Search - Vera Bila & Kale :: Rom-Pop

A universal gypsy sound

05/22/1999

(3 out of 5 stars)

"For a Czech-born person this album is a welcome glimpse into the Romany culture of my homeland. My first surprise when I brought the album home was that the lyrics were not in Czech, but in a gypsy dialect. Growing up I only saw gypsy bands on TV singing in Czech. My second surprise was the nature of the music; it did not sound Czech at all, but very latin. The music of Vera Bila and Kale is quite similar to that of the Gypsy Kings, but for me more authentic because of the language and the lyrics expressing very existential situations in everyday gypsy life. The songs have very few lyrics that are constantly repeated, but are haunting in their simplicity of language and message. Of course, what is a gypsy band without the ubiquitous acoustic guitar, a violin, and layered vocals? It's all in there!"

Don't confuse with Gal Costa

Ivan Sever | MA, United States | 05/10/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Only after examining the album cover one would realize instead of the willowy Brazilian star, one is really listening to a 5 feet tall, 350 pound (150 cm, 150 kg) Gypsy from Moravia! While Ms. Bila may sound like a Brazilian pop singer, her band Kale ('Black' in Romany language) sounds remarkably like Gipsy Kings. And no wonder; this Romany band (as Gypsies prefer to be called) also uses acoustic guitars and layered male vocals, although the sound is often augmented by additional instruments. After the deceptively simple opening cut, Vera Bila (with Dezider Lucka) unleashes the hip-swaying 'Me la na kamav' (I Don't Want Her):"She went out with me only because I am a Romany, But now I have a 'black' girl. She's one of us." Following the folksy "Ara, more" (Go Away) and the Brazilian sounding "Miro rom hin ternoro" (My Husband Is Too Young) comes the first slow tune, 'Ma dara' (Don't Be Afraid). It features the subdued singing by its author Jan Duzda and the 12 string guitar of Desiderius Duzda. Unfortunately the flat ensemble singing spoils the mood. The same is also true for the next two cuts, until 'Mulas mange miri daj' (My Mother Passed Away). Here, the ensemble is more in tune in supporting Desiderius Duzda's pensive singing. Vera Bila's 'Ma rus, bo phares hin' (Don't Be Upset, It's Hard) "If you only were patient for two years Now you wouldn't be locked up for five" leads into 'Mamo, merav...' (I'm Dying, Mom...) Amazingly, Dezider Lucka's soaring tenor sounds very much like Maria Bethania. The next few numbers cover the jazz spectrum from the Django Reinhardt influenced 'Dzal pani' (Running Water) to 'Imar vera ilom' (I Pledged Already), where Emil Pupa Miko's singing could be confused for Djavan. This album simply blew me away. It's deceptively simple and sophisticated at the same time, very much like a Henri Russeau painting. It's exotic yet homey, Central European yet Latin American. Partially due to the deplorable attitude of many Czechs towards Romanies, it's only ironic Vera Bila & Kale are better known in France than in their own country. Yes, there are many intonation problems in their ensemble singing. But there is also raw energy and emotion here. They deserve a better exposure."