2015-08-09 16:21:48
shareCimbaliband's MOLDVA record is on the WMCE World Music toplist!
Cimbaliband's MOLDVA recording - made the World Music Charts Europe WMCE toplist!
“This piece of work is their respectful thanksgiving for csángó people, who managed to conserve their arts for the modern age through decades of suffering and hardship.”
Cimbaliband is best known worldwide as the first Hungarian world music group to perform in Eurosonic Noorderslag in 2013. This multicultural band gives the audience a shocking experience with virtuoso instrumental solos, humor through music and a historical look around the Balkans. Those with an open ear to different cultures and their music can experience a journey through time and space.
This is a headlong and authentically clunky clash of Hungary's thriving rock'n'roll party scene with traditional Magyar, Roma and Serb folk music" fROOTS Magazine, 2015
The exploration of the authentic sources of folk music have always been important for Cimbaliband. Band leader, Balazs Unger have been a keen listener and player of such music since the age of 7. His entry to Balkan music lead through the music of the ’csángó’ people living in the Moldva region of Romania. Since 1996 he was a regular figure of moldva folk dance scene with others such as Bea Palya and Matyas Bolya. In 1997 – accompanied with his fresh driving licence and his Trabant – he went to Moldva to explore the than living historians of authentic cimbalom music in the region. There he recorded the unique music and playing style of Ion Spiridon, Antim Ioan and Cosma Piticu cimbalom players. Some of these long forgotten tunes are included in this new work of Cimbaliband, the Moldva. Opposed to their modern approach of folk music – they recorded this CD with only authentic instruments. This piece of work is their respectful thanksgiving for csángó people, who managed to conserve their arts for the modern age through decades of suffering and hardship.
This 7 piece band is the living messenger of the motto of the EU: ‘United in diversity’. This may have been the reason that they have been asked to perform on the opening ceremony of the Spanish EU governance with UNESCO Artist for Peace, Márta Sebestyén in 2010. From Madrid to Japan they have performed several times on various stages in the world. They are revolving performers on Hungary’s own SZIGET Festival.
The European music scene seems to love the band. A journalist gave the title ‘The Chuck Berry of Cimbalom’ to Balazs Unger, bandleader. Other important press releases about Cimbaliband include:
'Finally, cimbalom is rock'n'roll. Watch out for these Hungarians!' Thierry Sartoretti, Vibrations
Tha album is available at Fonó and its distributors (f.ex: Hangvető) and digitally at ITunes, Amazon etc.