Artist Description
Kal, featuring music from Bosnia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Macedonia and Serbia are the young Belgrade-based Romani (Gypsy) band whose self-titled album topped the European world music charts on its release in March, with its dynamic blend of traditional instruments, hard, driving rhythms and soulful yet confrontational style. The disparate sounds of Kal (black in Romany) describe a new, post-modern identity that confronts romantic Gypsy clichés. Dragan Ristic, who founded the band with his brother Dushan, says, "We are not living in the past… I'm an urban person, belong to the modern world, [and] go to rave parties… so mixing traditional and urban elements is the best way of presenting our culture." "And I'm a Roma. "Gypsy is pejorative, a misnomer. We've always called ourselves Roms, so I find it distasteful to be called a Gypsy." Today, Balkan music is a sexy girl in a short skirt singing badly over an electric keyboard. Beyond the older generation, like Saban and Fanfare, there's very little quality left. "If Kal succeed, I hope we show young Balkan musicians that you don't have to lose your roots. You don't have to play trash."This event is part of Joe’s Pub’s 10th Anniversary Celebration!
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