Romanian speed-brass merchant Fanfare Ciocarlia cartwheels from one end of Gypsy Europe to the other, matching its formidable chops with other Romany musicians from Bulgaria to Spain. The result is a veritable Gypsy summit, powered by Fanfare's quicksilver brass work and passion. Sounding at times like a mash-up of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Khaled and Carl Stalling, Fanfare's fifth CD is a world-music freakout, Balkan-style -- and contains a joyously demented cover of "Born to Be Wild" to boot. Download: "Mig Mig."

By Kevin R. Convey