The great thing about the compilers of the Rough Guide albums has always been the enormous breadth of styles that they attempt to incorporate into whatever compilation they're making. This is nearly the downfall of their album showcasing the music of the gypsies. The music ranges quite literally from India to Finland to England and all points in between. While the music is beautifully performed on all fronts, the order of presentation at the very least could be more coherent. The album starts out with an example of modern flamenco from Pata Negra, then moves into Italian gypsy music and an ultra-high-speed number from the Romanian Fanfare Ciocarlia. It then moves immediately into a slow lament from Greek singer Eleni Vitali. From this odd juxtaposition, it progresses into Rajasthani music, and then back to Asia Minor with a group from Istanbul. A selection from Albania follows, followed itself by the new ambassadors of gypsy music, Taraf de Haidouks. Another Greek musician makes an appearance, followed by a pair of flamenco works, one from the guitar master Tomatito and one from El Indio Gitano and Gerardo Núñez. The album then makes another heavy-duty stylistic change as it jumps to Finnish gypsy love songs and English harmonica-based folk songs. The album then returns to the more prototypical gypsy sound, with a Hungarian group reminiscent of early klezmer in many respects. A strained shawm-based dance from Kosovo follows, providing a look into the practice of instrument adoption into a culture. The album finishes off with cimbalom master Kálman Bálogh and his arrangement of a traditional number based on styles from Spain, Hungary, and Romania (the Spanish influence is particularly noticeable). For a nice overall look into music of the gypsies since their dispersion from the subcontinent, this album may provide what you're looking for. For something a bit more coherent, it would be highly advisable to obtain albums based on separate styles within the gypsy umbrella (flamenco, klezmer, Eastern European, Turkish, Rajasthani, etc.). by Adam Greenberg
Tracklist:
1 Pata Negra – Yo Me Quedo En Sevilla 3:31
2 Acquaragia Drom – Ussa Sà 5:36
3 Fanfare Ciocărlia – Doina Si Balaseanca 6:04
4 Eleni Vitali – The Song Of the Gypsies (To Tragoudi Ton Gifton) 4:27
5 Musafir – Anghuti 4:52
6 Gypsy Music Of Constantinople – Rast Tsiftetelli 3:32
7 Kurbeti – Love Birds (San Ta Dio Poulia) 3:23
8 Taraf de Haïdouks – Cind Eram La’ 48 7:37
9 Kostas Pavlidis – Jastar Amenge Dur 5:59
10 Tomatito – Mundi 2:51
11 El Indio Gitano & Gerardo Nuñez – El Sereno De Mi Calle 4:02
12 Päivi Ärling – Olen Lapsi Minä Syksyjen Illan 3:23
13 Jasper Smith, Levi Smith – Cock O’ The North / Garryowen / Flowers Of Edinburgh / Step It Away / The Girl I Left Behind Me / Step It Away 2:36
14 Jozsef Lacatos – Fast Csárdas 2:04
15 Krusha Madhë – Kalandxój 4:25
16 Kálmán Balogh – Cigány Színek 4:47
