Taraf de Akácfa - Hora de la Bolintin / Sârbă de joc din Constanța / Sârba oltenească / Briu

Hora de la Bolintin (from Toni Iordache)
Sârbă de joc din Constanța (from Ion Petre Stoican)
Sârba oltenească (from Toni Iordache)
Briu (from Taraf de Haidouks)

In June 2024, A38 World recorded the live concert footage performed by Taraf de Akácfa. This song is part of the full concert, which was aired on Hungarian National Televison (M2 Petőfi TV).

Musicians:
Lulu Starr - violin
Ion Curteanu - cimbalom
Bitó János - accordion
Brassai Ábel - brácsa
Szabó Gergő - double bass

Taraf de Akácfa was created in 2014 by traveling street musicians who met in Budapest, Hungary in an international collective house on Akácfa street. The founding members of the group came from the United States, Sweden, Hungary and France, and eventually chose to stay in Budapest, where they experienced constant musical inspiration and could share their common passion for Eastern European and Balkan folk music. Their current musical repertoire is predominantly centered around Romanian lăutarească, Moldovan and Transylvanian folk music, and they also perform a variety of folk music from the Balkans.

While the formation of the band has changed and now the majority of the current members are native Hungarians, one thing has always remained; the shared curiosity and enthusiasm for this complex and dynamically rich traditional music. Taraf de Akácfa mixes the different musical and cultural backgrounds of its members, while tastefully blending different styles of folk music with innovative ideas and arrangements. They honor the sources and traditions which they draw upon, all while adding their own unique interpretation and style. Over the years, the members traveled throughout Romania, Moldova and Hungary, researching the origins of the songs which they play. They have had the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest folk musicians, most notably those of Taraf de Haidouks as well as Marcel Râmba, who heavily influenced their repertoire. In 2016 the band recorded their first self- titled album in Budapest. In 2018 their second full length album “Trei Focuri” was recorded at Pheonix Studio in Diósd, Hungary.

About A38:
Just like the Danube on which it floats, the A38 Ship doesn't care about borders or (language) barriers – this has been proven by the well-earned international frame of the venue, and also by the colorful origins of the artists it hosts: Jamaican reggae-dancehall legend Lee “Scratch” Perry, Japanese psychedelic rock heroes Acid Mothers Temple and Tamikrest from Tuareg are just a few examples. The musicians of different nations also bring the traditional instruments and sounds of their home. It’s not a surprise that A38 Ship was one of the selected venues to host the world's biggest music expo, WOMEX 2015 in Budapest.