In their first album, Fòua (2005), the band initiates a lively and deep synthesis of well-known gypsy, Klezmer and Yiddish sounds of Eastern Europe with warmer, radical aspects of their homeland: the Mediterranean Puglia of Southern Italy. The 11-piece group’s early influences came from the Balkanic tradition; their first gigs featured world-known songs such ‘Hava Nagila’, ‘Ale Brider’ and ‘Odessa Bulgarish’.
However, very soon their approach to these traditional tunes became much more original and peculiar, with each musician contributing something different. For example, the wind section learned to play in the old Brass Band of the little town they live in. That’s why their musical expression is so powerful and lively in the East-European songs, really exploding with passion during solo passages of the new arrangements. The rhythm section has increased its strength supporting this overwhelming way to play ancient melodies. If you listen to MB it is not hard to believe the drum, guitar, and bass players maintain a certain rock-attitude belonging to their former experiences in rock bands. The result is integrated and surprising, and it gives new expressions and meanings to the songs.
These varying influences may seem diverse and potentially conflicting, but they compliment each other perfectly to create Municipale’s unique style of world fusion. In Fòua every single instrument is given the freedom to play at its best without the anxiety of being locked into a predictable, stereotyped formula. The jazz, rock and experimental influences are involved in many charming, exotic melodies but also frenzied, mad, atonal tunes.
In the last four years Municipale Balcanica have played over 280 gigs, growing into a consistent feature on the international festival circuit. During summer 2006 the band embarked on an extensive European tour, performing at some major festivals across the continent. These included the foremost German Folk Festival in Rudolstadt, the Jazz à Luz and Jazzèbre festivals in France and the Smolijan Jazz Festival in Bulgaria. The warmth, energy and dynamism of these shows brought a real state of euphoria to the sophisticated European jazz audiences.
MB’s live performance is a frenetic fusion involving Eastern and Mediterranean rhythms and original compositions, which never fails to get the audience moving. It’s also a full cultural experience, an insight to the knowledge of our roots and the different cultures we are continuously melting with in a rich, amazing amalgamation. Concerts are experiences that every kind of audience can enjoy: ordinary spectators surely will not get bored and expert connoisseurs can appreciate the sensitive, skilled development of the original compositions.
2007 has represented a breakthrough year for this diverse ensemble, with the track “Hava Nagila” being selected by renowned DJ Russell Jones for his compilation Gypsy Beats and Balkan Bangers Vol. 2, due to be released on Atlantic Jaxx in July, and receiving airplay on BBC Radio One. Further appearances around Europe have cemented Municipale’s position as one of the leading world-fusion groups to emerge in recent years.
