Show #25: Gypsy Voices – Music of Passion, Resilience & Joy
My friend Donald Cohen has written a new book about Gypsy Music called Gypsy Voices: Songs from the Romani Soul. It is his third book about music; his earlier books…
By Tom Schnabel • • 1 min readMy friend Donald Cohen has written a new book about Gypsy Music called Gypsy Voices: Songs from the Romani Soul. It is his third book about music; his earlier books include Fado Português: Songs from the Soul of Portugaland Tango Voices: Songs from the Soul of Buenos Aires and Beyond.
Like the earlier volumes, Gypsy Voices is filled with wonderful photographs, commentary on all 21 songs on the cd that comes with it, lyrics translations, and even sheet music. It’s everything that a music fan could want. It also was a labor of love, involving many difficult choices among the thousands of songs in the Roma diaspora (Macedonia, Russia, Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Czech Republic, Serbia).
The Roma people have been misunderstood and maligned for centuries, experiencing repression and rejection wherever they went. Yet they have endured. Originally from Northwestern India, they were called “gypsies” because of their dark skin: people thought they came from Egypt. The word “gyped” as in “The salesperson gyped me…” (meaning ripped off) is an example of the negative attitude.
The new book features music from Eastern Europe, Russia, and the Balkans, not the gitano flamenco music from Spain, the Andalusian flank of the Roma diaspora. Perhaps that will come in the next installment?
If you are a fan of this music, you must also check out Tony Gatliff‘s films about gypsies. His first was the masterpiece Latcho Drom, which traces Roma culture from Rajasthan all the way to Spain, including Eastern Europe and the Balkans. His other films include Mondo, the moving tale of a young gypsy boy very out of place in posh Côte d’Azur, as well as, Vengo and Gadjo Dilo.
Rhythm Planet Playlist: 10/11/13
Don Cohen, Author and guest.
Karandila, feat. Maya / Djelem, Djelem / Gypsy Voices: Songs from the Romani Soul
Esma Redzepova / Moite Zlatni 50 / Gypsy Voices: Songs from the Romani Soul
Kal / Ding Deng Dong / Gypsy Voices: Songs from the Romani Soul
Saban Bajramovic / Mi Romnori Nasvalili / Gypsy Voices: Songs from the Romani Soul
Kalyjag / Ushzyen Taj Khelas / Gypsy Voices: Songs from the Romani Soul
Gabi Lunca / Suparata Sint Pe Lume / Gypsy Voices: Songs from the Romani Soul
Dzansever / Ki Zandana Me Kamerav / Gypsy Voices: Songs from the Romani Soul
