Taraf De Haidouks: Maskerada
Crammed Discs Craw40
Gheorge Falacru (f), Anghel Gheorge Caliu (vln), Robert Gheorge (v), Paul Guiclea Pasaln (v, vln), Ionel Maonole (acc), Marin Maonole (acc), Filip Someonov (cl), Ion Tanase Iionica (cymbalum), Viorel Vlad (b) plus guests Sebastian Ginaiux (c, g), Stela Dumitru (cymbalum, v). Rec. date not stated

Re-gypsified replies to early 20th century classical music composers? Why on earth not? This is a rather obvious departure for everyone's favourite 12-piece Balkan gypsy outfit as the press notes insist, gypsies have been borrowing from classical music ever since they turned up to play at the courts of princes two centuries ago. As dizzying as ever, the Taraf turn everything from Bartok's Romanian Folk Dances and De Falla's Danza Rituel del Fuego to Khachaturian's Lezghinka and Albeniz's Asturias into exhilarating, cabaret-style show tunes.

Distinguished singer/cymbalum player Virginica Dumitru (the first ever female Taraf guest instrumentalist) is here, too, chasing the violins with her friendly yet frantic sounds. The Taraf's own pieces bounce about in the mix, as is their wont. Purists will hate this but do you think, could these old buggers could care less? They'd sooner sell you an accordion.

Jane Cornwell