Shaped in the Gypsy ghettos around Bucharest, Mahala Rai Banda combines a surprising array of trends and styles. Once you delve down into the history, surprise gives way to fascination as all the pieces slowly fit together. The Mahala gravitates around two poles, a family core close to that of Taraf de Haidouks, and the brass section which is family with Fanfare Ciocarlia.