Biography
Zmei3 (pronounced zmay-tray) fuses Romanian folk, soul, blues, jazz, and avant-garde into an eccentric whole as a Romanian ensemble. Powerhouse vocalist Paula Turcas, once an opera singer, leads the lineup that also includes vibraphonist Oli Bott, guitarist and lyricist Mihai Victor Iliescu, and double bassist Arnulf Ballhorn. The group draws its distinctive name from zmeu (plural zmei), the half-dragon, half-human mythic being of Romanian lore. Its often freeform, intense compositions regularly confront the brutal realities of post-Communist existence in the band’s homeland. In collaboration with Grammy-winning American producer Ian Brennan (Tinariwen, Malawi Mouse Boys), Zmei3 captured its first album, Rough Romanian Soul, entirely live without overdubs amid the Transylvanian Mountains close to Dracula’s castle. Six Degrees Records issued the recording in early 2016.
Albums
