Fanfare Ciocărlia – 30 years of Brass on Fire

Nobody does it better, harder, faster, or funkier than Fanfare Ciocărlia.

Fanfare Ciocărlia is widely recognised as the world's fastest and most energetic brass band, renowned for their breakneck speeds (often 130–200 BPM). Having learnt their craft at the feet of their fathers and grandfathers, they proudly approach every concert as a challenge to keep the true spirit of gypsy music alive.

When the brass orchestra from the “hidden” village of Zece Prăjini in north-eastern Romania takes the stage, the crowd receives 100% gypsy music. Because of their village's isolation, the ancient Ottoman tradition of brass bands continued to exist here under communism when it had long died out elsewhere. When a young German music fan wandered into the village in 1996, he found a living tradition that he knew the world would embrace.

And so they did: Fanfare Ciocărlia conquered Europe in 1997, their furious live blast appealing to punks, jazz fans, world music aficionados, and even the classical world. Everyone who heard them agreed: no brass band had ever played as fast or sounded like this before. The Times of London described it as “a heavy, heavy monster sound.”

Along the way, they have been championed in all kinds of media: they star in several films, own the cover of Princes Amongst Men, and were commissioned by Sacha Baron Cohen for the Borat soundtracks. Their radical reinterpretations of Western standards show how they effortlessly “gypsify” any music they get their horns on.

Besides making great music, they have developed brilliant musical theatre, released twelve albums, and played over 4,000 concerts. They like to consider themselves “the hardest working band in the blow biz.” 

Check out their Tiny Desk Concert