Budapest/Prague - Sziget means Island in the Hungarian language, but it is also a name of the biggest music festival in the Eastern Europe which takes place in Budapest every summer. Every year is a part of it dedicated to the original gypsy music from all over the world. Unfortunately in „ciganskie“ rhythms, east European folk music, flamingo or klezmer music are primary interested foreigners – especially French or Germans. Sziget is also the place where I ve seen queen of all gypsies – Esma Redzepova for the first time!
„Last year we targeted the East European gypsy music because for Westerners it is very difficult to get closer to it. In the Eastern Europe there has been living so many Romas so there is a lot of their music, “ told me Marina Pommier , the manager of the famous Roma tent in the Sziget.
According to Marina gypsy music was always very popular but in this modern times it is also a question of marketing and business: „The word -gypsy- is in, now,“ smiles Marina. In the West many so called gypsy bands raise but this kind of music have had more destructive than constructive influence on the original gypsy bands.
So I asked Eugene Hutz – front man of the world most famous gypsy-punk band Gogol Bordello if the gypsy music can survive in the modern commercial age: “If you really go into writings of historians you will see that even they predicted the death of gypsy art some 150 years ago. It never happened. So when they said this is in decline, it is bullshit. It will never decline. It will always go on. It became new again and again.“
Gypsies were always inspired by traditional music of the country where they lived or stroll through, so why the others cannot use the gypsy style, says Marina. On the other hand it is very important how good they will be in it. One of the artists whose style is different than others is Czech hip-hop singer Gipsy.cz
"In Hungary there are so many gypsy rappers but every one of them is influenced by this American gangsta style. But Gipsy.cz is different. I like his personality, his way, his energy and his interest in music, “describes Marina why did she invited Czech singer to the biggest festival in the region.
And who is the best gipsy singer in the world according to Marina? Goran Bregovic is not a gypsy but he has been playing their music and his band is full of Roma musicians. But gypsy music is not only brass-bands and energy punk rhythms. Marina´s favorite band Compania Istanbul from Turkey is for example completely different style of the same gypsy brand.
The last but not least is ofcourse Macedonian Queen of the all Gypsies - beautiful lady Esma Redzepova which I ve seen in Sziget for the first time. Her voice in the mixture of speed-ethnical music support in the listeners’ ear is creating mixture of emotions and orgasmic feelings. Do not wait for Sziget! Esma is coming to play in to Prague this Thursday and Saturday so if you want to see the queen live you have unique chance in the middle of the Europe.
