The effects of the fusion between Breton music and the Middle East are often subtle, and exciting. The dynamic opening track, “Ton Bale Daniel Philippe,” begins with Kerdoncuff, and Floc'h stating the theme on trumpet and accordion. Then the lurching beat comes in, redolent of a processional, with the ringing sounds of the qânûn underpinning the groove. “Ton Bale” serves as an introduction to “Mihabadim,” a traditional Kurdish song that sounds positively ecstatic here, with Kamar and Menneteau trading verses.

"Boked Eured"

Kazut De Tyr's mission is to combines Occidental rhythms and sounds with Breton themes. On “An hini gozh,” Kerdoncuff's trumpet and Vallet's qânûn double-up on the main phrases of the melody, while Berthou furiously works the percussive rhythm. “Boked Eured” is a traditional song that accompanies marriages in central Brittany; here, Kazut De Tyr slow the pace of the song down to a stomping beat, with drawn-out, resonating notes from the saz and impassioned singing from Menneteau. “Boked Eured” is a fusion that sounds like some kind of trans-continental blues, alien and alluring. The percussive effect conjured on that track is shared by “Dabke de Loudia,” which also features a spacious rhythm, and where the trumpet playing – notable for the circularity of the melody – gives way to some fast-paced bombard playing by Kerdoncuff. “Donnio” combines Breton music with percussive phrasing that again takes musical themes across borders, with the repetitive, round phrases one associates with the Breton bagad repertoire next to Macedonian rhythms.

Other influences abound on Jorjuna. “Sure Gul” is a Kurdish love song, sung with full longing and accompanied by grand, romantic instrumental flourishes; the track is not overwrought, but ravishing in its lushness. The track “Rasidov Pravo” dives into gypsy music, and the combination of the accordion and trumpet dance together in a light, carefree manner. “Plac'h an tour” begins with Mauguen's saz, and the pace picks up when Kerdoncuff and Berthou enter. The tune is a Breton dance, but it is paired with Turkish texts sung by Menneteau.

"Rasidov Pravo"

Kazut De Tyr's music on Jorjuna is daring and vital. At a time when France has had to choose between embracing Europe, or seeking to alienate minorities and groups from the Middle East, this album stands tall as a statement reinforcing the beautiful results of cultural exchange. The meeting of Breton music with foreign scales and new instrumentation creates a zone in which certain melodies rear their heads sounding distinctly Breton, or Middle Eastern -- or, remarkably, both in a perfect coexistence. Jorjuna is an achievement that places Kazut De Tyr on the musical and political cutting-edge. – Lee Blackstone