single artist

Romano Drom

“Certainly unusual for a Hungarian album, and none the worse for that, there’s a complete absence of brass and violin, giving an intimacy to the music that’s often enchanting. But its heart and soul is in the singing. If you need an analogy, try the Gipsy Kings, but with much more rooted soul, and far stronger vocal work. Real progress on this disc, and a band well-worth hearing.” Chris Nickson, All Music Guide

“Romano Drom’s set began as a more conventional concert, with the audience mainly listening. As the evening progressed, however, the audience grew more spirited and the band’s playing shifted, easily, naturally, to accommodate the dancing crowd. That the band was excellent from beginning to end speaks to the talents of its members, as well as their high level of showmanship.” Brooklynrail by Marshall Yarbrough, 2014 February

Romano Drom means ‘gypsy road’ in Romani language, and since the band’s foundation in 1999, they have travelled the four corners of the world, captivating audiences with their unique brand of gypsy heritage.

Singing in their Romani mother tongue, the band’s music is characterized by an energy and heartfelt integrity all its own, as they continue to build bridges between their legacy and contemporary music.

Led by Antal Kovács who co-founded the group with his late father, family spirit invigorates the usually 5 piece band on it‘s journey- after Gojma passed away, Máté and Krisztián shoulders their joint in tradition they live and share.

With a modern approach to tradition, the many different influences on Antal Kovács song writing and instrumentation gleam in cooperation with fellow musician guests from different fields of world music, including Said Tichiti from Morocco.

In typical Romano Drom fashion, the songs seamlessly alternate between melancholy and festive, with love as a central theme running through their repertoire- it’s inherent variegation is emphasized by traditional vocal games and household percussion instruments beside guitar, bass, brass, set of drums- in some cases magical gnawa device, Said’s guembri as well.