ZMEI3: A Very Romanian Affair

ZMEI3 is a Romanian group formed in Berlin, Germany, which has been at the forefront of a radical renewal of Romanian music of the past decade. The name alludes to the supernatural creatures of Romanian folklore, the zmei, a species of dragons with destructive powers that always make good shine brighter. ZMEI3’s blend of indie-pop, blues and soul, infused with jazz, avant-garde, and psychedelic influences, creates a distinctive sound, at once refined and exuberant, which came to be known as “Rough Romanian Soul” (as the title of their debut album, produced by GRAMMY® award-winner, Ian Brennan, live without overdubs in the Carpathian Mountains). Throughout the years, ZMEI3 has performed at WOMAD, BBC Radio 3 & BBC World, The Troubadour in London, Electric Castle Festival in Romania, Hamburg Philharmonic, Gasteig in Munich, Schleswig-Holstein Musikfestival, Stanser Musiktage, Porgy & Bess in Vienna, and at the Bucharest Jazz Festival. The group returns to…