World Music Institute Launches World to Brooklyn Series with ROMANO DRUM, 2/22

World Music Institute kicks off its vibrant, danceable World to Brooklyn series with a rare appearance by one of Hungary's top Gypsy bands, Romano Drom. The performance takes place in the heart of Brooklyn at Roulette on Saturday, February 22, at 8:00 p.m. This event is part of a U.S. tour for Romano Drom, with stops in Boston, Philadelphia, and Bucknell University (PA), in addition to Brooklyn, NY.

World to Brooklyn, now in its second year, offers festive, social concerts that replicate a dance-party in a specific country, with free "cultural" cocktails, pre-show dance lessons, and great world music followed by a DJ after-party-all for $25.

Bringing the centuries-old Oláh Gypsy language into the 21st century with energized rhythms from around the world, Romano Drom (whose name translates to "Gypsy Road") takes audiences on an ecstatic adventure through Balkan, Arab, and Latin grooves, all with their trademark Oláh melodies soaring above. This year marks their 15th year together as a band and the release of a new recording, Colours, which incorporates brass arrangements and electronic timbres into their music.

Hungary's place in central Europe has long allowed for a steady influx of cultures from all directions. It is no small wonder, then, that Romano Drom brings this cross-cultural approach and sense of invention into their music, performing on everything from Western instruments such as guitar, bass, and drums to the Arabic oud and darbuka, and even household objects including pots, cans, and spoons.

With their ancient, lyrical melodies and contemporary, danceable rhythms, Romano Drom creates a visceral entryway into the haunting lyricism of the Oláh language.

Now in its second season, the World Music Institute's World to Brooklyn series presents socially immersive programs that reach far beyond the typical concert experience. Replicating a dance-party in a specific country, World to Brooklyn invites audiences to eat, drink, listen, and dance in the culture of the artists. Housed in downtown Brooklyn's Roulette, each performance in the series offers pre-concert dance lessons, after-parties featuring DJ's connected to the culture presented, culturally specific cocktails, art exhibits, and more.

Celebrating its fifteenth anniversary as a band in 2014, Romano Drom has always had a singular goal above all others - to craft a contemporary approach to their roots in the Oláh Gypsy tradition. Their unique musical fusion, largely orchestrated by founder Antal Kovács, mixes this centuries-old musical culture with Catalan rumba, Arabic and Balkan pop rhythms, and modern Western instruments.

The band has performed hundreds of concerts across Europe, the Middle East, North America, and Asia. Their newest release, Colours, further explores the intersection of traditional and contemporary sounds by incorporating electronic sounds and brass arrangements into their new works.