We’ve mentioned A Hawk and a Hacksaw — the duo of accordionist/percussionist Jeremy Barnes (formerly of Neutral Milk Hotel) and violinist Heather Trost — here before. They play Eastern European-influenced gypsy/folk music and their latest album, When the Wind Blows was one of my favorites from last year.
Last November, Barnes traveled to Budapest and met a group of extraordinarily talented Hungarian folk musicians well-versed in a variety of musical styles including Serbian, Romanian, and Klezmer. The result of their collaboration is a new EP called A Hawk and a Hacksaw and the Hun Hangár Ensemble. It’s a vibrant collection, balancing driving, dance-worthy tunes with electic instrumentation, including pheonomenal cymbalom playing by Balázs Unger. (The cymbalom is a type of hammered dulcimer.)
The 8-song EP includes a bonus DVD with “An Introduction To A Hawk And A Hacksaw”, a documentary covering the band’s (practically) nonstop touring across Europe and the United States over the past two years. It’s also a limited edition run of 4,000, so grab it while you can, or pick up the digital version through iTunes.
A Hawk and a Hacksaw and the Hun Hangár Ensemble: Zozobra (MP3 download)