Romano Drom

Biography

Romano Drom reflects as well the tradition and the modernity of the oláh gipsy music. The power of their traditional music is in the voices and vocal games but also the use of romani language as their mother tongue. The basic olah gipsy songs are arranged by Antal Kovács who also composes new songs, mostly based on traditional melodies, and lived experiences. Romano Drom's music is characterized for its masculine energy and sincerity and it is probably the only group who has succeeded in integrating a powerful instrumentation, which gives us a sound colour never reached in this music before. Guitars, percussions, accordion, violin, and double bass groove together...until we have the feeling this music was always part of us.
Romano Drom means "gypsy road" in romani language, dissidents of the group Ando Drom, their first album "Déta Dévla" was released in Hungary in 1999. The second album "Ando Foro" (In the city) came out in November 2001 on the French Label daqui and is distributed by Harmonia Mundi. Their last album "Ande Lindri" (In Dream) came out in october 2003 on the same Label, and the group is actually preparing a new one coming out in the fall 2006.


Anti (Antal Kovács Jr), Solo and rythmic guitar, voice He started music at 10 years old in a children's group, which later became Ando Drom. He started his carreer by dancing, then played mandolin and sang, took over the tambura and finally the guitar. Foundator of the group with his father, he does all the arrangments, composes words and music of Romano Drom. He uses Tsollar, Lovar, Beash and Romanian melodies, to create an original and personnal repertoir, influenced by his passion for spanish music, but also his interrest for arab music and even Jazz.

Gojma (Antal Kovács), Voice, spoons,
dance
His unic raw voice is transmitting the proper Oláh traditionnal
way of sing. As well as his father and grandfather he is considered
as a very good dancer.
Joco (József Balogh), Voice, guitarHe started playing music alone, waiting for the group that would suite him. His meeting with Anti is the result of a dream, and the beguinning of a warmth collaboration.

Csika (Zsigmond Rafael), Aluminium can, vocal bass, danceChildhood's friend of Anti, he plays on the can, uses what we call "vocal bass", an Oláh specialilty, and interpretes the wooden stick dance.

Guests : Róbert "Harcsa" Farkas: accordion, violinAntal "Máté" Kovács: percussions