Fanfara Kalashnikov – Speed Brass from Romania

The Musicians of Fanfaray Kalashnikov come from the North-East part of Romania called Ias, the El Dorado of wind music. In the sounds of Fanfara Kalashnikov you can find influences of the nomadic culture of the Roma: Speed Brass, Polka, Jazz, Klezmer and from the Balkans and the Orient.

During the dictatorship of Ceauşescu (1965-1989) the Roma officially didn't exist. Merely they were tolerated as interpreters of the Romanian folklore. But any activities beyond the borders of the nation were condemned.

In the latest 90-ties the most talented guys formed a band. Their repertoire remind the creative output of Goran Bregović, who became famous in the whole world during that time. If it happened to a meeting with Bregović, for sure the musicians would ask him: "Goran, why do you play our music?"

Since eight years Fanfara Kalashnikov is a celebrity at many events and festivals in Europe.

240 beats per minute

"Our music is our weapon." The musicians repeat this sentence all the time. When Fanfara Kalashnikov plays on tuba, trombone and horns in a tempo of 240 beats per minute, it is not only a celebration of their great-grandparents' culture but also a deliverance from 40 years of state opression. Who wouldn't dance at the tables in that case?