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PARNO GRASZT TRACING ROOTS IN RAJASTHAN, INDIA | 2008
In October 2008, Parno Graszt were spending two weeks in India, playing with local musicians, tracing their roots in Rajasthan, supposed motherland of all Gypsies. This matchless musical exploration will be released on DVD soon. Until that, keep updated and see them playing live next closest to your location!
During the last 20 years the name of Parno Graszt (meaning White Horse in Romani language as the symbol of purity and freedom) became the equivalent of authentic Hungarian Gypsy music. For the group, being authentic was nothing more than being themselves. Living in integrity, living the life and playing the music they always have had. As Simon Broughton (Songlines) said after spending a weekend with Parno Graszt in their home village Paszab: ‘They do not use sources of Gypsy music, they are the source itself.’
Indeed, back in Paszab at times of social ceremonies music is shared between each one of the community: instruments are passed from one hand to another and practically everyone is a dance master. There is no band, there is no audience. There is one unified festive gathering. Either they play in their backyard or on a festival stage for 10,000 people, the same spirit of cheerful delight vibrates in the air.
The sound of Parno Graszt is rooted in the traditional Gypsy songs of North Eastern Hungary, representing a specific local dialect of Roma music. Their instruments are acoustic guitars, double bass, tambura, accordion, spoons, milk churn and ‘oral bass’ which is a continous vocal improvisation made by the percussionist. Occasionally, the 10-piece group is taking the audience for a time journey where the dancers, using an archive video projection, are performing parallel with their grandparents on stage.
World music radios discovered Parno Graszt after the breakthru of Hit the piano (2002) which was the first Hungarian record in history reaching the TOP10 of World Music Charts Europe. The much anticipated second album In my world (2004) was featuring Kalman Balogh, world-class Hungarian Gypsy cimbalist. For this record Parno Graszt was voted for 10 BEST ARTISTS OF THE YEAR by Swiss Vibrations Magazine.
Since then Parno Graszt has played all over Europe in venues and festivals like Concertgebouw (Amsterdam), Couleur Café Festival (Belgium), Paleo Festival (Switzerland), Tribu Festival (France) or Sziget Festival (Hungary).
As a recognition for their work in preserving Romani culture and heritage, EBU and BBC produced a music documentary about Parno Graszt. The movie was selected for the Official Film Screening at WOMEX 2008 and is currently touring worldwide via IMZ World Music Films on Tour.
In 2007, the band was celebrating its 20th anniversary. On this occasion, DJ Gaetano Fabri (remixer of Taraf de Haidouks, Kocani Orkestar, Mahala Rai Banda) made his debut
remix for Parno Graszt’s Gelem Gelem.
In 2008, the Paszabi Gypsies were invited to India where they spent two weeks in Rajashtan, supposed motherland of the Roma people, meeting and playing with local musicians, tracing their roots, looking for familiar faces, customs and melodies. The result of this unique musical exploration is an undisguised and sincere documentary coming out on DVD soon.
In the meantime, Parno Graszt is working on the new album which will be released for their first ever North American tour in Fall 2009 produced by Yonas Media.
You can DOWNLOAD THE NEW ALBUMHERE or BUY IT through the following distributors:
Bonjour!
Des morceaux de notre nouveau cd CHOUM I TARARAM en ecoute, une nouvelle page, venez
donc jeter un oeil et une oreille pour nous dire ce que vous en
pensez...
En cadeau, une video du festival Eclats avec un joli rappel:
köszönöm! nemsokára lesz egy bál, ahol majd a Parno Graszt zenéjére ropjuk! nagyon imádjuk mindannyian! sőt, volt alkalmam Szigeten is látni a zenekart, hatalmas élmény volt :)
The sound of Parno Graszt is rooted in the traditional Gypsy songs of North Eastern Hungary, representing a specific local dialect of Roma music. Their instruments are acoustic guitars, double bass, tambura, accordion, spoons, milk churn and ‘oral bass’ which is a continous vocal improvisation made by the percussionist. Occasionally, the 10-piece group is taking the audience for a time journey where the dancers, using an archive video projection, are performing parallel with their grandparents on stage.
Since then Parno Graszt has played all over Europe in venues and festivals like Concertgebouw (Amsterdam), Couleur Café Festival (Belgium), Paleo Festival (Switzerland), Tribu Festival (France) or Sziget Festival (Hungary).
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