L'orient Est Rouge [Import]

Kocani Orkestar | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (December 1, 1999)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Cramworld
• ASIN: B000024VB7
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #633,630 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The Kocani Orkestar, from the Republic of Macedonia, is led by eight brass and reed instruments and has its roots in Turkish military bands. The style is romska orientalna musika--roughly translated as "Oriental Gypsy music." Imagine a rather lopsided New Orleans funeral brass section stomping away to Turkish time signatures such as 7/8, 9/8, or 11/8 and you get the drift. This is glorious, nonacademic, jamming music drawing from the many traditional dance sources of Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, and Turkey, with a little rumba thrown in for good measure. Sometimes wheezing and lurching through impossible-sounding rhythms, at others rocking out to a syncopated beat that would draw crowds in Congo Square, theirs is an unusual and unexpected (to Western ears) hybrid of East and West, but brass bands such as this have a long pedigree in Gypsy music, and the Kocani Orkestar are regarded as one of the best. --Derek Rath

Product Description

The music of this explosive oriental Gypsy band from Macedonia is a punchy mixture of powerful brass band sounds, wild Turkish/Bulgarian rhythms and inspired, exciting Eastern-styled solos. Headed by arranger/bandleader Naat Veliov, the Koçani Orkestar’s lineup features two trumpets, three tubas, saxophone, clarinet, zurla (traditional oboe) and percussion. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars punchy brass, August 19, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: L'Orient Est Rouge (Audio CD)

Never wrote a review on anything, but when I saw there was no comment on this absolute exquisite cd, I just had to. The Kocani Orkestar are one of the best gipsy brass bands around. They master their instruments with so much skilful subtlety, you will be amazed. I love speed gipsy brass like the one from the Fanfare Ciocarlia (also available at Amazom.com), but for me the Kocani Orkestar has a musically wider range of melodies and rythms. Especially since I have seen them playing live I am sold. This gipsy music is just magic and at some points you loose yourself into these hot Macedonian and wicked rythms. When you listen to it, you straight on imagine yourself in a Kusturica like scene of a wild wedding which never seems to end. My favourite, in fact they all are, but if I had to choose, I would select the title track for the power, Maxutu for the subtlety and Edinaesetorca for the wildness of it, Sevdah Hikmet best accompanied with some strong balkan drink, if you're into that, and the last one, Djelem Djelem is as proud as a matador walking into the arena ready to risk his life. Everybody buy it, or at least listen to this inpired and powerful punch of brass. with honour, Sladica

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars When Tubas get Funky, November 17, 2000

By 

Charlie Pettus (BR, LA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: L'Orient Est Rouge (Audio CD)

Yes, I did purchase this because of the outstanding review that one individual gave it, sound un-heard. Although, I'm not sure where my brain was when I kept reading BRASS band? but they weren't kidding - lots of trumpet and tuba. Admittedly, I was kind of taken back when the really great drum sequence at the beginning stopped and the whole thing whipped into a funky, lively, collage of brass and drums. I've let several of my friends listen to it, and they all do the same thing: They listen to the opening drums attentively, smiling. Then the brass kicks in and their faces screw up and they give me a funny look while I'm telling them to 'just listen'. After a few minutes they stop trying to analyze what they're listening to and their feet start tapping. It's like being at a Mardi Gras parade when the band stops right in front of you and the horn and drum sections start really getting down. When Tubas get funky and start playing Jazz/Latin/Middle Eastern rifts - you just can't help but want to bounce up and down and start dancing! Funky Carnival meets Latin Gypsies? Writing a review of this album does it no credit because it is really just that different. Aside from all that there are plenty of intricate 9/8's, a couple of 5's and other odd time signatures- got to love that. It's very energizing, although it might take a listen or two to grow on you.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars punchy brass, August 19, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: L'Orient Est Rouge (Audio CD)

Never wrote a review on anything, but when I saw there was no comment on this absolute exquisite cd, I just had to. The Kocani Orkestar are one of the best gipsy brass bands around. They master their instruments with so much skilful subtlety, you will be amazed. I love speed gipsy brass like the one from the Fanfare Ciocarlia (also available at Amazom.com), but for me the Kocani Orkestar has a musically wider range of melodies and rythms. Especially since I have seen them playing live I am sold. This gipsy music is just magic and at some points you loose yourself into these hot Macedonian and wicked rythms. When you listen to it, you straight on imagine yourself in a Kusturica like scene of a wild wedding which never seems to end. My favourite, in fact they all are, but if I had to choose, I would select the title track for the power, Maxutu for the subtlety and Edinaesetorca for the wildness of it, Sevdah Hikmet best accompanied with some strong balkan drink, if you're into that, and the last one, Djelem Djelem is as proud as a matador walking into the arena ready to risk his life. Everybody buy it, or at least listen to this inpired and powerful punch of brass. with honour, Sladica