Ion Petre Stoican

Ion Petre Stoican (b. 1930, Oltenița – d. 1994, Constanța) was a Romani-Romanian violinist, a lăutar (performer of traditional lăutărească music, especially for weddings).

Life He was born in Oltenița, Călărași County, Romania, and was related to celebrated violinist Ion Nămol. Sometime before 1965, during the Communist regime of Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej, after observing strange behavior by a man in an audience for whom he was performing somewhere on the Black Sea coast, Stoican helped in arresting an American spy. He was offered a reward of a car or a house, but requested that his reward be to make a record. The result was a 4-song EP on Electrecord, backed by a band put together by the record label for the purpose. However, the record was not a commercial success. After a brief attempt at being a lăutar in Bucharest (where he lacked family connections), he retreated to Constanța, where he was more successful.

In the mid-1970s, Stoican decided to try Bucharest again. Among others, the album features cimbalom player Toni Iordache, who was responsible for many of the arrangements, and accordionist Ionica Minune. Other than Stoican and Iordache, the 14-piece band were credited only as a "People's Orchestra" rather than by name on the original Electrecord release, but a band photo on the album has allowed the line-up to be definitively identified.

Discography 4 track EP, originally released on Electrecord, c. 1966, name unknown album, originally released as an LP on Electrecord, c. 1977, ST-EPE 02166 'Ion Petre Stoican muzică lăutărească', re-released 2005 as a CD on Asphalt Tango Records, as Ion Petre Stoican: Sounds from a bygone age, Volume. 1.

Credits for Ion Petre Stoican: Sounds from a bygone age, Volume. 1

Musicians Ion Petre Stoican - violin Nicu Sapteluni - violin Marian Grigore - violin Matei Niculescu - violin Mihai "Rita" Gheorghe - double bass Fane Negrila - doublebass Ionica Minune - accordion Viorel Fundament - accordion Guta "Toi" Vasile - violin Toni Iordache - cymbalom Mieluta Bibescu - clarinet Grigore Vasile - clarinet Costel Vasilescu - trumpet Nicu Manole - violin

Tracks Hora lui Sile 03:33 Hora de la Constanţa 02:39 Moşule, te-aş întreba 04:36 Hora de la Olteniţa 02:37 Ia-ia-ţi mireasă, ziua buna 08:33 Hora lui Mihalea 02:32 Chiar dacă dau de necaz 02:45 Melodia lui Sile 02:15 Hora lăutareasca 03:11 Briu din Olteniţa 01:45 Hora de joc de la Olteniţa 01:39 Hora 02:40 Sîrba de joc din Constanţa 02:35 Hora de la Luceni 01:29 Sîrba 02:08