2/18/09
The Music of the Gypsy Caravan
Gypsy Caravan and Mizna musical instigators Bruce Beaton and Jeff Rees have led the musical gypsy trail for Gypsy Caravan since 1991. The musicians of Gypsy Caravan and Mizna have a diverse background. The band performs a stylized blend of the music of North Africa, Spain, India, the Middle and Near East, with a contemporary American sensibility. ometimes lively, sometimes mesmerizing, the songs evoke varying scenarios, from the lonely campfire of the hejira to the silken wealth of the caravanserai.
With a large assortment of horns and strings providing the melodic components, backed by an equally impressive array of drums and percussion instruments, the songs range from pensive and moody to bouyant uptempo tunes. Gypsy Caravan plays all original compositions on a variety of traditional instruments, such as the Egyptian mijwiz, Turkish zurna and saz, African djembe and the Indian naal. Anywhere from four to nine musicians play with the band, adding more strings and percussion to fill out their intoxicating sound! And the Remarkably Remixed CD adds that bit of techno groove to the danceable rhythms and it explodes with energy and power.
Gypsy Caravan has an extensive repertoire of original songs, with seven music CDs on the market, and they enjoy playing at variety of performance requests, from large theatrical productions and art festivals, to smaller nightclubs and intimate celebrations. Gypsy Caravan and Mizna have explored many types of performance venues and experiences to showcase their thrilling and innovative shows that combine the original music and tribal bellydances of the dance company and band. Besides monthly shows at home in Portland, Oregon, they have performed and taught throughout the United States and around the globe, including shows in Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and Europe.
Hear some of Gypsy Caravan's music
MySpace
also available through CD Baby, Amazon.com, ITunes, last.fm.com...
Highlights from their illustrious career include playing assorted events, both big and small:
WOMAD—Seattle, WA 2002
Tribal Fest, California—2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2009
Vibe Tribe—England and Scotland, 2007
Tribal Quest NorthWest—Portland, OR 2001-2007 Tribal Fest—CA, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007
Rakassah—CA, 1999, 2000, 2001
Spirit of the Tribes—FL, 1999, 2000
Renaissance Faire—AZ, 2002, 2002
Oregon Country Fair—OR, 1994-2006
Bumbershoot Art Festival—Seattle, WA, 1994, 1995, 1999, 2001, 2004
Folklife Music Festival—Seattle. WA, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009
And hundreds of shows, including festivals, clubs, gatherings, celebrations, theatrical productions!
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Please visit our CD shopping pages for pricing information.
Wholesale info upon request.
**Caravan Rhythms—Remarkably Remixed**
2007. Part of the Gypsy Caravan experience is that it takes all of us together to create our music and dance. This remix brings in a few local friends whom we asked to take the songs from our original rhythm CD and do a groovin’ dance remix.
With the Gypsy Caravan musicians on the original Caravan Rhythms CD:
Jeff Rees, Bruce Beaton, Peter Archer, and Paulette Rees-Denis
We asked Bruce Robertson, Peter Archer, Damon Law, DJ Layla, E3 and John John, and Greywolf with Brigha, to remix the songs, and WOW!
**Mizna**
2006. Mizna, which means a cloud in the desert, perform a stylized blend of the music of North Africa, Spain, India, the Middle and Near East, with a contemporary American sensibility. Both lively and thoughtful, this group evokes the lonely campfire of the hejira as well as the silken wealth of the caravanserai.
With a large assortment of horns and strings providing the melodic components, backed by an equally impressive array of drums and percussion instruments, the twelve songs range from pensive and moody to buoyant uptempo tunes. Mizna plays all original compositions on a variety of traditional instruments, such as the Egyptian mijwiz, Turkish zurna and saz, African djembe and the Indian naal.
From Portland, Oregon, Mizna features two members from Gypsy Caravan, Jeff Rees and Bruce Beaton, who have released seven CD?s under the Gypsy Caravan Productions label, and introduces two musicians new to the bellydance and world music community, Doug Shafer and JD Devros.
2004. 14 songs, sometimes powerful, sometimes haunting, they transport us through the wide spectrum of emotions, in our eclectic tribal kind of caravan way.
Not available at this time
**KABILA PROJECT**
2003. A must have tribal compilation, from Eventide Productions, featuring Gypsy Caravan, Domba, Solace, Helm, and more. Out of Print...
2002. A different and slightly darker look in to the tribal dance world from this eclectic band of gypsies. With special guests Jeremiah Soto and Wayne Gilbertson.
**CARAVAN RHYTHMS**
2001. Remixed and re-mastered, with three bonus tracks. Studio recording of 12 rhythms--Chiftitelli, Malfoof, Masmoodi, Beledi (2 versions), Ayoob, Bolero, Saidi, 6/8, Maksoom, Karachi, Karsilama...Beautiful, and great for practice - 1997.
1999. 13 studio recorded songs capturing the distinct and eclectic sound of this dancing tribe. From explosive drums and mesmerizing horns to passionate flamenco guitar (Victor El Agua) and the lyrical melodies of violin (Doug Adams) and Indian veena (Jeff Trott)--dance down this modern gypsy road with us on our MIGRATION.
1994-1996. Reissued and re-mastered –back by popular demand! The excitement and energy of live performances.
Gypsy Caravan