Occidental Gypsy at the Firehouse Center for the Arts

Occidental Gypsy is pioneering the sound of Gypsy Pop. Their mélange of uptempo, high-energy rhythms of Gypsy, melded with the catchy melodic hooks of Pop delivers a thrilling auditory experience to listeners.

Occidental Gypsy was originally formed by brothers Brett (lead guitar) and Jeff Feldman (bassist) as a straight-ahead Gypsy Jazz Quartet. Through the release of Over Here and the addition of new members, the band has taken on a far more diverse, sophisticated, and eclectic sound. The group is fronted by Berklee trained singer and rhythm guitarist Scott (“Scottie”) Kulman, and supported by two Berklee students: violinist Jakub Trasak from the Czech Republic, and percussionist Francisco Vielma from Venezuela. The circumstances that brought this ensemble together are far from ordinary. Brett and Scottie serendipitously met on a park bench. Scott’s grandmother had approached the guitar-slinging Brett at the same park bench months earlier, speaking highly of her grandson’s musical talent. Scottie introduced Francisco and Jakub to the band.