New York Gypsy Fest hosts Turkish bands

ISTANBUL

The NY Gypsy Festival celebrates its ninth year with another outstanding program of performances and a total of eight shows from Sept. 19 to Oct. 5, 2013.

Highlights include the return of the Desert gypsies from India, Rhythm of Rajasthan, the eclectic Dutch ensemble ARIFA, the heavy brass orchestra Youngblood Brass Band and Django’s Dream, a very special Gypsy Swing Festival with Stephane Wrembel, Kamlo & Alfonso Ponticello and special guest Dotschy Reinhardt.The festival will also feature the Balkan Funk & Jazz sounds of NY GYPSY ALL-STARS, Italian Gypsy Folk band Taluna, the album release concert of downtown multi-kulti band TRIBECASTAN, NY heroes Escarioka, a special film screening of the critically acclaimed Brasslands and an afterparty with Sazet Band and Frank London’s Klezmer Brass ALL-STARS.

Arifa, coming from Romania, Turkey, the Netherlands and Germany will also be at the festival. Ancient musical traditions from the Middle East and Balkans are blended with jazz and contemporary improvised music through a Western frame of mind. Anatolian Alchemy is the second album by Netherlands-based Arifa which, since its founding three years ago, has played in five continents. Arifa’s debut album “Beyond Babylon” received five star reviews.