Mahala Raï Banda is a Romanian band with members originating from the Romanian villages of Zece Prajini (Ten Fields) and Clejani, and retired soldiers from Moldavia. Shaped in the Gypsy ghettos (Mahala) around Bucharest, Mahala Rai Banda (literally Noble Band from the Ghetto), combines a surprising array of trends and styles. Combining Romanian violins & accordions with a brass section consisting of army brass band veterans and a rocking rhythm section, they're the rising band from the Balkans. They effortlessly combine a knack for inventive arrangements with an indeniable ability to turn every single concert into a wild party. Tracks by Mahala Rai Banda (alongside pieces by label mates Taraf de Haidouks and Kocani Orkestar) were reworked/recreated by Nouvelle Vague, Balkan Beat Box, Dj ClicK, Forty Thieves Orkestar and Russ Jones for the Electric Gypsyland 2 project, and their "Mahalageasca" appears in the Borat (aka Ali G) film and also on the Buddha Bar Ten Years CD's compilation.
