Biography
Damian Drăghici (born March 31, 1970 in Bucharest, Romania) is a Romani-Romanian virtuoso musician particularly associated with the Romanian Pan flute (Romanian: nai or muscal), and is possibly the most noted exponent of his particular instrument in the world, today. His unique triple-tongue staccato technique allows him to play three times faster than the average pan flutist - hence his nickname, "The Speed of Light." He is also the only pan flutist able to play this G major diatonic instrument chromatically in all twelve keys.
Drăghici was born in Bucharest to a family of fiddlers whose distinguished musical heritage dates back at least five generations. He started to play lăutărească music in the family and tried an array of instruments but couldn't settle on one. At ten he was playing the pan flute in the family's 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 study the instrument very hard. 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.
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When life in a communist regime began to take its toll In 1989 (at eighteen years of age), he clandestinely crossed the border with Yugoslavia. Drăghici walked for days and nights through the mountains to Yugoslavia and around hostile border checkpoints 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.[1]
Berklee offered Drăghici a full scholarship. Following the granting of a visa for the United States, he began to study under George Garzone. 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 (in only two years as opposed to the normal four years) he relocated to Los Angeles and is currently working with major Hollywood composers. 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 2010 Damian return to his beloved instrument the pan flute and he is currently working on a new jazz project. "The Bebop Pan Piper" as he calls the album as of right now, title may change later during the recordings that follows. The album is a tribute to the Giants of Jazz and a premier on itself, introducing for the first time in Jazz, the pan flute on some of the most challenging jazz tunes like, Giant Steps, Donna Lee, etc.
In 2006 Drăghici decided to come back to his roots, by putting the bases of a new group with “his gipsy brothers” as he likes to called them. One of the purposes of “Damian & Brothers, Filarmonika Rromanes” is to change the international perception and the stereotypes over Romani minority through their music. The impact and the huge popularity achieved until now are a confirmation of their common effort.
The official recognition of Drăghici’s efforts and dedication to promoting Rromani people came on 20 March 2007 when he was designated by the President of Romania, as Romania’s Ambassador for the Rromani minority in the 2007 European Year of Equal Opportunities for All[1] and in 2008 as the Ambassador for European Year of Intercultural Dialogue [2]
On 21 May 2007 he launched his new album (18th one), „Keeping the Fire Alive”, a very individual and dynamic form of contemporary Rromani musical expression. The artistic project is based on the traditional Rromani and Romanian folkloric music, mixing together jazz and rock elements. “Keeping the fire alive” expresses joy, happiness, love and promotes the principle of unity in diversity.
Biography text from Last.fm, available under CC BY-SA.