| Paprika Balkanicus |
| Paprika Balkanicus reviews: "THEIR name suggests a spicy mixture, and Paparika Balkanicus do not disappoint. They are the kind of act one might expect at Womadelaide rather than the Cabaret Festival. Ostensibly they perform music from the Balkans, notably Serbia and Romania, whence the group’s members originate. But their musical material comes from all over, sometimes transformed to the point of being almost unrecognisable. Luis Bonfa’s Brazilian classic Manha de Carnival was ‘balkanised’ in their first number, giving just a hint of the eclectic mix to come. Odd time signatures and frenetic tempi are the hallmarks of their style. Instrumental virtuosity is very much to the fore, with accordionist Milos Milivojevic and bassist Jozef Secnik both showing exceptional facility. But it was violinist Bogdan Vacarescu who captured attention. His excursions into classical repertoire were as remarkable as they were unexpected. The hackneyed Csardas by Monti was punctuated by a cadenza that segued from Hungarian gypsy via Ernst’s fiendish variations on the Last Rose of Summer to a Bach Partita and back again. Vacarescu is clearly a violinist with serious classical credentials who enjoys letting his hair down – which he did literally by removing his hat to reveal what I can only surmise is a Balkan mullet. It was a wild ride – fast, furious, exhausting and exhilarating." Adelaide Cabaret Festival review - Article from: The Advertiser STEPHEN WHITTINGTON "Paprika Balkanicus is an all-singing all-dancing celebration. And that’s just the audience, large portions of which were on their collective feet before the end of the second song of the night. This splendid band, comprising a Romanian, two Serbs and a Slovakian, live in commendable harmony, celebrating a unique musical heritage. The presence of large numbers of cultural devotees was the icing on the cake, with cheering and clapping at the announcement of each successive number. Lusty clapping was compulsory, even if a difficult one in compound time taxed the audience’s ability! No matter, it all sounded like applause to me." Adelaide Cabaret Festival Reviews |
