Damian Drăghici (born March 31, 1970 in Bucharest, Romania) is a Romanian-Romani[1] musician, best known as nai (pan flute) player, and possibly the most noted exponent of this particular instrument in the world of jazz.
Contents |
Drăghici was born in Bucharest to a family of lautari whose distinguished musical heritage dates back at least seven generations. He started to play lăutărească music in the family and tried an array of instruments but couldn't settle on one particular one. At ten, he was playing the pan flute in a Romani band (taraf), when suddenly everybody stopped because he was playing wrong. He was so ashamed that he decided to stick to the pan flute and practice the instrument very hard everyday up to fifteen hours a day for the next 5 years. His dedication paid off as, by fifteen, he was a renowned prodigy in Romania, performing and recording with the country's National Radio Symphony Orchestra and starring in the National Festival of Romania.
In 1989, life under the communist regime being unbearable, he clandestinely crossed the border with Yugoslavia and from there he crossed to Greece. There, he busked in the streets before landing a nightclub gig playing keyboards.
In 1996 he auditioned for faculty members visiting Athens from the Berklee College of Music in Boston.[2]
Berklee College of Music offered Drăghici a full scholarship. Following the granting of a visa for the United States, he began to study with George Garzone, Jerry Bergonzi and Hal Crook. After only a short time in America, he has become recognized for his outstanding ability and talent. Following graduation from college with a Magna Cum Laude majoring in Jazz Performance he relocated to Los Angeles where he start working with major Hollywood film composers. music producers and some of the best musicians in the world, and where he worked on his first major EMI release Damian's Fire with the London Symphony Orchestra and highly acclaimed musicians such as: Vinnie Colaiuta, Dave Weckl, Abraham Laboriel, Neil Stubenhaus, Jimmy Johnson (bassist), John Robinson (drummer), Mike Miller (guitarist), Ramon Stagnaro, Luis Conte, Oscar Castro Neves.
In 2004, Drăghici joined as one of the headliners, James Brown, Joe Cocker, reggae star Shaggy, Cyndi Lauper, Zucchero, Gypsy Kings, Roger Hodgson (Supertramp) and The Pointer Sisters for one of Europe's most esteemed musical events the Night of the Proms tour.
In 2006 Drăghici decided to come back to his roots,with a new concept and a new group with “his gypsy brothers” as he likes to called them. One of the purposes of “Damian & Brothers, Filarmonika Rromanes” was to change the international perception and the stereotypes over Romani minority through their music. The impact and the huge popularity achieved during three years period of the project now are a confirmation of their common effort.
The official recognition of Drăghici’s efforts and dedication to promoting Romani people came on 20 March 2007 when he was designated by the President of Romania, as Romania’s Ambassador for the Romani minority in the 2007 European Year of Equal Opportunities for All and in 2008 as the Ambassador for European Year of Intercultural Dialogue.[3]
On November 12, 2010, he showcased his ability to perform jazz on the panflute live on stage in a Bucharest concert together with Clarinet player Eddie Daniels and vocalist Diane Schuur.
On May 8 of 2011 Classical Meets Jazz was a historical event, Damian Drăghici and the well known Violinist Nigel Kennedy perform together in the Palace Square, the repertoire included Classical, Jazz and Romanian lăutăreasca music.