On 'Cigaros Explosivos', the 2014 album debut by Jaro Milko & The Cubalkanics, the Swiss band presented a refreshing mix of Balkan influences with Cuban rhythms. In the years that followed, whenever he was not touring, Jaro Milko travelled to countries like Greece, Turkey and Israel, and those musical influences have also made their way into the musical mix of the band. Album title 'Zivot' is Czech for "life", as Milko states: "Life is all about change. This album reflects the changes the Cubalkanics have undergone since the last album, as well as the crazy things that are currently happening around the globe.". For 'Zivot' Milko joined forces with producer Tod A (Firewater, Cop Shoot Cop), and some changes to the line-up of the band were implementd as well. Jaro got vocal support from his wife Jana Kouril and Israeli singer Kama Kamila, and bassist Lukas Briggen was replaced by Figli Di Madre Ignota bassist William Nicastro, so Briggen could devote himself completely to the trombone. To complete the horn section, Figli Di Madre Ignota trumpeter Stefano Iascone and Firewater trombonist Nimrod Talman were brought on board, and Roma percussionist Onur Nar, a Turkish acquaintance of Tod A, was brought in to provide some oriental grooves. Opener 'Oye Todos Borrachos' didn't immediately blow us away, as it sounds like the mestizo we already knew from, among many others, Sergent Garcia or Amparanoia, and the somewhat and we also could have done without the mellow 'Salt & Pepper', but songs like 'Moonlight On Filoti', inspired by a wedding on a Greek island, the instrumental 'A Fistful Of Rupees', that took us back to the rougher sound of 'Cigaros Explosivos', title track 'Zivot', for which Jaro Milko & The Cubalkanics go on a Pakistani/Indian vibe, the great surf meets sirtaki of 'A Belly full Of Raki', or even 'Hafla Revolution', that came about after Jaro happened to bump into Israeli-Greek guitar legend Aris San in a small music shop in Jaffa, could convince effortlessly. Successful revision of a proven concept!