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Nicu Alifantis

About:

31 May 1954

Alifantis was born in Braila with Macedonian Greek parents. He starts out as an actor in 1973 and finds employ at the Teatro Maria Filotti of Braila. From one of the shows his song 'Cântec de noapte' gets popular and in 1976 Electrecord releases it as a single. After his military service he joins the poetry initiative Cenaclul Flacăra led by poet Adrian Paunescu. His participations to the project eventually appear on compilations Folk 1 and 2 1977/78 which pushes Nicu's musical forward. It opens the door for his 1979 debut album 'După melci' based in poems by Ion Barbu. The band was made with Sfinx keyboardist Nicolae Enache, Phoenix drummer and percussionist Costin Petrescu and the bassist and guitarist Ioan Oagăn. But Alifantis stays formost active as an actor or composer for theatretrical or cinematic soundtracks. After the release of "După Melci" in 1979, the second studio album (untitled, 1984) comes as a turn for the mainstream but with keeping the artistry and sensibility. An "art-pop" affair, the album mixes folk, acoustic rock, pop, vocal jazz and bossa-nova in a highly accomplished end product.

Towards the end of the 80s and early 90s Alifantis will go more mainstream, including a flirtation with synth-pop. In 1995 he founded the group Alifantis & ZAN as studio band for his album "Voiaj". In April 1999 the Alifantisi Foundation is established in order to promote "artistic projects in which value, strength and authenticity are paramount." In 2013 he celebrates his 40th anniversary with a new album 'Mozaik' made with a brand new band and 11 guest musicians.

On the web:

- Nicu's website:http://www.alifantis.ro/

If you like this, you probably like... / european counterparts:

Arsen Dedic (Croatia)

What do we think:

DB: You have the kind of songwriters that just seem to enjoy the fact that they can hold a guitar and mumble something in a microphone. And bore you to death. On the other hand you have singer/songwriters like Alifantis that seem to breathe soul into a song so it comes alive. The concept of the man with the guitar is not new but Nicu has something bronze bittersweet in his voice which adds to the music. Often accompanied with the cream of the crop from the local music scene. And half the time he doesn't even writes the lyrics to the song but uses poetry from welknown poets. It gives it a Romanian - Greek - Rembetiko progrock vibe that is something new in the crowded market of old men with guitars. După melci is an absolute classic of you're into proggy folk rock.

Albums:

- După melci - 1979

- Nicu Alifantis - 1984

- Piața Romană nr. 9 - 1988

- Risipitorul de iubire - 1990

- Ia toji baladist - 1993

- Voiaj - 1995

- Nichita - 1996

- Neuitatele femei - 2002

- Șah Mat - 2004

- Simphonicu - 2005

- Cantece de semineu - 2010

- Mozaik - 2013

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♪♪♪♪♪ = outstanding album, an absolute must-have
♪♪♪♪ = great album, highly recomended
♪♪♪ = nice album
♪♪ = be careful, requires listening before buying
♪ = best to be avoided