Fanfare Ciocarlia & Adrian Raso
The Devil Rides Again
While Devil's Tale was an ambitious musical experiment - a bold fusion of styles -the recording of The Devil Rides Again was proof that their chemistry was undeniable. This time around, Raso, playing guitars and banjo, leads the brass powerhouse through eight original instrumental compositions, as well as fresh takes on Dolly Parton's Jolene and The Spencer Davis Group's I'm A Man. The album is crowned with a stunning reinterpretation of Django Reinhardt's Blue Drag. "Tarantella Noir is a homage to the music in the south of Italy, which is so expressive, dynamic, and hypnotic. You can hear the influence of so many cultures within it," Raso explains. "As for Transylvania Twist... well," he laughs, "just imagine Dracula on a surfboard! The Bulgarian-style sax solo is one of my favorite moments on the album." Reuniting with Fanfare Ciocarlia after nearly a decade, Raso notes "it always amazes me to hear how diverse the brass section has become over the years." The admiration is mutual. "Adrian's music has the sound of a smile," says saxophonist Opric Ivancea. "We love to poach in other music genres and Adrian's passion for hunting is identical to ours. The opportunity to take a step back during our set and play some Balkan sounding jazz, a country song, a rock song and a beautiful Django tune was a new experience, and one we loved." With The Devil Rides Again, Adrian Raso and Fanfare Ciocarlia prove once more that when jazz, rockabilly, and Balkan brass collide, the result is pure magic.