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"Dvojka" from Kal (Asphalt Tango)
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"DJelem, DJelem" from Kal (Asphalt Tango)
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Kal (Asphalt Tango)
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KAL
Serbs from the Urbs 



Dragan Ristic is more than happy to ride the bandwagon of interest in Balkan-influenced punk (Gogol Bordello, Devotchka) and Eastern European brass bands that's sweeping through hipster circles from Brooklyn outward. Just don't tar Ristic, or his acclaimed band Kal, with the term "gypsy." A resident of Belgrade, and Serbia's stark apartment blocs, he would prefer to see the word become politically incorrect.

"In the Romani language, the word doesn't exist. We call ourselves Rom," he explains, "like Americans call themselves American. To 90 percent of the world's population, the term 'gypsy' is pejorative it means dirty and untouchable. And another reason: In 1971 in London, the Romani International Union decided on our flag, our anthem, and our official name. So that's what should be used."

He also believes that a united Europe isn't taking Romani culture as seriously as it should. "Europeans aren't conscious of how important Romani are for their culture. Cervantes, Garcia-Lorca, Bartok, Pushkin and others used Roma issues and themes as central in their books or music. And don't forget about Bizet's Carmen. We deserve to have place in European culture."

That said, Ristic's not surprised that electronica stars Basement Jaxx released the Gypsy Beats and Balkan Bangers compilation, then incorporated its influence on their recent Crazy Itch Radio album. And don't get the impression that the current craze for Romani style is anything new, either, he stresses and we're not just talking about the Gypsy Kings. "In the '70s in Russia, Roma music was very prominent. During the '60s, Serbian director Alexander Petrovic won first prize in Cannes with Roma themes in The Buyer of Feathers. Now, with the new wave again emphasizing Romani culture, it's time to use it for our own rights."


Ristic thinks the preservation of Romani culture is so important that he runs a summer program (Amala Summer School, near his home village of Valjevo) to teach Roma language, music and history to people from all over the world. His brother Dushan, who co-founded Kal (which means "black" in Romani but "good" or "correct" in Greek) has since retired from the band and lives in the San Francisco Bay Area as a professional painter, but returns to Serbia each summer to help out. "You need some kind of music skill," Ristic explains. "Students stay two weeks in our houses. We bring them to weddings and baptisms, we show them Serbian historical monuments, and we welcome them to the Romani ghetto."

Much like his urbanized countrymen, Ristic loves modern pop music, from B.B. King and Deep Purple to Manu Chao and Lambchop. And adaptability is a hall mark of the Roma people, so Kal's new album straddles the line between "world beat" and traditional strains. But don't get Ristic started on the flagrant abuse of electronic keyboards.

"In the Balkans during the '90s, when the Communist regime fell down, moral values were destroyed, and it showed up in the music. [Romani] started to use '80s keyboards, and the arrangements and lyrics were cheap, bad and kitsch. If you were liv ing in Serbia, you couldn't avoid hearing it. I think that I'm doing this in a proper way because I belong to this generation and it's natural for me. It's a matter of aesthetics."

While refreshingly free of cheesy synths, Kal boasts its share of electronic rhythms, melding Balkan melodies on violin, guitar, accordion, brass and irresistible percussion with bhangra, hip hop and drum and bass, courtesy of producer Mike Nielsen, who's worked with Underworld, Jamiroquai and Natacha Atlas. With a bit of Middle Eastern mystery, and freshness of beats from the street, it's easy to pic ture Kal whipping any young crowd into dancing frenzy.

Kal's German-based record label, Asphalt Tango, specializes in Roma music, which could be an asset if it recognizes the growing potential of the "alternative" Roma genre, says Ristic. But he may find more success with stateside labels. "Americans know better than Europeans that this is a business. I would like to make Roma music closer to the mainstream, but in a natural way instead of Buena Vista Social Club, there could be a Roma Vista Social Club," he says. "It's just a question of working hard on it, good publicity, and good fortune."

And good luck, perhaps?

-Manny Theiner 09/20/06
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