ÁLOM

The Prague-based band Álom has turned a corner in the blossoming local Romany scene. Álom experienced hard-core schooling playing gigs in bars and village dances – a strong contradiction to the prevailing Czech academic folklore – an experience much akin to that of Irish folk or the old blues masters. These masters described their difficult beginnings saying: "I was paying my dues." Álom plays mainly Romany folk songs, spiced with the occasional Slovak or Czech lyrics. The members of the group know very well when to honour the rules of tradition and when it is wiser to break them. Álom keeps the classical coffee shop line-up with a dulcimer, a viola, a violin and a double bass, but its sound resembles more garage style or a groovy party in the Prague periphery. Even though Álom plays rawer than many pure-blooded Romany bands, its members are racially mixed. The Romany element is represented by the violin player Vojta Lavicka (who also has been a member of the band Deep Sweden for two years), the singer Simona Šenkiová and occasional guest singer Milan Bingac Demeter. The "Gadjo" branch of Álom consists of viola player and student of musicology Vašek Flégl; double bass player and architect Marek Prchal; and dulcimer player Tomáš Kacler, who works part time in a distillery in Rožnov. Their album is substantially different from the growing number of other Romany recordings. For those who find other Romany bands too tame, Álom will definitely satisfy. They don’t play precise arrangements or mellifluous melodies, but they play with full power and spark, and found no place for a single ballad on their 52-minute debut album. A few technical mistakes may be heard, but nary a false emotion.

From an article by Petr Doružka in Rock & Pop

Álom first attracted public attention by its performance in "The Ethnic & World Music Festival Respect 98" in Prague. They played "Respect" with famous bands such as Musafir, Fanfare Ciocarlia and others. Since then they have been playing concerts regularly both at home and abroad.

see also 1999