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 (or French Gypsy) jazz.

It's an exhilarating, winding journey, most often conducted at a pedal-to-the-metal, breakneck speed. Fans of Taraf de Haidouks or Nigel Kennedy's work with the Polish band Kroke are well-advised to get on board. Their new favourite band has just arrived.

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.

"Led by a pair of virtuosic, violin-playing brothers, Eric and Olivier Slabiak, the group's presentation lured the audience into all-join-in musical participation, a colorful coda to an immensely entertaining weekend." - Los Angeles Times