The electrifying Paris-based band Les Yeux Noirs plays Feb. 28 at 8 p.m. at the O'Shaughnessy Center in Whitefish.

The group celebrates the traditional songs of European Jews and Gypsies but with decidedly contemporary arrangements.

Les Yeux Noirs or "Dark Eyes" is the name of a Russian Gypsy tune made popular by Django Rheinhardt in the 1930s. The song's namesake is led by two violin-playing brothers, Eric and Olivier Slabiak. Both brothers played concert violin from an early age and are conservatory trained, but as Eric Slabiak said in a National Public Radio interview, "Playing the violin sitting down was no fun. I discovered the Gypsy music by my uncle. . .who gave me some scores and I began to learn this by myself, saying nothing to my teacher and to my parents."

The Slabiak brothers quit the conservatory, found like-minded musicians and formed Les Yeux Noirs.

With themes from Romania, Serbia, Hungary, Russia and Armenia, jazz influences, and a healthy dash of Yiddish and Slavic folklore, the arrangements leave plenty of room for rhythm and spontaneity, while highlighting the musical complexity of the melodies.

The songs are sung in Russian, Yiddish and Roma. Many start off somewhat slowly with a few melancholic notes on the violin and accordion. But soon the tempo increases like a snowball going downhill, and the tension is released through their alchemistic arrangements and compositions, always remaining true to their central European roots.

Their most recent album, "Balamouk" has been nominated for a French Music Award.

Rounding out the group are Pascal Rondeau on guitar, Ghheorghe Ene on accordion, Franck Anastasio on electric bass and Francois Perchat on cello.

Tickets are $24 with reserved seating. The Whitefish Theatre Co. box office is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and two hours before a performance. Call 862-5371 to purchase tickets.

"A group of Gypsy musicians with incredible energy, with roots not only firmly planted in traditional music, but also a lot of jazz., Yeux Noirs will keep you on the edge of your seat." — Le Monde