The beloved balladeer and Bucharest Rom diva, Romica Puceanu draws comparisons with American jazz and blues icons, Billie Holiday and Nina Simone.  In the world of Romanian gypsies residing in the borders of towns, called "mahalas," Puceanu gave voice to the plight of the gypsies.  "Her signature was the slow improvised mournful ballad, which she filled with expressive melismas, ornaments and incredible soul."  I recall divas of Portuguese fados, Andalusian flamenco and Cape Verdean mornas when listening to Puceanu perform on the Sounds from a Bygone Age, Vol. 2.  Sadly, her emotive vocals backed by jangly violin, cymbalom, cobza (lute) and swirling accordion compliments of the band, Taraful Fratii Gore comes to us on a retrospective disc.  Romica Puceanu died in a car accident coming home from a wedding performance in 1996.

The grande dame of "cantece de mahala," was discovered singing in a cafe at the age of 14 by her own cousins, Aurel and Victor Gore.  The Gore Brothers and their band, Taraful Fratii Gore were already enjoying success as a wedding band and accompanied many vocalists, but Puceanu was their favorite singer, "because she sang 100 percent Lautari music and enjoyed improvising."  Although her vocals are described as mournful on the CD liner notes, her backup music bounces along behind her.  Victor Gore who now lives in a 2-room apartment in Bucharest with his memories nostalgically recalls Romica's sense of humor.  She would show up at the studio with her teapot filled with cognac.  One day a studio engineer saw Romica holding her words the wrong way and inquired.  Romica responded, "Would I ever have sung with these men (The Gore Brothers) if I could read?" (drum roll please).

You won't hear Romica's passionate voice on all the tracks since Victor Gore handles vocal duties on tracks 6 and 11.  And instrumental tracks also grace this lovely recording.  I recommend this disc to anyone who enjoys Eastern European and Gypsy Rom music.  The vocals and backing instrumentation provoke a sense of longing for a happier life, nostalgia and celebrate a vocalist, Romica Puceanu who we should have known about long before her death.  These exquisite sounds come to us from another era, but can still inform this one.  Similar to the blues, fado, flamenco and mornas, this disc offers a cathartic experience that might just send your senses reeling.  Better late than never.