will turn concert stages throughout Europe into musical battlegrounds. The album featuring the rivals BOBAN & MARKO MARKOVIC ORCHESTRA and FANFARE CIOCARLIA will be released on 20th of May. Did you check out these photos taken during the recording session in Transylvania?

04/2011 --- It's competition time!!!

Songlines has got a pair of tickets for the Balkan Brass Battle London show (KOKO, May 22nd) for one lucky winner.
3 runners-up will receive a copy of the brand new album Balkan Brass Battle released in May. Check out Songlines' Facebook page before midnight on April 29th and enter your chance to win!

03/2011 --- LA CHERGA's digital single "MELAHA" out now!!!

This track introduces the spirit of the upcoming album and the new and energetic front singer of this pan-balkanic band, Adisa Svekic. La Cherga's sound, frequently referred to as a patchwork, a style mix spanning dub, Balkan brass, jazz, drum 'n' bass and electronic, is broadened on their upcoming album to include funk and soul, laced with a dash of pop.

03/2011 --- BALKAN BRASS BATTLE - dates for battles in May 2011 are set!

From the wild, wild East - Romania & Serbia - the two undoubtedly foremost Gypsy brass bands Fanfare Ciocarlia and the Boban & Marko Markovic Orchestra are taking the stage together in May 2011. The showdown is wild entertainment that will never be forgotten! (check all dates here)

01/2011 --- Video

The two foremost Gypsy brass bands Fanfare Ciocarlia and the Boban & Marko Markovic Orchestra are taking the stage together in 2011 to see who blows hottest and hardest. Take a glance behind the scenes just a few weeks before the Balkan Brass Battle!

12/2010 --- Next journey to Roma Musicians

No idea where to spend your summer holidays yet? How about joining us on the next round trip through Romania in June or September 2011! Check out the programme for the next musical journey offered by transilvania asphalt tango production.

12/2010 --- Free tracks by Fanfare Ciocarlia and Marko and Boban Markovic Orkestar

Buy your tickets for Balkan Brass Battle before the 1st January 2011 and get free downloads from both bands (including the exclusive, previously unreleased, very first field recording by Fanfare Ciocarlia (1996) "Sirba de la monastirea").

(more details)
 
 

11/2010 --- Art Gallery Kai Dikhas to open soon

In about half a year an unique centre for the creative industries of Berlin will open its doors. From spring 2011 on the "Aufbau Haus", located on Moritzplatz in Berlin-Kreuzberg, will be home to various companies and projects involved in theatre and music up to visual arts.

One highlight of the "Aufbau Haus" is the art gallery KAI DIKHAS. This "place of seeing" - this is actually the translation of the gallery's name from Romanes - will show changing exhibitions of Roma and Sinti artists from all over the world.
Asphalt Tango Records will round off the gallery's concept with a music corner, where visitors can listen to and purchase Gypsy music.

10/2010 --- BALKAN BRASS BATTLE - dates for battles in May 2011 are set!

From the wild, wild East - Romania & Serbia - the two foremost Gypsy brass bands Fanfare Ciocarlia and the Markovic Orkestar are taking the stage together in May 2011. The showdown is wild entertainment that will never be forgotten!

(check out all dates)

10/2010 --- Im Nichts

Vor neunzehn Jahren kam die Roma-Familie Mujolli aus dem Kosovo nach Deutschland. Dann wurde sie abgeschoben - zurück in die alte Heimat, die für sie nie eine gewesen ist ...

(weiterlesen)

09/2010 --- Great news from WOMEX, Asphalt Tango Records is one of the top-10 labels of 2010!!!

Congratulations to everyone who made it this year, first and foremost to World Village.

09/2010 --- Mahala Rai Banda's NORTH AMERICAN TOUR will start soon!!!

Save your ticket and polish your dancing shoes...

06/2010 --- Who is the heavyweight champion of Balkan Brass???

Prepare yourself: here comes the heavy, heavy monster sound! From the wild, wild East - Romania & Serbia - the two foremost Gypsy brass bands Fanfare Ciocarlia and the Boban i Marko Markovic Orkestar are taking the stage together in 2011 to see who blows hottest and hardest. There's gonna be a showdown! Check out this first video

04/10 --- 'Mother of Gypsy Soul' Ljiljana Buttler has died on Monday, 26th of April 2010.

For the last 3 years the great singer blessed with a heartful soul was part of the project “The Gypsy Queens & Kings” and is terribly missed now by all artists involved. Our thoughts and sincere condolences go out to Ljiljana's family and friends.

Helmut, Henry, Ute, Claudia & Gregor

04/2010 --- New video of Romanias brass legends Fanfare Ciocarlia on show!

Watch, vote and comment!

03/2010 --- Legendary British DJ, musicologist and author Charlie Gillett died

We just heard the very sad news that Charlie Gillett died yesterday.
Our thoughts and sincere condolences go out to his family and friends. Helmut, Henry, Ute, Claudia & Gregor.

03/2010 --- Next journey to Roma Musicians

No idea where to spend your holidays yet? How about joining us on a round trip through Romania in September 2010! Check out the programme for the next musical journey offered by Transilvania and asphalt tango production.

02/2010 --- Relaunch WEBSITE

Due to a relaunch of our Website you might be facing the odd bugg... In case you do we apologize and kindly ask you for a short note.

02/2010 --- TOP OF THE WORLD ALBUMS in current issue of world music magazine SONGLINES including "OPA HEY!"

We are delighted that KOTTARASHKY's amazing debut album is TOP OF THE WORLD ALBUM in the current issue of SONGLINES. Congratulations to Sofia!

02/2010 --- KOTTARASHKY on position 3 in World Music Charts Europe February 2009!

The debut album "Opa Hey!" of Bulgarian sound wizard Kottarashky moved up to position 3 in this month's World Music Charts Europe.

01/2010 --- POPMATTERS on MAHALA RAI BANDA's album "Ghetto Blasters" / Best World Music of 2009

Take a look at Popmatters' list with "The Best World Music of 2009"!

11/2009 --- FREE DOWNLOAD - "TEBE" by Kottarashky !

The track "Tebe" from the debut album "Opa Hey!" by Kottarashky is available on our website for free until 6/12/2009! So please tune in and spread the word!

11/2009 --- MAHALA RAI BANDA on position 2 in World Music Charts Europe in November 2009!

The second CD release "Ghetto Blasters " of Romania's Mahala Rai Banda captured the World Music Charts Europe in November 2009!

Congratulations!

10/2009 --- asphalt tango Production & asphalt Tango Records
on WOMEX 2009

We'll leave for Copenhagen soon and would like to invite any Womexican to visit us at our stand B3-058. See you around!

09/2009 --- The Gypsy Queens & Kings LIVE in UK!

Music Beyond Mainstream confirmed a top-class tour from 11th until 21st of October, the 20 Gypsy musicians including Esma Redzepova, Florentina Sandu, Jony Iliev, Kaloomé and Mahala Rai Banda will set the stage on fire in: 11.10. The Bridgewater Hall (Manchester) // 12.10. Philharmonic Hall (Liverpool) // 13.10. De Montfort Hall (Leicester) // 15.10. Colston Hall (Bristol) // 16.10. The Anvil (Basingstoke) // 17.10. Warwick Arts Centre (Coventry) // 18.10. Royal & Derngate (Northampton) // 19.10. Royal Festival Hall (London) // 21.10. The Sage (Gateshead)

08/2009 --- WOMEX Top Label Award 2009 for Asphalt Tango Records

Asphalt Tango Records will be awarded with one of the WOMEX Top Label Awards 2009! Asphalt Tango Records came in 13th on the Top Labels' 20! Congratulations to all winners: www.womex.com/realwomex/top-label-awards

07/2009 --- Bustling Autumn Season at Asphalt Tango Records

We're heading towards a bustling autumn season as we will release 4 new albums soon. Be prepared for the long-awaited second CD of MAHALA RAI BANDA (out October 16th), a Best-of-LP of FANFARE CIOCARLIA as well as a Live-CD including the DVD "The story of the Band" of the stars of Gypsy Brass (both out September 25th). Last but not least we'll release the debut album of KOTTARASHKY on the 13th of November.

04/2009 ---OTTO-PANKOK-SUBSIDY AWARD of German foundation „Stiftung zugunsten des Romavolks“ goes to Cia Rinne & Joakim Eskildsen (photo book "THE ROMA JOURNEYS)

On 14th of February the "Otto-Pankok-Award" of the German foundation "Stiftung zugunsten des Romavolks" established by Günter and Ute Grass in 1997 was handed out in Lübeck for the 4th time. The Subsidy Award went to author Cia Rinne and photographer Joakim Eskildsen for their photo book "THE ROMA JOURNEYS" published by Steidl in 2007.

04/2009 --- New singer on board: LA CHERGA presents ANKA ILIJASEVIC (HR)

After a successful collaboration with jazz vocalist Irina Karamarkovic La Cherga now presents a new front singer, Anka Ilijasevic from Croatia. The artist originates from a family of musicians living in Makarska on the adriatic coast.During her childhood Anka took piano lessons but soon discovered her vocal talent. In the 90s she used to sing invarious rock- and bluesbands and then widened her repertoire to jazz and soul.Being an insider tip of the Croatian music scene so far, audiences outside Croatia may now enjoy this energeticvocalist.

04/2009 --- Digital Tango?! SOCIAL BOOKMARKING on www.asphalt-tango.de

We added a new feature to our website: with the help of the recently installed SOCIAL BOOKMARKING tool you may share every single page of our website with the rest of the world so easily.

04/2009 --- New band on board: Warm welcome to MAHALA RAI BANDA (RO)

We already announced this on our MySpace- and Facebook-page: MAHALA RAI BANDA signed to Asphalt Tango Records and Romania's hottest young Gypsy band from Bucharest will release a second album in autumn 2009.

04/2009 --- SONGBOOK & MP3 ErsatzMusika FREE DOWNLOAD on our website

In a few days we'll release the CD "Songs Unrecantable" by ERSATZMUSIKA, this post-soviet urban folk band around Irina Doubrovskaja's melancholic voice.

 A beautiful SONGOOK, that accompanies the CD, is available for FREE DOWNLOAD www.asphalt-tango.de. Besides all songtexts of the album the booklet features paintings and drawings of multitalent Irina Doubrovskaja. Along with the Songbook we also give away a *FREE* MP3 available for download, that allows you to sort of prelisten the album.

04/2009 --- Asphalt Tango Records recommends:

@ LONDON: Filmfestival "PRINCES AMONGST MEN" from 24.-26. April & 1.-3. May 2009 Men!

Garth Cartwright, author of the acclaimed book "Princes amongst Men", takes his filmfestival into the next round. All information about the filmfestival: www.myspace.com/princesamongstmen2007

@ TV ARTE: Feature "BALKAN-SOUL & GYPSY-BLUES" on 27. April at 10.25 pm

The documentary invites you to travel to the South-eastern end of Europe and gives a sound insight into the world of Gypsy music and it's important players. All information about the film documentary: www.arte.tv

03/2009 --- ITB BookAward 2009 for Princes Amongst Men!

The jury of the ITB BookAwards just announced all winners of 2009 and we're overwhelmed that Garth Cartwrights book "Princes amongst Men * Balkanblues und Blaskapellen" (Hannibal Verlag) and the accompanying CD "Princes Amongst Men" (Asphalt Tango Records) will be awarded this year! The book and CD will be awarded in the category "Most important Travelbook", the award show will take place on Friday 13. March, 4-6 pm in hall 4.1, on the ITB 2009 in Berlin.

More information on the book (in English)

More information on the book (in German)
More information on the CD

03/2009 --- KAL on position 2 at World Music Charts Europe in March 2009!

The second CD release "Radio Romanista" of Serbias Gypsy rebels Kal captured the World Music Charts Europe in March 2009. Straight from the Belgrade suburbs onto Pos. 2 !!!

Congratulations!

02/2009  CD "Songs Unrecantable" by ErsatzMusika out 10. April 09

The work on the second album of ErsatzMusika is almost  done, in few weeks we'll release the CD "Songs Unrecantable" by the band around singer and multitalent Irina Doubrovskaja.  But Irina is not the only one to raise a voice, here is a glimpse of what else to expect:

myspace.com/AsphaltTangoRecords

A SONGBOOK will be available for free Download on our website from 10. April on.

2/2009  Asphalt Tango Records on Facebook

As the developments of MyspaceMusic make us frown  and the latest news from Midem 2009 don't suggest to expect a  reasonable agreement for all independent labels united in Merlin to come around the corner soon, we started building  a second home in Web2.0. Please join us on our brandnew  Asphalt-Tango-Facebook-Page!

Asphalt Tango on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Asphalt-Tango/44947584355

01/2009   Awards for Asphalt Tango Records

As the year turned we were delighted by awards for all releases  of Asphalt Tango Records in 2008:

The magazine MIXED (NL/B) declared the debut CD  "Bucharest Tango" by Oana Catalina Chitu the 5th best album of 2008 in the category 'Europe'.

At the FROOTS CRITICS POLL (UK) for the best albums  of 2008 the CD "Sounds from a Bygone Age Vol.5  -  Gabi Lunca" and the CD "Princes Amongst Men" made it to postion 6 and 11 in the category 'Reissues & Compilations Of The Year'.

The WORLD MUSIC CHARTS EUROPE published their end-of-year-list and out of more than 900 albums our CDs  "Sounds from a Bygone Age Vol.5 - Gabi Lunca"  and the "Princes Amongst Men" can be found on  position 52 and 59.

And last but not least the French TRAD MAGAZINE  awarded the debut CD "Fake No More" by La Cherga with one of their 'Bravos'. Our warum congratulations to  everyone involved and thanks for your excellent work!

11/2008 ---fRoots Critics Poll nomination for ALBUM OF THE YEAR 2008"

Our CD “Gabi Lunca: Sounds From A Bygone Age Vol. 5” has been nominated in the 2008 fRoots Critics Poll as one of the Reissue, Compilation & Historic Albums Of The Year!

This year’s winners will be revealed exclusively by BBC Radio 3 in a special edition of World On 3 broadcast from 11.15 pm on Friday 5th December, hosted by worldmusic guru Charlie Gillett, and on www.frootsmag.com from 6th December.

So please keep your fingers crossed!!!

11/2008 --- CD of La Cherga "Fake No More " awarded in Germany by the "Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik"

The jury of the "Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik" (The German Record Critics' Award) put the CD "Fake No More" of the Austrian based band La Cherga on their award list 2008. This list shows the best releases in Germany of the past quarter in the year.

09/2008 --- Princes Amongst Men: UK CD launch in London!

A rip-roaring Gypsy music party... with live music, Balkan Dj sets,
and rare film footage (including of Guca brass festival in Serbia and
Gypsy Queen Esma Redzepova) to celebrate the launch of the CD
soundtrack to Garth Cartwright's Balkan Gypsy adventures (Princes
Amongst Men, Serpent's Tail) in one of London's most authentic East
European venues - October 2nd 2008!

Doors 7.30pm: film screenings, 9.00pm: Live music, DJs: Garth Cartwright, Leon Parker, Seb Merrick. Romanian menu available at reasonable prices!

Address: 32 Old Bailey Romanian Restaurant/Venue, Blackfriars EC4M 7HS

tickets: £6 - www.wegottickets.com / 07966 452557 (booking fee may apply)

020 7489 1842 to reserve for dining

The CD Princes Amongst Men (Asphalt Tango) containing tracks selected by Garth will be out on 29 September 2008.

08/2008 --- Kal 2nd album

Serbian Gypsy rebels KAL have some time for themselves to work on studio album number 2 in a seclusive Belgrade studio. We are happy to announce that the record will once again be skilfully produced by Mike Nielsen (Jamiroquai / Natasha Atlas). The album will be released in January 2009.

06/2008 --- Saban Bajramovic has died June 8th 2008!

Saban Bajramovic - legendary singer, composer and actor has died June 8th 2008 in the Serbian city of Nis (72 years old). A year ago, Bajramovic had a heart attack and from that moment he spent most of his time in the hospital. He left an quenchless trace behind him - writing the musical history of Roma music! His last recordings (Sandala and Ma Maren Ma) can be heard on the CD release "Queens & Kings" - together with Fanfare Ciocarlia.

05/2008 --- CD of Gabi Lunca "Sounds From A Bygone Age - Vol. 5 " awarded in Germany by the "Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik"

The jury of the "Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik" (The German Record Critics' Award) put the CD "Sounds From A Bygone Age - Vol. 5" of the Romanian female singer Gabi Lunca on their award list 2/2008. This list shows the best releases in Germany of the past quarter in the year.

02/2008 --- Best of 2007...

The CD “Queens and Kings“ by Fanfare Ciocarlia swept “Best of 2007“ lists. The British music magazines SONGLINES, MOJO, fROOTS and the French colleagues from MONDOMIX declare the album best of 2007.

Congratulations for Romania!

01/2008 --- Sounds From A Bygone Age Vol. 5 out soon!

Asphalt Tango Records proudly present Volume 5 of  "Sounds From A Bygone Age" featuring the legendary Romanian singer Gabi Lunca.

Gabi Lunca - the diva of the Romanian muzica lautareasca is referred to as the "Tziganca de matase", the silken Gypsy woman. Her songs are the quiet, melancholic songs of passion and yearning for one’s sweetheart; songs to lift the weight from one's soul.

Romanian traditional music with its original analogue sound - recorded in the 1960s and 1970s! Release date: April 18th 2008

01/2008 --- The Gypsy Queens & Kings to tour Europe 2008

The coming concerts of The Gypsy Queens & Kings in Spring and Summer 2008 will definitely belong to the musical highlights of the year! 18 of the most talented Roma artists share the stage together with the hottest Brassband from Eastern Europe! Watch the tour trailer with the current concert dates….

12/2007 --- “Princes Amongst Men” now available in French language!

The highly acclaimed book from Garth Cartwright “Princes Amongst Men” is now available in French! Published by Buchet Chastel, “Princes Parmi Les Hommes” is an enriching musical voyage through the Balkans; a contemporary travelogue treading unfamiliar roads, joined each step of the way by gypsy musicians and their communities.

Featuring Fanfare Ciocarlia, Esma Redzepova, Jony Iliev & many more!

11/2007 --- The 2nd London Gypsy Film Festival

Picturehouse is pleased to announce the second annual London Gypsy Film Festival at The Ritzy (Nov 2-4) and Greenwich Picture House (Nov 9-11). The Ritzy’s upstairs café will also host a feast of Gypsy-themed music across the weekend. The Gypsy Film Festival celebrates Romany culture and the Decade of Roma Inclusion 2005-2015: supported by nine European countries, the European Commission and the UN, this project aims to challenge racial stereotypes and increase tolerance.

Find the festival program here!

10/2007 --- our label artists on youtube...

Welcome to the video channel of Asphalt Tango Records. Take a frantic ride through the very best in Gypsy and Eastern European music clips. Watch them, share them and subscribe to our page so you catch the new videos as soon as they are on show.

09/2007 --- Joan Baez & Fanfare Ciocarlia

American folk legend Baez was one of the headliners at this year's Cambridge Folk Festival. But it was the Balkan brass of Fanfare Ciocarlia that really got her going. She couldn't resist shimmying around the stage while they played, later asking the audiance how to pronounce the band's neme when she came on to play...

07/2007 --- Fanfare Ciocarlia & Kal rock Roskilde !

Asphalt Tango label artists Fanfare Ciocarlia from Romania and the Serbian Gypsy rockers KAL were putting the heat on their audience at Roskilde Festival. Both bands raised a steaming musical storm resulting in thousands of frenetic rubber booted ravers stirring up tons of mud after Roskilde had been attacked by the heaviest rainfalls of the year two days before. The statement of the festival management: "These two acts have been burned into the long-term memory of festival visitors."

07/2007 --- Princess Amongst Men has proved an international hit!

Garth Cartwright's book Princes Amongst Men: Journeys With Gypsy Musicians (featuring Fanfare Ciocarlia and Jony Iliev) has proved an international hit; an updated edition came out in June 2007 while the first French edition is published this October. Winning high praise as both the definitive book on Gypsy music and the post-communist Balkan states, Princes Amongst Men is also being sited as one of the classic travel memoirs. Professor Ian Hancock (University Of Texas, Romany Studies) noted "it is the best book on the Gypsies yet written by one who is not a Rom."

06/2007 --- The Gypsy Queens and Kings are on a roll!

Fanfare Ciocarlia  is continuing  their Queens and Kings tour with huge success. On 30th May 2007 the band performed in front of 2000 people at the legendary Barbican Festival in London. ‘In a two-hour set that could have gone on all night, Fanfare Ciocarlia turned the genteel, cavernous Barbican Hall into the best Gypsy party this side of the Danube.’(Guardian)

Watch some video clips of the latest Queens and Kings concert here!

05/2007 --- Ersatz Musika signed to Asphalt Tango Records

We have to admit we thought we knew what Russian music sounds like - up until the day we met the band Ersatz Musika. The musical and technical ability of this band, the innovative and energetic playing of these five Russian artists, moreover the acoustic drawings ranging somewhere between Pascal Comelade and a Slavonian Manu Chao caught us right away. A very warm welcome to the roster of asphalt tango production! This news is topped by the following: September 2007 Asphalt Tango Records will release Ersatz Musica's first album!

05/2007 --- CD "Queens and Kings" on Top of the World in UK!

The latest album "Queens and Kings" of Fanfare Ciocarlia was voted among the 10 TOP OF THE WORLD albums and even declared as "the most irrepressible Gypsy disc of the year" in the latest issue of UK magazine SONGLINES.

05/2007 --- Fanfare Ciocarlia documentary has won award in Nashville!

The documentary “When the road bends - tales of a Gypsy Caravan” featuring Fanfare Ciocarlia has won the IMPACT OF MUSIC jury award from the Nashville Film Festival USA!

04/2007 --- The latest release "Queens & Kings" of Fanfare Ciocarlia on TOP of World Music Charts!

The new album of the speed demons jumped now onto POSITION 1 of the World Music Charts Europe in April 2007!

02/2007 --- Get the new Fanfare Ciocarlia album - sales have been started !

The new album "Queens and Kings" is now available on Asphalt Tango Records Shop - buy the album or take the time limited package offer - including the the new CD & the entire story of the brass legends on DVD - for unbeatable 33,- Euros.

01/2007 --- Dona Dumitru Siminica on Top of the World

Volume 3 of the Asphalt Tango Records CD series “Sounds From a Bygone Age” featuring Dona Dumitru Siminica was voted among the 10 TOP OF THE WORLD albums and even among the 10 BEST ALBUMS OF 2006 in the Jan/Feb issue of UK magazine SONGLINES.

12/2006 --- KAL on position 3 at World Music Charts Europe in 2006

After conquering the World Music Charts Europe (WMCE) withtheir self-titled, international debut album in April 2006 and remaining in the charts for months, it’s our pleasure to announce that KAL is number 3 on the annual list of WMCE in 2006! The CD “KAL”was selected from almost 1.000 new releases and is coming in just behind Ali Farka Toure und Mercan Dede but ahead of Lila Downs, Souad Massi and Ojos de Brujo.

11/2006 --- Review of Borat Soundtrack in BBC News

…Returning to the real music on the real soundtrack to the fake persona of, Borat there is one standout number. It's from a legendary group of farmer-musicians in Romania's Moldova region. They're called Fanfare Ciocarlia. In keeping with the laughs of Borat’s movie, this is the band's hot and humorous cover of “Born to Be Wild." Some might call Borat a misogynist and a racist. But with this soundtrack, the royalties will now flow in for these Romanian gypsy musicians.They'll have Borat to thank, even though the ethno-musical connection between Romania and Kazakhstan is thin at best.

For The World, I'm Marco Werman

10/2006 --- Ioan Ivancea has died

Ioan Ivancea, senior chief of Fanfare Ciocarlia, has died aged 66 in the early hours of Friday, 20th October 2006 after severe illness in his home surrounded by family and friends. We'll all deeply miss Ioan and his ways of bringing back the moving memories of his life, his distinctive playing of the clarinet as well as his melancholic singing full of character. We feel very grateful for all those years we've shared with our friend and will do everything to keep his memory alive. Ioan Ivancea's family has our deepest sympathy.

10/2006 --- Vol. 3 of "Sounds From A Bygone Age" out now!

Asphalt Tango Records proudly presents Vol. 3 of "Sounds From A Bygone Age" featuring Romanian vocal phenomenon Dona Dumitru Siminica. Siminica sang songs which offered consolation to the lonely, tended the wounds of the lovesick, and prepared those newly-infatuated for the end of their love. Siminica had a disturbing, androgynous falsetto voice and a large number of female fans who hung on to every word uttered by the man in the bespoke suit with the immaculate hairstyle and carefully clipped moustache for nights on end. The third CD of our series 'Sounds From A Bygone Age' contains recordings of the most exposed singer of the Romanian "muzica lautareasca".

09/2006 --- Label Award 2006 goes to Asphalt Tango Records!

Asphalt Tango Records will be awarded with one of the new established WOMEX & World Music Charts Europe Top Label Awards 2006! Womex and WMCE just initiated this new award in order to encourage the labels in those rather funny times. With the releases "Sounds of a bygone age Vol.1 feat. Ion Petre Stoican" ATR 0805 and "KAL" ATR 0906 by newcomer Kal Asphalt Tango Records came in 6th on the Top Labels' 20!

06/2006 --- Fanfare Ciocarlia back in Hollywood!

Three months ago Hollywood knocked on our door and asked for an unmistakable Gypsy version of the Steppenwolf hit "Born To Be Wild" to get the pictures of the film "Borat" moving. So Fanfare Ciocarlia rushed into a studio and pepped up this ageless bikers' hymne from the 70's in their very own style. Get your motors runnin': Comedian Sascha Baron Cohen aka 'Ali G' aka 'Borat' aka 'Bruno' is starring in the movie "Borat" which will hit the cinemas on November 3rd this year.

05/2006 --- CD of Romica Puceanu "Sounds From A Bygone Age" awarded in Germany by the "Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik"

The jury of the "Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik" (The German Record Critics' Award) put the CD "Sounds From A Bygone Age Vol. 2" of the Romanian female singer Romica Puceanu on their award list 2/2006. This list shows the best releases in Germany of the past quarter in the year.

05/2006 --- FANFARE CIOCARLIA again in the cinemas of the world

After the big succes of the "Gypsy Caravan Tour" featuring Fanfare Ciocarlia, Esma Redzepova, Taraf de Haidouks and Antonia del Pipa little dust productions proudly presents the film "When the road bends ... tales of a Gypsy Caravan". The premiere of the film is at the Tribecca Filmfestival NYC at 1st May 2006.

04/2006 --- Fanfare Ciocarlia wins BBC-3 Planet Award!

Fanfare Ciocarlia wins the prestigious BBC-3 Planet Award 2006 in the category "Europe". We send our congratulations to the Moldavian village Zece Prajini - the playground of Fanfare Ciocarlia. Check their latest CD "Gili Garabdi" and the story of the band on DVD "Gypsy Brass Legends"!

04/2006 --- CD "Sounds From A Bygone Age" Vol. 1 at the top!

The first CD release of our serial "Sounds From The Bygone Age" with romanian fiddler Ion Petre Stoican was chosen by the UK Songlines Magazine as "Top of the World" album in the March / April issue!

04/2006 --- Princes Amongst Men: "Excellent. Distinguished by style, verve and engagement" The Guardian

Princes Amongst Men has received rave reviews and sold strongly throughout the English speaking world - Garth Cartwright did an author tour in the new year across the US West Coast and New Zealand - and will be published in French later this year. Princes Amongst Men: Journeys With Gypsy Musicians (Serpents Tail) was published in June 2005 and has since gone on to be acclaimed internationally as not only "the best book on Balkan Gypsy culture yet" (Professor Ian Hancock, Professor Of Romani Studies, University Of Texas) but also "one of the most enjoyable books ever written on music. I learnt a lot while often laughing out loud" (Charlie Gillett, BBC London).

"One of the best books of 2005" Uncut
"Reads like a road movie. Hugely informative and entertaining." Mojo
"A gonzo journey through the Balkans. Should become a required reference work on the region." The Daily Telegraph

02/2006 --- Vol. 2 of "Sounds From A Bygone Age" OUT NOW !

Asphalt Tango Records proudly presents Vol. 2 of "Sounds From A Bygone Age" featuring Romica Puceanu & The Gore Brothers . 24th Februray was the official release date of the recordings from "the Billy Holiday" of the East.

10/2005 --- Congratulations Motion Trio!

Motion Trio wins the renowned French music award "Prix Gus Viseur" 2005 in the category "Decouverte"! In November 2005 the accordion trio from Cracow will be awarded with the French "Prix Gus Viseur". The award show of this acclaimed prize established by the French magazine "Accordeon et Accordéonistes" and the wife and daughter of the famous accordionist Gus Viseur, Jeannette Viseur et Josette Baselli, will be held in Paris on 7th November 2005.
New CD "Play-Station" by Motion Trio out now!

10/2005 --- Asphalt Tango Records hits the Top 20 in the World Music Label list!

Each year Womex publishes in its Guide the top 30 World Music Labels according to the World Music Charts Europe WMCE. Based on the monthly WMCE charts between two Womex editions it is the leading reference point for artistic impact and commercial success alike. For 2005, ASPHALT TANGO RECORDS even hits the top 20 World Music labels list!
Congratulations to everybody who made it this year and a bright future to all of us!

THE TOP 20 WORLD MUSIC LABELS LIST 2005:
1 Crammed/Ziriguiboom (B) / 2 World Music Network/Riverboat (UK) / 3 Network Medien (D) / 4 Six Degrees (USA) / 5 World Circuit (UK) / 6 Piranha (D) / 7 Because Records (F) / 8 Wrasse (UK) / 9 Lusafrica (F) / 10 Doublemoon (TR) / 11 EMI (Intl.) / 12 Universal (Intl.) / 13 World Connection (NL) 14 Galileo Music (D) / 15 Syllart/Cantos (UK/USA) / 16 ASPHALT TANGO (D) / 17 Tradition &Moderne (D) / 18 Virgin/Realworld (UK) / 19 Tril oka (USA) / 20 Cantini (GR)

09/2005 --- New CD-Series "Sounds From A Bygone Age"

On 1st November 2005 we'll kick off our new CD-Series 'SOUNDS FROM A BYGONE AGE'. We start off with a treasure dug out from the archives of Electrecord, the former monopoly record company of Romania. Through a bizarre stroke of luck the Romanian violinist ION PETRE STOICAN managed to unite the most important Gypsy musicians of the Bucharest Lautari scene on one of the most atmospheric records of the time. Retrieved for the 21st century and out on CD soon: An audible chapter of Romanian cultural history in the original analog sound of the 70ies

08/2005 --- Motion Trio performed at the legendary Lowlands Festival in the Netherlands

On 20th August 2005 the Motion Trio performed in front of more than 2000 people at the legendary Lowlands Festival in the Netherlands. The show was recorded by the Dutch broadcasting station VPRO and you can listen to parts of the show here.

08/2005 --- Motion Trio recorded 2nd album for Asphalt Tango Records

Motion Trio's second album entitled "Play-Station" will be released by Asphalt Tango Records October 10th 2005. Six hands stand up to electrically generated notes and turn them into acoustic anthems to their instrument, the accordion. All of a sudden a playstation offers more than 100 buttons! Bursts of sound or sparkling triplets, tribal rhythms, percussive notes and Yes: Motion Trio is reinventing the accordion!

05/2005 --- Fanfare Ciocarlia in World Music Charts Europe for 4 months!

The CD 'Gili Garabdi - Ancient Secrets of Gypsy Brass' is still in the World Music Charts Europe. In May 2005 the album is on position 3.
Check the WMCE out on www.wmce.de

05/2005 --- Jony Iliev appears in the book "Princes Amongst Men"

Welcome to Princes Amongst Men : Journeys With Gypsy Musicians written by the London based author Garth Cartwright and dedicated to promoting the culture and understanding of the Balkan Gypsy (Roma) people. Princes Amongst Men: Journeys With Gypsy Musicians, an epic journey through four Balkan nations - Serbia, Macedonia, Romania and Bulgaria - lands torn asunder by bogus nationalism, where the Gypsies - the original internationalists - strive to survive with style and grace whilst causing the least suffering possible.
Princes Amongst Men is published by Serpent's Tail in June 2005.

04/2005 --- Brand-new CD of Fanfare Ciocarlia on TOP of World Music Charts!

In March 2005 we released the forth CD of FANFARE CIOCARLIA, "GILI GARABDI", and after a very good debut in the World Music Charts Europe in March the album now jumped onto POSITION 1 of the WMCE in April! Check the WMCE out on www.wmce.de

03/2005 --- Editors of music magazine Global Rhythm (US) vote CD 'Pictures from the Street' of Motion Trio among 'Top Ten World Music Titles' of the month

The Polish trio definitely strike the right notes - in this month's issue of Global Rhythm the editors selected the album "PICTURES FROM THE STREET" released by Asphalt Tango Records last October as one of the Top Ten World Music Titles.
Check the current Top Ten out on www.globalrhythm.net

02/2005 --- CD of MOTION TRIO awarded in Germany by the "Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik"

Now it's official: the jury "Grenzgänge" (Crossing Borders) of the "Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik" (The German Record Critics' Award) put the CD "PICTURES FROM THE STREET" of the Polish Motion Trio on their award list 1/2005. This list shows the best releases in Germany of the past quarter in the year. We would like to congratulate the 'Trio Infernal' from Krakow and once more recommend the striking experience of watching them performing live to everybody!

02/2005 --- Motion Trio in and on air!

The music of Motion Trio will be played on the Lufthansa-Radio on all long distance flights in March and April 2005. So if travelling far don't forget your headphones...

01/2005 --- Fanfare Ciocarlia appears in the book "Princes Amongst Men"

Welcome to "Princes Amongst Men: Journeys With Gypsy Musicians" written by the London based author Garth Cartwright and dedicated to promoting the culture and understanding of the Balkan Gypsy (Roma) people. Princes Amongst Men: Journeys With Gypsy Musicians, an epic journey through four Balkan nations - Serbia, Macedonia, Romania and Bulgaria - lands torn asunder by bogus nationalism, where the Gypsies - the original internationalists - strive to survive with style and grace whilst causing the least suffering possible.
Princes Amongst Men is published by Serpent's Tail in June 2005.

11/2004 --- Film "IAG BARI - Brass on Fire" won award at "Golden Wheel" Festival in Macedonia

The movie "IAG BARI - Brass on Fire" was awarded the "Best Long Documentary Award" on the Roma Festival for TV and Radio Production "Golden Wheel" in Skopje. And just to remind you: the DVD of Fanfare Ciocarlia released in October 2004 does also include this movie!

10/2004 --- The Speed Demons of Gypsy Brass on DVD

Time to rearrange your living room, folks! Invite Fanfare Ciocarlia to blow off your roof or at least for a party to remember. Take a glance behind the scene, meet the members of the band in their home village, jump on the bus and join them on tour! On 25th of October 2004 Asphalt Tango Records released the first DVD of Fanfare Ciocarlia. Get ready for more than 150 minutes face to face with the Speed Demons of Gypsy Brass.
The DVD "FANFARE CIOCARLIA - THE STORY OF THE BAND" is covering an entire live concert, the acclaimed movie "Iag Bari - Brass on Fire" as well as two video clips and aplenty extras. Ever heard of the 'Super-Rom-Image- Studios' in Romania?! That's where the band edited their very own 8mm film showing the early years...

08/2004 --- Fanfare Ciocarlia join Kodo Drummers in Japan

In August Fanfare Ciocarlia performed a concert at the Earth Festival on the isle of Sado in Japan together with the famous Kodo Drummers. More than 2.500 concertgoers gave standing ovations after this unique get-together.

02/2004 --- Movie with Fanfare Ciocarlia won German Film Prize 2004

After the new movie of director Fatih Akin "Gegen die Wand" (Head On) won the "Goldener Baer" at the Berlinale, the International Filmfestival Berlin 2004, in February the movie additionally won the 54th German Film Prize in Gold in June in four categories - best movie, best director, best actress and best actor. "Gegen die Wand" is screened in the cinemas since March 2004.

12/2003 --- It's hailing Awards for Asphalt Tango Records!

As the year 2003 draws to a close, it is hailing awards for all releases of Asphalt Tango Records:
- Earth Wheel Sky Band / "WALTZ RROMANO" Blitz (P) elected our latest release the 23rd best album of 2003 Cronicas da Terra (P) put this record on place 4 of the top 20 world music records of 2003
- Jony Iliev & band / "MA MAREN MA" Songlines (UK) voted this album for one of "the 10 best albums of 2003" Global Rhythm (US) included our first release to their list of "20 essential world music CDs of 2003"
- Besh o droM / "CAN'T MAKE ME" Chicago Public Radio (US) selected this album among the "top 10 records of the year" Vibrations (F,CH) put our second release on their list of the "best albums 2003"

12/2003 --- Asphalt Tango Records in the Charts!

The World Music Charts Europe just published the "Top 150 in the year 2003" of 1040 nominated records and, **surprise surprise**, every one of our first three releases can be found on this list:
No 61. Jony Iliev & band "Ma Maren Ma" CD-ATR0102 (Asphalt Tango Records)
No 114. Besh o droM "Can't Make Me" CD-ATR0203 (Asphalt Tango Records)
No 119. Earth Wheel Sky Band "Waltz Rromano" CD-ATR0303 (Asphalt Tango Records)