk-music of the area, it might be.
     Stretch your ears, i challenge you.

     Dan
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**  Dan Augustine     Austin, Texas    ds.augustine at mail.utexas.edu   **
**     "Brass bands are all very well in their place - outdoors"      **
**      and several miles away." -- Sir Thomas Beecham                **
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