Fanfare Ciocarlia: Tiny Desk Concert

by Bob Boilen

From wedding songs to American rock 'n' roll to the occasional James Bond theme, the joyous Balkan brass band plays at a pace that would make the Ramones burst into a sweat.

Truth be told, I was scared. We've stuffed a lot of musicians behind the Tiny Desk, but when I saw Fanfare Ciocarlia (pronounced "fan-FAR-eh cho-car-LEE-ah") at Globalfest the week before the band arrived at NPR, I couldn't fathom how we'd corral these 12 musicians and their various assorted horns and drums into that truly tiny space.

But the day this joyous Balkan brass band from the Romanian village of Zece Prajini came to play, it was one of the happiest days I've experienced at our new building. From wedding songs to American rock 'n' roll to the occasional James Bond theme, the group plays at a pace that would make the Ramones burst into a sweat. When you get hooked and want more, find Fanfare Ciocarlia's new record, Devil's Tale. It will help make your parties the stuff of blissful memories.