What's so good about Emir Kusturica and The No Smoking Orchestra?

The No Smoking Orchestra (TNSO) has been called "a Gypsy techno-rock band" and I think that's a great label: imagine combining all of the best, most exciting parts of the gypsy music tradition (Django Reinhardt, Stephane Grappelli and their contemporaries) with the energy and spectacle of techno and rock music, and you'll begin to understand what it's like to experience a TSNO show. And what exactly does "Gypsy techno-rock" sound like? Check this out:

"Devil in the Business Class" from The Best of Emir Kusturica and The No Smoking Orchestra

The story behind The No Smoking Orchestra is incredible, and demonstrates the power of music and art when faced with unbelievable adversity. First assembled in Yugoslavia in the early 1980's, the NSMO has worked through oppressive regimes, changes in musical tastes and even two wars to attain stadium-filling appeal at home and abroad. Now championed by internationally acclaimed and multiple award-winning filmmaker Emir Kusturica (who joined the group first on bass and now plays guitar), TNSO has performed throughout Europe and South America. It's hard to sum up their incredible story in just a few lines - check out their website for the full story.

So what do I like about The No Smoking Orchestra? First and foremost, it's the energy they bring to every performance. To use the old sports cliche, they truly give 110% every time. And maybe knowing their history makes seeing them give their all even more meaningful. Plus, this is music that isn't being made locally or even nationally - it's truly a window into a different musical world. It's fun, it's exciting, and it will get you moving (as it clearly did for these thousands of fans in Buenos Aires!) - check it out:

And, of course, the advantage of having an award-winning film director as a member of your band is the opportunity to make some pretty creative music videos. Check this out for a bit of extra fun:

The TD Toronto Jazz Festival is proud to be have been one stop on TNSO's first-ever North American tour in 2010.