Queens and Kings

Album Review

On their most ambitious outing yet, the band find a common Balkan Gypsy language, bringing in a host of guests from around the Balkan Gypsy diaspora, mostly singers, but also musicians. There are some big names here, such as the Queen of the Gypsies, Esma Redzepova, whose trademark wail is very much in evidence on "Nakelavishe," and veterans like Lilijana Butler and Saban Bajramovic. But there's also rising new talent, such as Jony Iliev, Mitsou, and Kal, who keep the energy level high. In forging a ground everyone can understand, the music's relatively basic, but the brass blares beautifully, the drum adds wonderful, perfect accents, and the clarinet can spiral to the stratosphere at times. It's all blood-pumping stuff, a pleasure to hear, and the singers all give ecstatic performances. The biggest surprise, though, is the title cut, a version of "Born to Be Wild" that's all but unrecognizable except for the chorus. As border crossings go, this is a big one, every second a joyful, loving adventure.