Sulukule Rom Music of Istanbul
Reviewed by Anala Rabari
From the first song this CD takes off at a joyous fast pace. It is full of the energetic music that one would expect of the Rom people with several tracks being emblished with hand clapping, zills, and tambourines. The drums have an infectious beat that seem to lineup seamlessly with the beat of a dancer's heart. The band is fronted by Kemani Jemal, a master on the violin, other instruments include the zither, oud, and darbuka.
I love how the ciftetellisi rhythms pull at my heart strings and seem to cry out, mornfully telling the struggles of the Rom people. This 10 track CD ends the same way it started with bosterious, fast paced song, this time to the Karsilama rhythm.
The majority of the songs on this CD are over 5 minutes long, so in my opinion they are too long for solos and better suited for group performances. So many of the songs have a great up beat tempo that they seem perfect for party occassions such as birthdays, weddings, or haflas. This CD is definetly one that will make your blood start pumping until you get out of your sit and hit the dance floor with all your dance sisters.