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CD Review
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Exclaim, CD Review >>
Brass Menažeri
Vranjski San
By Ronak Ghorbani
Delivering a healthy dose of Balkan tunes to San Francisco's Bay Area, Brass Menažeri have been swooning crowds into dance frenzies since forming in 2006. With an ensemble of nine seasoned musicians on sophomore album Vranjski San, Brass Menažeri continue their knack for updating traditional Balkan folk rhythms, a talent that won them the 2008 San Francisco Weekly award for Best International Band. Opener "Vranjski San," an original arranged by band director Peter Jacques, starts with a whimsically trilling trumpet solo and takes a delectable turn as the percussion, clarinet, sax and trombone come in, weaving together complementing melodies, creating a full, rich sound. On "E Davulja," vocalist Michele Simon's singsong voice cuts through the thick, interlaced horns, giving the track an upbeat element. Simon (who's been a Balkan vocalist for over 19 years) is singing a Rom-Macedonian tune about being a big bellied girl wanting to shake and dance. Other alluring tracks include the Bollywood-inspired "Lal Lal Hothon Pe" and clarinet-heavy Bulgarian number "Phirava, Daje." (Port Franco) 08/18/10 >> go there
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