Kal - Urban Gypsy Band

Kal are a young band from Belgrade formed by the Ristic brothers, Dushan and Dragan, in order to create a 21st century Gypsy band that would challenge the conventional "folkloric" rules. Their music brings together the sounds of Balkan Gypsy tradition and contemporary urban beats, placing them among the most important representatives of Roma music in the world.

Kal
Kal were formed by the Ristic brothers, Dushan and Dragan, to confront the prejudices and clichés the Roma face. Dragan, a theatre producer who has set up Romani theatre groups in Budapest and Belgrade, and Dushan, a painter, aimed to use Kal to blend influences from traditional Balkan Gypsy music with the contemporary music they heard whilst living in Belgrade and Budapest.

The Ristics grew up in Central Serbia and while growing up, their parents encouraged Dragan and Dusan to take pride in their heritage while getting an education.

For their first international album pushed the envelope of what a 21st Century Roma roots band can achieve. Recorded on a bare bones budget at Dragan's ramshackle home studio this brilliant, intuitive album shifts Gypsy soul into cyberspace.

Dragan Ristic -vocals/guitar
Aleksandar Cvejic - bass
Boris Kostic - vocals/accordion
Srdjan Jovanovic - violin
Goran Savic - drums

The event is part of the 5th Ethnic Festival organized by Rialto Theater.