Unrivaled Tambal Performer

Toni Iordache

Sounds from a Bygone Age, Vol. 4 (Asphalt Tango, 2007)

The Asphalt Tango label is doing a tremendous job by releasing high quality recordings of Romanian music. This time they have unearthed recordings by master instrumentalist Toni Iordache, who played the tambal, a hammered dulcimer of Eastern origin.

The recordings on Sounds from a Bygone Age, Vol. 4 were made between 1964 and 1980. Iordache was born in 1942 in the village of Bildana, near Bucharest. His father was a tambal player and young Toni Iordache was able to practice on a smaller portable version of the dulcimer. He soon became a master of the tambal.

The music on Sounds from a Bygone Age, Vol. 4 reflects the charm of the lautari, the professional musicians of Romania who played at all kinds of events, including weddings. Iordache went beyond the wedding circuit and rose to fame with the Romanian radio folk music ensemble, showcasing his rapid fire virtuosity.

 

On Sounds from a Bygone Age, Vol. 4, Iordache is joined by an impressive cast of instrumentalists who play accordion, violin and silky trumpet along with the tambal.

Buy Sounds from a Bygone Age, Vol. 4.

Author: Angel Romero

Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.

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