Cabaret Tzigane by Trio Dinicu: Luanne Homzy, Tommy Davy, Frank Anastasio

This album has been in the works for over a year and we are so pleased to finally present it in its full form. It was the culmination of our many musical experiences while traveling throughout Europe that shaped this recording.
The name of the album is derived from the Parisian tradition of the "Cabaret Russe". Many of our heroes played every night at clubs in Paris like "Karlov", "La Balalaika", "Raspoutine", "La Roue Fleurie" and "Les Tziganes Ivanovitch". Gypsy musicians played rich musical treasures such as the Hungarian Csardas, Kolos and Russian romances. We pay homage to the golden age of Gypsy and eastern European music in Paris.

For context as best said by Jon Larsen:
"The Russian cabaret" was a special phenomenon in Paris, now extinct. The background was the Russian revolution, when more than 10000 upper-class refugees fled to Paris, with their gold, art, culinary preferences, and favorite gypsy artists. Soon after the Russian restaurants popped up, with live Gypsy music. This was actually where Django Reinhardt started out - playing waltzes and popular melodies at the tables. The younger Matelo Ferré, as well as Sarane and Baro, played most of his life in these wonderful, existentialistic places, six nights a week.
Years later, Boulou and Elios started out in the same tradition. In the 80-ies, when Jon Larsen started frequenting Paris, there were still 15-20 different, Russian places in Paris - all with the most amazing music! Karlov, Les Yeux Noir, Scheherazade, Etoile de Moscou, A la Balalaïka, and even Serge Camps' "La Roue Fleurie". Every night you could go from place to place and listen to Boulou and Elios, Angelo Debarre, Serge Camps, the Ivanovich brothers, Pascal de Loutchek and Arbat, and so on! The legendary gypsy nights!

When the iron curtain fell, and the perestroika began, the market collapsed, and the last few Russian establishments with live music shut down just a few years ago. An important chapter in the history of gypsy music, and jazz, was over."

Our journey has brought us to have direct transmission from many of the aforementioned musicians and it is worth noting that Frank Anastasio is one of those such musicians. It is the biggest honor for us to collaborate with him on this project.

Recorded completely live with the exception of a few guitar and violin overdubs. Tommy even brought his original Selmer guitar all the way over to Paris for the recording. We pulled out all the stops.
Please enjoy! 🥃

Our Team:
Violin: Luanne Homzy
Bass: Frank Anastasio
Guitar: Tommy Davy
Accordion: Dario Ivkovic

Mix Engineer: Jeff Gartenbaum (LA)
Tracking Engineer: Felix Rémy (Paris)
Tracking Engineer : Brendan Dekora (LA)

Recorded at:
Studio Pigalle Paris, France
EastWest Studios Hollywood, CA

Internationally acclaimed American/French-Canadian violinist Luanne Homzy is highly sought-after for her technical facility, sensitive musicality and expansive versatility. Based in Los Angeles, she works as a studio musician, an arranger/composer, and is the leader of the California String Quartet.