Iowa debut | During the
last 20 years the name Parno Graszt (the literal term in the Romani
language for a white horse, which in turn serves as the symbol of purity and freedom) has become synonymous with
authentic Hungarian Gypsy music. For the group, being authentic was nothing
more than being themselves, living the life and playing the music as they
always have. 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.”
Indeed, in Paszab, during social ceremonies music is shared between members
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. Whether 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 vocal improvisation made by the
percussionist. Occasionally, the 10-piece group takes audiences on a journey
through with the dancers, backed by an archive video projection, performing
alongside their grandparents.
Their first album Hit the Piano was released in 2002 by Fonó Records and hit
Number 7 on World Music Charts Europe, marking the first time in history a
Hungarian band reached the Top 10. The catchy, sing-along melodies and
superfast rhythms gained many fans around the world, especially after the
first live shows abroad where everyone was astonished by the elementary
power of the Paszabi Gypsies ... no one could stop dancing ....
The much anticipated second album In My World featured world-famous
Hungarian Gypsy cimbalom master Kálmán Balogh. In 2007, the group celebrated
its 20th anniversary with their latest album This World is Made for Me. Sun Sep 27
| 7 pm CSPS | 1103 Third St SE | Cedar Rapids
Admission $10 at the door
The Landfall Festival of World Music
has received support from Rockwell
Collins, the Hotel Motel Fund of the City of Cedar Rapids, the National
Performance Network, the Fidelity Foundation and the National Endowment for
the Arts.
