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The tale of Casino Gitano began on the 13th of June 2002.That day a charity concert for the street artist Logo Lard was staged in Berlins Tacheles. Logo had been suffering from Guillain-Barre Syndrome, which at some point had forced him into a coma. The brothers Sancho and Pancho grabbed their acoustic guitars and summoned singer Ivana, the tap-dancing Rodriguez sisters and Eddie Egal the Cajonist onto the stage. Together they proceeded to overwhelm the audience with their Gipsy-Jazz music, and in particular with their song Logololailo, written in honour of their ill friend. This night was followed by a time in which the group extensively toured Berlins renowned Bars and Nightclubs. During that same year three more musicians joined the band. Tonio Gonzales took his place on the Cajon, Swedish cloth-acrobat Juanita joined with her violin and Pablo Luzanda added his Russian base-violin named Olga. Singer and accordion player Thierry Fantasy became a constant member of the Gitanos in the beginning of 2003 and was followed shortly after by Lubi, master of Serbian Flamenco. Up until now the band had already played in numerous clubs and many festivals. Casino Gitanos first record 'La Mentira de los Payos', was released by the end of 2003. The release was celebrated with a spectacular Fiesta in the Kesselhaus of Berlins Kulturbrauerei (International Booking Agency BLACK DOOR Concerts, Berlin). By now Logo Lard had to the most part recovered from his illness. Around the time of the record release, flutist and explosives-specialist Maja, as well as Tuba-player Franko Negro had joined the band. The following year saw countless concerts in various German cities, as well as a small tour through Italy and Switzerland. Early 2005 Casino Gitano split from founding member Sancho. The band wishes him and his new group, the Los Bomberos, best of luck and lots of success. The gitanos would like to take this chance to thank all the guest musicians who have supported them over the years: Eddie Egal (Cajon), Mex S (Flamenco), Frank Sin Otra (bass), Larsito (trompet), Günther (trompet), Daggie (trombone), Rene (Schlüsselgeige), Tom (guitar), Laura La Risa (Flamenco), Tamara (singer), Ole (Bandoline, singing saw), Thorsten Birzer (guitar), Daphne (singer), Meckie (violin). But the tale continues: In July 2005 the group was joined by chain-smoking Vedran and lung-diseased Donau-Swabian Slobodan. With their trombone and trumpets they have considerably raised the sound levels, and balkanised the repertoire. The member number has now equalised on a constant of 13. In the folk-tales and myths of many cultures this number is the quintessence of bad luck. In Russia it is referred to as the devil's dozen (çërtova djúzina). M U S I C and S H O W In good old gypsy ways Casino Gitano feed from the vast reservoir of the European Folk-Music tradition without any inhibition. Next to the orthodox flamenco you can hear a variety of genres such as Tango, Swing, Chansons, or Folklore. These gitanos, however, differ from their spiritual counterparts in such a way, that rather than making their music unique through unequalled virtuosity, they infuse their original material with ska-punk, or speed-polka. This mixture attracts an audience made up of people who often otherwise have no interest in folklore whatsoever. Dancers Carmen and Christina Rodriguez are the visual centre-piece of the show. On stage they are often joined in tap- or flamenco dance by their ancient admirer Lubi. Next to them singers Thierry and Ivana exhibit a never ending stream of ideas and the compulsive need to move. Inevitably the audience will sooner or later start moving in strange and awkward ways, a cross between flamenco and pogo - a motion-analogy to the musicŒs cross-bred nature. Neither audience nor performers will ever be safe from surprises.