Napoleon, father Coco (meaning "Rooster") and mother Salcia ("Willow"), is 38 years old, and comes from a family of 12 children. He is married to Nadia and is the father of five children: Razbuntor ("Avenger"), Armando, Bilclinton (Bill Clinton), Indonezia, and Lovena ("Beauty"). He currently lives in the village of Gratia, Teleorman County, southern Romania and appeared as special guest on Taraf de Haïdouks album "Dumbala Dumba" (Crammed) in 1988. He plays percussion, provides voices and plays wooden and plastic barrels by throwing stones, merely taken from the alley, into them.

Tamango lives in the village of Balrii, also Teleorman County. his age is uncertain but is "around 62". Playing the spoons since he was 16, his name is already a legend in local folk music circles, one line being written especially for him: "i pe aripa lui scria, Tamango nu muita." ("On his wing there was a note, Tamango forget me not.") He's unrelated to the well known Romanian football player, his role model being Louis Armstrong, whom he follows due to Armstrong's special vocal skills. For Shukar, Tamango plays the spoons and provides voices.

Clasic is 24 years old, and, like Napoleon, lives in Gratia. His hobby is to collect metal items from the fields around the village, from these he fashions toys. A master of the bear-tamers music, for Shukar he plays percussion and shares vocal duities whith the others.

All three are ex-street circus performers who used to use trained bears for their shows. A revision on national law has halted this traditional treatment of animals and the group now focus their energies on music.

(Biography Last updated 18 November 2004)