Romica Views

• Shoes

Within the country, Gypsy singers and musicians who chose to perform Romanian Gypsy music were never officially accorded the same recognition, recording opportunities, and promotion given to those who performed only the approved music of the state. Had Romica been allowed to perform abroad and to be recorded outside Romania, it is my firm belief that she would certainly have reached the popularity of the level enjoyed today by such artists as Cesaria Evora of Cabo Verde. Sadly, for her and for so many who might have enjoyed her, this did not happen. Romica was an incredible artist and a dear friend. I cannot imagine what we shall do now without her.

I have been asked by a number of people to supply them with copies of recordings made by Romica Puceanu in Romania. Since these recordings may never again become available anywhere else, I have started the slow process of converting them to MP3 files and putting them on the web site. I will continue to add to these as I complete new ones.

The music on this LP was probably recorded in 1976 or 77. It appeared in Bucuresti while I was there in 1977. The musicians backing her include the fabulous, Florea Cioaca on violin and Bebe Serban on accordion. This is some of the best of Romica. h"Ever since I met you, I have no peace at night. I wake in the middle of the night and I sigh and think of you ". "La circuma de la drumM" is an old popular song and one of the few humorous ones in Romica's repertoire. There are at least three different melodies with the same name, many share parts of the text. One of them goes, e"whoever put that tavern on the road was no fool!3" "Geaba mai ma duc acasa " is a well known tune and often played as an instrumental solo. The text has the sense of, there is no reason to go home, but I do.

This may be one of Romica's last recordings. She was selling it where she was singing at a small Romanian restaurant in Astoria, New York in 1983, I think. I spoke with her on the phone but could not get to see her and a few years after that she was gone. I remember that she was surprised and a bit peeved that I did not come to see her, not realizing in any way, how far it was from California to New York. I should have gone.