Tchookar 003
label website


Seven musicians and one dancer form Mango Gadzi. On Ur Mama three additional musicians are invited to accompany this completely acoustical band. The musical style Mango Gadzi performs is hard to pin down. Pure acoustic music with influences from Gypsy, flamenco, Eastern European and Arabian idioms comes closest.


Mango Gadzi is a group that can only perform live to be at its best. That's why Ur Mama was recorded direct-to-disc and without amplification, just microphones in front of the instruments or singers and a few additional ones in the recording room. The result is a very direct and emotionally communicative album.


All members compose or add contributions to 10 of the 11 tracks here which creates a strong unity though all songs are very different and refreshing. Here and there pieces borrowed from traditional songs shimmer through. Rumanian or Yiddish repertoire quotes get a Mango Gadzi makeover to become new/old originals. Moreover, the sung word for the most part is Mango Gadzi's own made-up language. These words or word-sounds are simply created to fit the melody, the rhythm and desired mood and become suggestive sounds rather than meaningful poetic outings.


From the above it is clear the group’s intention is not to be strictly traditional or even come close to that. Their main goal is to communicate their emotions as a group. Ur Mama is highly recommended for all who like a good recording of atypical music.