Fanfare Ciocărlia

They have not yet been to Mars. But 28 years ago, on November 9, 1997, Fanfare Ciocărlia played at the Lab for the first time. The beginning of a friendship that has lasted almost three decades between the most legendary of all gypsy brass bands and the most legendary of all Stuttgart live clubs.

Nothing needs to be rewritten about the music. Their unmistakable style and their unparalleled talent for refining Balkan roots music with borrowings from jazz, pop and rock music, interpreting brass music with seemingly absurd precision and speed, has helped them achieve cult status in the music scene from punk to classical music. Two and a half decades and ten studio albums later, the gypsy brass band Fanfare Ciocărlia is at the pinnacle of the brass music Olympus when a pandemic sends the world into shock. This event had the same impact on the musicians' lives as it did for millions of other artists: an abrupt standstill. And while the world was still in a haphazard standstill, fans around the world took action and made the long-planned studio recordings possible with their financial support and countless letters of encouragement. The result can be heard here: "It Wasn't Hard To Love You" is a musical ode to all fans of Fanfare Ciocărlia and adds a new musical chapter to the band's story. May the 16 tracks recorded on this album put a smile on people's faces and concerts in the post-Covid age, bring joy and provide the soundtrack for dancing the night away!