Album Notes

The Gypsy Caravan, musicians and dancers, we are influenced by traditions and sounds from around the world. Mostly inspired from the music from around the regions of North Africa and the Middle East, the songs we play are all original, but we keep with the feeling of their ancient roots, and mix it up with contemporary instruments and dance styles to give it our own fusion of our modern day lives.
The musicians play a combination of traditional and modern instruments. Percussive acoustic instruments-- the dumbek, davul, tar, and djembe--match the dancers' vigorous hip movements. Melodies played on wind instruments--zurna, mizmar, arghul, and ney-- inspire the dancers' sinuous stylings. Fusing other instruments into the music -- the harmonium from India, the didgeridoo from Australia.-- contribute to an exhilarating and mesmerizing sound.
The dancers use props -- fans, veils, swords, baskets, zils, tambourines--to demonstrate their skill and enrich the performance. The dancers use improvisational instincts with the spontaneity of the moment. A balance of precision and grace showcase this dance as intoxicating and powerful.
With the resurging interest in this dance style, the Gypsy Caravan have toured throughout the Pacific Northwest, around North America, Europe, and Australia from their home base in Portland, Oegon. Their seventh CD, Quest, was released in 2004 and another DVD film wa released in Spring 2005.
www.gypsycaravan.us