Title: The Rough Guide To The Music Of Russian Gypsies - 2CD Type: CD Label: World music network Code: RGNET1239 Release date: 2010 Made up of legendary guitarist Alexander (Sasha) Kolpakov, his nephew and one of the most renowned gypsy guitar virtuosos in the world, Vadim, and the phenomenal violinist Arkady Gips, Kolpakov Trio made international headlines last year performing as part of Madonna’s ‘Sticky & Sweet’ tour. ‘Grastoro’ is previously unreleased and the talent of Sasha and Vadim can be explored further on the Kolpakov Duo bonus CD. Violinist Nikolai Erdenko is one of the most important performers of Gypsy music in Russia and on ‘Gori Lubov Ziganski’ he combines the intimacy of Russian romance and the passion of Gypsy folk songs. His daughter, Leonsia Erdenko, is also featured on this album playing a Russian version of a Macedonian Gypsy anthem on ‘Lumba’. The trio Talisman is led by the remarkable guitarist Vadim Kulitskii, who has collaborated with the likes of Ravi Shankar, Gidon Kremer and Yehudi Menuhin. He was a member of the renowned ensemble Loyko before founding Talisman which also features Oleg Nehls on bayan (button accordion) and Oleksandr Klimas on violin. Loyko are led by classically trained violinist Sergey Erdenko and they take music from the Gypsy repertoire and give it a magical makeover, fusing timeless folk songs with classical virtuosity. Another musician from the Loyko stable, violinist Oleg Ponomarev performs ‘Deda’ (‘grandfather’) as a magnificent tribute to his musical deda. Titles   CD1 1.Loyko: Sare Patrya (3:11) 2.Talisman: Moonlight (4:25) 3.Alexeji Dulkevich: Moldova (4:50) 4.Kolpakov Trio: Grastoro (2:47) 5.Oleg Ponomarev: Deda (5:33) 6.Vyacheslav Vasil'ev: Sir Barvales... (3:20) 7.Mikhay And T. Mikhailova: Opai, Dad (1:17) 8.Mikhay And T. Mikhailova: Britiyano (2:16) 9.Buzilev: Vanka (2:09) 10.Nikolai Erdenko: Gori Lubov Ziganski (2:18) 11.Igor Krykunov: Ney Smushai (4:23) 12.Nikolay Vasilyev (ILO): Feldy (3:50) 13.Gelem: Khohoro (2:19) 14.Russka Roma: Khop Khop (1:41) 15.Trio Rita: Kalina (4:28) 16.Leonsia Erdenko: Lumba (3:25) 17.Arbat: Ke Chourlaki (3:53) 18.Loyko: Two Angels (8:19) CD2 Bonus Disc by Kolpakov Duo 1.Suite of Gypsy Tunes (3:42) 2.Dui Dui (3:17) 3.Grushen'ka (4:06) 4.The Frost Outside (4:33) 5.Memory (5:27) 6.The Blue Skies Of Russia (4:07) 7.Transparent Waltz (2:50) 8.The Gypsy Vengerka (4:39) 9.So That You Don't Suffer (3:18) 10.I Walk On The White Snow (3:23) 11.Still The Same Guitar (3:35)