Esma Redzepova

She's the undisputed Queen of the Gypsy singers, and this look back does nothing to diminish her legend. This harks to the albums Esma Redzepova made with her husband Stevo Teodosievski in the '60s, but with a twist. The album also includes French Gypsy flamenco guitar virtuoso Titi Robin, who sits in with the band on three new tracks and adds his own instrumental tribute to her majesty -- one good enough to warrant inclusion. It's relatively easy to distinguish the vintage from the new here, although Redzepova's current acoustic ensemble doers mine the past for its material, bring a fresh viewpoint to some classics from her career. The temptation is to compare the then and now, but that would be doing her a disservice. It's much more instructive to look at the way she's grown, her command of a song, and the way her glorious voice has developed -- not that it was a small thing back in the day. Her history is full, impressive, and some of the best Gypsy singing you'll ever hear. ~ Chris Nickson, All Music Guide