It's
not just because Les Yeux Noirs are fronted by two violin-wielding
brothers that the word 'fraternity' comes to mind. Eric and Olivier
Slabiak have produced a band that, while scoring extremely highly
on the musical front, also come with a peace-love-and-understanding
vibe fitted as standard. Considered and complex yet wild and occasionally
raucous, Les Yeux Noirs (The Black Eyes) certainly give notions of
musical purity a good bruising.
Theirs
is a sound that ignores the divisions of political maps, sneaks
past border patrols and extends the hand of - it's that word again
- fraternity right across Central and Eastern Europe. Equal parts
gypsy and klezmer (with plenty of jazzy flourishes to boot), the
band draw on music from right across the region, from Hungary down
to Armenia.
It's an exhilarating,
winding journey, most often conducted at a pedal-to-the-metal, breakneck
speed. Fans of Taraf de Haidouks or Nigel Kennedy's work with the
Polish band Kroke are well-advised to get on board. Their new favourite
band has just arrived.
Nige Tassell
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