Romica Puceanu & The Gore Brothers – Sounds From a Bygone Age Vol.2 (Asphalt Tango/MGM)

She’ been referred to as “Billie Holiday of the East,’ Romanian gypsy folk singer Romica Puceanu. She died following a car accident in 1996, yet her presence looms large over Romanian music, thanks to her mastery over a style referred to as “cintec de pahar,’ an urban form of gypsy song that combines elements of Turkish and Romanian music. She was renowned for her songs of the suburbs, for her incredible lyrical and emotional ability. The charming sounding Gore brothers come from a history of wedding and restaurant work, their achingly emotive accordion and violin resonating with Puceanu’ remarkable voice. And though they both worked with others, they were reportedly at their best together, with the Gore brothers allowing plenty of space for Puceanu’ remarkable vocals. It’s the second volume of Asphalt Tango’ eye and ear opening Songs from a Bygone Age series, in which they trawl through Eastern European vaults to locate authentic previously unreleased music to the world. The tunes here were recorded in 1964, and aside from Puceanu’ soulful spine tingling singing, her band consists of the extremely rare cobza (a lute with a backward curving fingerboard), trumpet, cymbalom, double bass, violin and accordion. Whilst many of the tunes are slow plodding emotional and mournful, there are a couple of frenzied gypsy freakouts over which Puceanu unleashes a restrained careful wail. She is very much in control on this collection calling the shots with her deeply soulful vocals, with her impossibly long held notes and octave changes, with the Gore brothers effortlessly chugging along beside her.