Baraccone Express

 An ensemble that creates an hypnotic sound, halfway between that of a piano, a harpsichord, and a guitar. Metal strings are struck by two thin wooden sticks covered with cotton. An instrument with an ancient history, the cymbalom: brought by the Crusaders from the East, it has over time become a staple of much Gypsy music, as well as the popular and klezmer repertoire of Central Europe. This is the starting point for the sonic exploration of Baraccone Express, a quartet that combines the cymbalom with clarinet and alto saxophone, flugelhorn and trumpet, voice, and double bass.        The paths are manifold: the music of Paolo Xeres (cymbalist and drummer), references to the world of soundtracks (from Nino Rota to Spaghetti Westerns), forays into Gypsy music, and the trails of Old Time Jazz.