Caravana Banda

The concert is combined with a memorial evening dedicated to the Polish playwright Sławomir Mrożek on the tenth anniversary of his death. The artist was closely linked to Mexico through a long-term relationship with Susana Osorio-Mrożek.

The event is held before the concert from 19.00

Do not miss this exclusive jubilee concert! Polske filmdager (Polish film festival) is the largest Polish art festival in Norway, celebrating its 10 year anniversary this year. On this occasion we are inviting you to a visit to Caravana Bandas exiting universe, for a Polish-Mexican fiesta at Cosmopolite Scene! 

CARAVANA BANDA IS A BLASTING MIX OF SPANISH, BALKAN and GYPSY JAZZ MUSIC, where melodies sung in 12 different languages intermingle in a fascinating musical journey.

You could say it’s a show, not a concert, because the band consciously uses theatrical procedures and makes their concerts a real spectacle. Czech Brass Band and Magda Navarrete’s voice and flamenco dance. 

The band was founded by Tomas Prusa CARA– one of the vocalists of the cult Czech band Vltava and Magda Navarrete – a well-known singer and flamenco dancer in Poland and South America. For over five years the band has been conquering audiences in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany and Poland, Finland, Morocco and Spain.

Caravana Banda has already played at many international festivals and been part of interesting events in Europe and Canada. (Folk Alliance)

 In 2018 they released the album “Mezihra”, on which the original ideas of Tomas Prusa and Magda Navarrete and traditional melodies from different parts of Europe are beautifully combined. You can permanently see and hear them on the stage of the Syrena Theatre in Warsaw where they stage their “caravana” show.

“Caravana Banda is breathtaking and hypnotizing. Their sound, which is a fusion of Slavic and Balkan folk with Spanish flamenco, evokes a visceral need for physical movement. It’s impossible not to smile while listening to them, impossible not to dance along with them.” Casey Philips /MEG MAGAZINE/ Ireland

“A mosaic mix of the best pieces in Europe’s various musical hues was fashioned by this band into a delicious, inventive, versatile cavalcade. The band was like a unified carnival procession through the streets of unimaginable joy and furious party spectacle. Caravana came up with great, even unbelievable street credibility, lined with lush and mature musical entertainment.” Jouko Kirstila /JAZZRYTMIT MAGAZINE/ Finland

Welcome to our world: At first you feel the energy of the band, then you hear melodies from a very old world: coming from gypsy stories, Balkan music, Kurpie swirls and flamenco and latin american rhythms.

Then the energy swirls and blends with the songs, full of poignant lyrics and melodies, that this Polish-Czech band writes, plays, creates and composes. The band’s songs are both instrumentally brilliant, catchy and originally arranged. The band draws from their roots by recreating some of the Kurpie melodies, but also from the Czech Moravia region. They also include traditional melodies from Romania, Albania, Serbia, Spain, Portugal and specially for this occasion also from Mexico. The band juggles styles, rhythms, melodies and languages. It is a real musical spectacle for all the senses. And then there is Magda Navarrete’s voice and dance. On the one hand she sings velvet boleros, on the other piercing flamenco notes, she brings out many different voices. She juggles rhythms, styles and melodies, but still remains faithful to her passion for world music, which she presents in her performances with all her temperament and energy.

An orchestra full of exotic instruments, talented and eccentric musicians:

Magda Navarrete – voc, dance

Tomas Prusa – arrangements, sax, voc

Andrzej Lewocki – guitar, oud, cajón

Jiri Genrt – tuba

Jakub Masek – euphonium

Vaclav Kalenda – trompet

Mateusz Sieradzan – tapan, cajón, darabuka

In collaboration with:

Polske filmdager

Co-financed by: 

Kulturfondet

Fritt ord

Republikken Polens ambassade i Oslo