Cat No MANTCD009

The gypsies – or Roma – are the modern descendants of a nomadic people originally from Rajasthan, northwest India. They arrived in the Balkans in the fourteenth century and continued to move across Europe. When they first arrived in Europe people mistakenly thought they came from Egypt and called them Egyptians or `Gyptians’, which is where the word `gypsy’ comes from. There are now over 8 million gypsies in Europe. Ravaged by persecution and displacement gypsies have often turned to music as a way of confirming their identity.

Music is also a way of expressing freedom and love for life for gypsies and our compilation is filled with raucous emotional performances. It is difficult to understand just how important music is to gypsy people and how much of an impact gypsy music has had on other musical forms it has encountered such as flamenco, klezmer, even jazz. Here then is an introduction to the varied music of the gypsies from Romania’s wild-fire Taraf De Haidouks (literally Orchestra Of Honourable Brigands) to India’s spiritual Musafir taking in the Czech Republic’s astonishing Vera Bila and Fanfare Ciocarlia, the world’s hardest working brass band, along the way.

Unique collection of gypsy music featuring many of the artists playing at the London Barbican’s prestigious festival of gypsy music.

Eye catching packaging makes this the essential starting point for anyone wanting to find out more about gypsy music.

Comprehensive sleevenotes by Songlines’ Garth Cartwright tracing the origins of gypsy music with comments on each track featured