Fanfare Ciocarlia Iag Bari Piranha (www.piranha.de) Fanfare Ciocarlia is an 11-piece brass band from Romania. They play a variety of styles of music inspired by their folk music, most of them fast and loud. Some of them very fast - when they start wailing on "Hurichestra" it's almost unbelievable that a band this size can articulate the music and stay together with such precision. This is one of the tightest bands you'll ever hear. A lot of the music is based on a polka rhythm, which allows for a lot of melodic and soloistic flash, although the one-two beat gets a little wearing after a time. But there are plenty of interesting variations that make some songs stand out. Singer Dan Armeanca appears on three tunes, and Costel Vasilescu adds timbral variety with his muted trumpet on two more. There are a couple of horas that loosen things up rhythmically, and on a few tunes the rhythm section actually swings, as on "Moliendo Caf�," where the group approaches a New Orleans brass band groove. There's also a version of the popular folk song "Besh O Drom" (you'd know it if you heard it), with guests Rom Bengale on accordion, violin and percussion. The familiar melody is lovingly dissected and mutated into something almost unrecognizable over its six minutes. The sheer power and togetherness of this ensemble is almost overwhelming at times, but they produce music that is intense, sophisticated and sometimes even funny. - Joe Grossman Listen Available from cdRoots

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