Taraf de Caliu - Balada Conducătorului & Cântecul ciobanului

Taraf de Caliu, live recorded in Gradina Sticlarilor. A Vinyl, Rum, Tapas & Wine original production. Booking: 40 742 808 507 // Taraf de Caliu had some magic concerts in Grădina Sticlarilor, Bucharest, where this video was live recorded. Using a startlingly improvised technique, with a horsehair tied to his violin, inherited from Nicolae Neacșu, Caliu puts a spell on us with Balada Conducătorului (Ballad Of The Dictator) a song about the harsh times under Ceaușescu’ s regime. The second song, Cântecul ciobanului care și-a pierdut oile. (The song of the shepherd that lost his sheep) was sang by Caliu’s ancestors and it’s inspired by a true legend. A shepherd was very sad because he lost his sheep, a lăutar came and started to sing, calling for them. One by one, the sheep came back home, brought home by the violin strings that sounded both like a bagpipe and caval. Full of joy, the shepherd gave to the gipsy musician a part of his herd. // Violin: Gheorghe Caliu Anghel Accordion: Marius Manole Cimbalom: Ionică Tanase Double bass: Sile Neacșu Mixed by UFe (Robert Petre) Video credits: Camera: Andrei Oană Alexandru Mihai Cosmin Filişan Edit & Grading: Mari Sanders Directed and produced by Simona Constantin, APORT Film // Taraf de Caliu brings together legends of gypsy music, founding members of Taraf de Haidouks such as Gheorghe „Caliu” Anghel, Robert Gheorghe, Viorica Rudareasa, Marius Manole, Ionica Tanase, and Sile Neacsu, who represents the new generation of Clejani musicians. Altough we are inclined to push forward their recent achievements in the music industry, what makes their performances so powerful is not the last 10 or 20 years in which they were exposed to such diverse cultures, but their own cultural & musical heritage. The group is formed by authentic lautari that have grown and developed around their culture’s music, have performed since they were children and to whom music is life. They are the last generation of its kind. Their craft is the result of centuries of gypsy culture transmitted through music.