• artist:
  SHUKAR
• country:
  Romania
• release year:
  2004
• style(s): Gypsy Roots
• formats:
  • CD (Compact Disc)
• record submitted by:
  ONE group
• label:
  Sub Rosa Records BE

Ursari music or Bear tamers music

Shukar's sound is coming from the old times, when Tatars and Mongolians came to Dacia (the old name of Romania).

The members of Shukar (that's mean "fine" in rom language) play very original sounds called ursari music (which descends from the brotherhood of the bear-tamers), a very old and primitive kind of gipsy nomad music. They use primitive and old "instruments" like spoons, wooden barrel or darabuka.

Shukar's music is very powerful and "aggressive" but highly and deeply emotional. Basically it's exclusively a music made of percussions and voices. The core of the group is made of 3 exceptional people: Napoleon, Tamamgo and Classic.

Napoleon
plays at wooden barrel's percussion and voices: 38 years old. He comes
from a 12 children family. The name of his father is Coco (Rooster) and
the name of his mother Salcia (Willow). He plays a wooden barrel in which
he is throwing with stones taken from the alley. He is married to Nadia
and father of five children: Razbun_tor (Avenger), Armando, Bilclinton
(Bill Clinton), Indonezia (Indonesia), and Loven_a (Beauty in Rroma
language). He currently lives in the village of Gratia, Teleorman County -
Romania and appeared as special guest on Taraf de Haïdouks album
"Dumbala Dumba" (Crammed) in 1988.

Tamango
plays at spoons and voices: Not specified age, around 62. He plays on
spoons since he was 16. His name is already a legend in the local folk
music; one line being written especially for him: "Si pe aripa lui scria, Tamango nu ma uita." ("On his wing there was a note, Tamango forget
me not.") There is no connection between him and the well known
Romanian football player, his model being... Louis Armstrong, whom
he tries to follow due to his special vocal skills. He lives in the Balrii
village, Teleorman County - Romania

Clasic
plays at primitive-percussions and voice: 24 years old. A living classi
of the bear-tamers music. His hobby is to collect metals items from the
fields all around his native village (Gratia), from which he is manufacturing toys.

Tamango, Napoleon and Clasic are ex-street circus performers who used
to use trained bears for their shows. However this incorrect treatments
of animals has stopped and their energies are now focused on music and
feeding their families.


CD track listing

Prezentation
02 Cika-Laka
03 Jelem, Jelem
04 Masina Cu Paine
05 Tamango's Jazz lubire
06 Iubire
07 Malademna (Napoleon's Version)
08 Saeroma
09 Aurica
10 Catar O Birto Mai Opre
11 De Zlatari
12 Ramo Ramo
13 Garoafa
14 Stairiba
15 Na Da Ra
16 Jazz
17 Cika-Riba
17 Malademna (Shukar Version)
18 Bahtalo!

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Key points

* Ursari/Bear Tamers music published for the very first time ever on CD and is a real revelation

* Gipsy Brass Band Fanfare and Tarafs are already pretty well known in the world, playing live in many festivals. It's time to introduce an other side of the Gipsy Music: Ursari represented by Shukar

* An unique, powerful and deeply emotional sound, exclusively from percussions (spoons, wooden barrel, darabuka...) and voices; dating back to the arrival of the Tatars and Mongolians in Dacia (now known as Romania).

* Shukar ready to play live from Fall 2004. Watch them !

Links

• website