The new Cimbaliband album’s history began almost 20 years ago. The band’s leader Balázs Unger has been the world musician of Moldovan dance-houses in Budapest. Driven by the musical experiences heard in that dance-house, he set off in 1997 with his first car (a grey Trabant station wagon) to seek out the cimbalom players in Moldova and learn their special cimbalom-playing techniques.

His friends in Moldova helped him to arrange the meetings with Ion Spiridon the famed cimbalom player of Radoje and old Cosma Piticu, living in Temelia. The experiences and materials recorded during this trip have inspired the album “Moldva” (“Moldova” in Hungarian). With “Moldva” the band returns to the roots playing authentic Moldovan music, although with novel orchestration and interpretation. This album also serves as homage to the Moldovan “csángó” ethnic Hungarian group, who have successfully preserved their beautiful folk tunes in face of dire odds during their history.

The album made it into the 20 best world music albums of the World Music Chart Europa (WMCE) in August and September.

1. Mikor kicsi leány voltam

2. Hazám, hazám

3. Gergelem

4. Bákói Fanfár

5. Idefenn a csenderbe

6. Mocanul

7. Ha folyóvíz lennék

8. Sirba si hora de la Cosma Piticu

9. Libabőr

10. Ludasim pajtásim

11. Floricica

12. Kerek udvar

Cimbaliband:

Eszter Szita Eszter - vocal

Balázs Unger - hammered dulcimer, viola, vocal

Gellért Boda - violin

Gyula Lázár - double bass, bass guitar

Dániel Horváth - drums, percussion

Agatics Krunoszláv - accordion

Gergő Unger - guitar, vocal