About
Also known as: Taraf De Haiduks, Taraf De Haïdouks (Romania), Taraf de Haidouks, Taraful Haiducilor, Taraful din Clejani
Taraf de Haïdouks are a troupe of lăutari, traditional Romani musicians, from the village of Clejani in Wallachian Romania, and their sound is unlike almost anything else you'll hear. Violin, cimbalom, accordion, flute, double bass and percussion all pile in together in a polyphonic rush that has been winning over listeners since their debut album dropped in 1991. That record launched an international career steered by two Belgian fans turned managers, and the group went on to tour the world while somehow remaining rooted in Clejani the whole time. Their fan list reads like a fever dream: Yehudi Menuhin, the Kronos Quartet (who recorded with them), Johnny Depp, Yohji Yamamoto, Danny Elfman. They appeared in Sally Potter's film The Man Who Cried and Tony Gatlif's Latcho Drom. Their 2007 album Maskarada takes on 20th century classical composers like Bartók and Kodály, running their folk influenced works through a full Roma makeover. With releases stretching into the 2010s on Crammed Discs, they built one of the most distinctive catalogs in world music.
