The word "stricat" is Rumanian and literally means "broken". What this meaning has to do with the band is not entirely clear, but one thing is: the music of the Dutch trio STriCat (trumpet, cimbalom and accordion) is an amalgam of Romanian and Hungarian music and jazz; their favorite music. The cimbalom, the gypsy instrument played by Bokkie Vink, is the engine that propels this pleasing and cheerful Balkan swing with its driving rhythms. Theo van Tol adds spice to the brew by playing the bass line, the chords and the melody on his accordion, allowing Gijs Levelt to improvise freely with his clear trumpet. The latter two also play together in the Amsterdam Klezmer Band and this can be heard in certain Klezmer influences. Last year their CD Rats & Gentle People was released and it contains jazz, rock and traditional Balkan music; tunes to dance to, as well as gentle songs to listen to!
