The Balkan tradition of Gypsy brass bands dates to the Ottoman occupation in the 17th century. In Romania, that tradition virtually disappeared in 1990.“After the revolution (that ousted the communist government), people wanted to hear a more Western-like music combined with electronic instruments like keyboards,” Fanfare Ciocarlia trumpeter Costica “Cimai” Trifan wrote in an email to the Journal.

“Also, many people lost their jobs at the state companies and factories and had simply no money anymore to engage large bands for their weddings and other festivities. So the good old days of our regional brass music passed away.” Not quite. One village in Romania’s Moldovan region somehow kept up the Gypsy brass band tradition – Zece Prajini. That’s where most of the members of Fanfare Ciocarlia are from.

Henry Ernst, a German who loves Romanian Gypsy music, happened into the village and heard about the band.

“He simply asked if he can listen to the music and within 15 minutes all the musicians of the village came together and started playing for him. That was back in 1996 and the next year we started (the band and began) touring worldwide,” Trifan wrote in the email. The 11-piece band has become a fixture on the international music scene, playing at jazz and folk festivals, as well as in dance halls. “Yes, nowadays we are considered the most popular musical export from Romania,” Trifan wrote.

The band’s current 20-performance North American summer tour includes a show on Wednesday, July 17at The Dirty Bourbon. One Fanfare Ciocarlia CD is called “Gili Garabdi,” which he said means “The Ancient Tunes and Songs.” The album presents regional rhythms that are heard on such cuts as “Sirba moldoveneasca,” “Hora evreiasca” and “Rumba de la Iasi.” Iasi is a town in Eastern Romania.