|
|
 |
CD Review
|
| Click Here to go back. |
Sante Fe New Mexican, CD Review >>
SLAVIC SOUL PARTY!
-By Rob DeWalt
The title of this CD aptly describes its mishmash of brass-band styles careening into a memorable, -song ode to both Romany brass and New York's fair share of multicultural music traditions. Named after a Queens auto-repair shop owned by Serbian- American filmmaker Gus Dejan, Teknochek Collision is everything a modern nod to Balkan brass music should be: tight, loud, playful, morose, and trance-dance- inducing. Most of the nine-piece ensemble's songs are written and arranged by drummer/bandleader Matt Moran, who stretches way . beyond the oompah-laden monotony of many American brass bands claiming to have a Balkan edge. In the vain of DeVotchKa and A Hawk and a Hacksaw, Slavic Soul Party! borrows style (and plenty of substance) . from Mexican mariachi, New Orleans jazz, bolero, swing, and flamenco. There are only two vocal tracks on the CD, and they make the entire album worthwhile. American singer Eva Salina Primack nearly steals the show with her breathy tremolo and brings a sense of sensual mystery to an otherwise foot-stompin' (though sometimes melancholy) album. But the deal-breaker on this CD is the fancy fingerwork of Serbian Gypsy accor dionist Peter Stan. His rapid-fire background melodies and harmonics add a distinct personality to the Slavic Soul Party! sound. This album gives renewed hope to unemployed tuba players everywhere. 05/04/07
|
| Click Here to go back. |
|
 |
|
|
|
