Estradasphere is a band of multi-instrumentalists from an unlikely variety of musical backgrounds. Timb Harris (violin/trumpet), Jason Schimmel (guitar/banjo/keyboards/vocals), Tim Smolens (upright and electric bass/vocals), Kevin Kmetz (Tsugaru Shamisen/guitar/keyboards), Adam Stacey accordion/keyboards/clavinet), and Lee Smith (drums/percussion) were trained in disciplines ranging from classical and jazz to metal. This diverse instrumental and stylistic palette enables them to execute a vast array of orchestrations and even forge entirely new genres such as “Bulgarian Surf,” “Romanian Gypsy-Metal,” and “Spaghetti Eastern.”

Estradasphere’s latest album, Palace of Mirrors, marks their first release on New York-based The End Records, home to many of rock and metal’s most eclectic bands. The album’s cinematic music and production connotes a narrative that cuts across time, space, and genre. Estradasphere concerts feature the six accomplished musicians and an innovative visual team. Their live show is an extension of the surreal sci-fi storyline alluded to in the music. In each performance, as the themes of the music associate with the enigmatic video and live-camera projections, a dynamic film is created in which the members of Estradasphere are both the characters and the soundtrack orchestra.

More great videos after the jump

Speck

Chopin’s Fantasie Impromptu

(Original)

Klezmer Metal you say? Sure, why not!

Smuggled Mutation

More info:
www.estradasphere.com

http://www.myspace.com/estradasphere

From the album Maškaradă of famous Romanian Gypsy musicians Taraf de Haïdouks.

In the early 20th century, many composers drew their inspiration from national folklore, often borrowing from Roma musicians to create their own vision of an exotic and largely imaginary Orient. Things have now been turned around, as one of the world’s leading Gypsy bands have taken hold of classical pieces by Bartok, Khachaturian, Albeniz & more, and have “re-gypsyfied” them, giving them an exhilarating make-over. Starting out in a concert hall, Maskarada takes us through various stages which inevitably lead back to the type of repertoire for which the Taraf de Haïdouks are known and loved.

MySpace, LastFM, Facebook, Wikipedia.

Jason Webley is a Seattle-born singer-songwriter known for playing a mix of gypsy, folk, and punk. He has released five albums on his own label, Eleven Records. These feature Webley on the piano, guitar, accordion, and a number of other instruments, though when touring he only brings his guitar, accordion, and a vodka bottle containing coins from around the world, which he uses for percussion.

In high school Webley played in a punk band called Moral Minority. He picked up the accordion in 1996 in his last year in college at the University of Washington when he was part of a performance of Bertolt Brecht’s play The Caucasian Chalk Circle, and wrote a couple songs for the play on the accordion. He later recalled, “I was just a geeky kid; accordion came later. It’s since playing accordion that I’ve become cool. I used to be a geek with an electric guitar. I had a guitar and played in punky bands and I had a computer. I sequenced stuff. I was much geekier.”

Webley is the brains behind the Monsters of Accordion tour, an all-accordion extravaganza that takes place on the West Coast. The tour came together when Webley was invited to play at an accordion shop in Oakland, and met two Bay Area accordionists, Daniel Ari and Aaron Seeman. They decided to do a little accordion only tour, which was the first Monsters of Accordion. The tour has since featured such accordionist as Corn Mo, Geoff Berner, Amy Denio, Mark Growden, (former Gogol Bordello member) Stevhen Iancu, and Eric Stern (frontman of Vagabond Opera).

Icarus (with Amanda Palmer from Dresden Dolls):

Check also this amazing street performance of Icarus here.

Kitchen video clips:

MySpace, LastFM, Facebook, iLike, Internet Archive, Twitter, Wikipedia, YouTube channel, Official page.

Life is a miracle…I don´t really think i have to write about Kusturica…everybody heard about his movies and music. Still, i want to add this post to advertise the movie, one movie with extreme realism and very accurate characters from real life. When poverty, family drama and promiscuity touch one´s destiny,  in times of war, life is still a miracle.

And now, since I know that the main 2 authors of this blog enjoy this music and kusturica´s movies, here is another one…

domnux is our pittbul terrier

A nice mix of “Wings of the peacock” (Bareh Droma) with “Rove” (Scorn).

I hope you enjoy it as much as i do.

“The Sound of the Urban Gypsies”-the new single from !Deladap and the precise description of their sound…The project started in 2001 when Stani Vana, an Czech producer formed a trio that later became an a seven member live ensemble. They are now in Vienna and touring a lot…try to see them live…special thanks to Mr. Sata who opened my ears to them…

Ps: What about Stani? Nice or what?

Kako Sanka (Uncle Sanka)

The litle hut

Opai, Dad

Wings of the Peacock

Dadyves

I was searching this artist on the internet and i found something about him only at this blog: na Bula Bula com. Due that post: “The music of the Roma from Russia was so far locked for outstanding ones. The more than thousand-year old history of the Russian Roma opens these unusual CD. Originally originating from the northwest of India, the Roma to Central Asia and the Caucasus came -- and in the long run, partially over the Balkans and Greece, in 17. Century to Russia. This history created a very own language, culture and a music naturally with the Russian Roma. Even traditional Russian songs transferred the Roma over several generations in their own style, their own language and their own melodischen structures. The sounds are not only of completely special charm and rhythm, the CD are at the same time a historical document and the receipt in recent time ever more strongly modern influences of a suspended culture.”

You can buy or just play some samples from Asphalt-Tango Records. You can buy also the album from the russian site Muzmag.ru

Links: LastFM.

Long live Zece Prajini

Nicoleta

Asfalt Tango

Links: Official page, MySpace, LastFM, Wikipedia.

Bulgarian chicks

Hermetico

SundayArak

With a little bit of good luck, one of my best friends will be singing with them…

More great music on their website and MySpace page