Les Yeux Noirs

Les Yeux Noirs (French for “The Black Eyes”) takes their name from the title of a Russian gypsy tune made famous by Django Reinhardt in the ‘30s. It’s the perfect name for a French sextet that plays their own variety and melding of Gypsy and Yiddish music, with a nod to Manouche (French Gypsy jazz). Violinists Eric and Olivier Slabiak founded Les Yeux Noirs ten years ago. France, and much of Europe, are following in the footsteps of the recent American Yiddish revival, and this is the origin of Les Yeux Noirs. The two classically trained Jewish brothers stumbled across the music of the Diaspora and could not get enough. They frequented small clubs and met many musicians. These new friendships led to the creation of the band, which combines violins, cello, accordion, electric guitar, cimbalom and electronic samples in innovative, highly complementary ways. A song starts slowly, moodily, before the instruments gather, merging new melodies and manic rhythms until the music snaps, losing all control. This combination of traditional and original songs of travel and love, celebrations, and heart-rending laments does more than evoke the blues. It persuades the listener to break free from them and dance.

”The boyband of a lost era.”
- Bangkok Post