Calibut Band
Showcase 2017
The magnificent ensemble, Calibut Band, led by George Mihalache, unites Romanian folk music with fantastic jazz in a lightning fast, but also deep and nuanced, soundscape.
George Mihalache was born in Romania, and grew up in a family full of Romanian musicians, known as lautari, who take care of a centuries-old musical heritage. True to tradition, Mihalache learnt to play Romanian folk music from his grandfather, by ear. Today, George Mihalache is virtuoso on the stringed instrument cimbalom, and he willingly shares his musical treasure trove with listeners of all ages.
The fact that Mihalache's family has been very open to western music can be heard clearly in his musical expression. Traditional Romanian folk music, with its fast-paced melodies and unique scales, are approached by Mihalache from innovative angles. In particular, jazz appears in the deep and nuanced soundscape he himself calls "lautarijazz". The mix of Balkan music and jazz is something Calibut Band has perfected. On stage, Mihalache has the Turkish-Swedish balance artist Ruhi-Deniz Erdogan on the trumpet, Simon Don Eriksen (Denmark) on accordion, and Jonatan Ahlbom (Sweden) on the tuba. And as a guest they also have the Norwegian singer and violinist Oluf Dimitri Røe.
In 2015, Calibut Band released their critically acclaimed debut album, Travellers. Gaffa’s Torben Holleufer thought the following about the album: "a fabulous orchestra has delivered their debut, and a magnificent one at that. It is music with its own cinematic character, as if we were at a cowboy meeting somewhere in Transylvania, where everyone is shooting in the air."
Line-up:
George Mihalache - cymbalom
Ruhi-Deniz Erdogan - trumpet
Simon Don Eriksen - accordion
Jonathan Ahlbom - tuba
Oluf Dimitri Røe - violin and song
Contact info:
George Mihalache
Phone: +45 227 23 673
E-mail: george@mihalache.dk
Listen to Calibut Band here:
Calibut Band - Wedding Hour
Calibut Band on Spotify
