BLUE AS THE TURQUOISE NIGHT | WITH GUITARS

The New York Gypsy All Stars On “Balkan Bollywood”

“Balkan Bollywood” is a bittersweet, multipart romp inspired not only by Indian filmi tracks, but also by Turkish melodies and Balkan ornamentation, driven by The New York Gypsy All Stars, who perform a modern strain of gypsy jazz unlike any other. By combining fiery Balkan wedding grooves with ancient Turkish traditions, the conservatory-trained musicians involved in the project are quick to show off their virtuosity while also creating an intoxicating atmosphere for the dance floor. NYGAS’s Ismail Lumanovski recounts, “I had been playing around with this melody, trying ornaments in places where they usually don’t happen. I brought it to the guys, and we jammed on it with Panagiotis, Tamer, and Engin for four hours after a show at Drom. We ended up staying until 5am playing the same thing over and over, and this very cool, hybrid stuff came out.” In this version, the New York Gypsy All Stars are joined by Sandeep Das and Kayhan Kalhor, improvising on tabla and kamancheh respectively.