Romani Blue began in 1999 in Columbia, Missouri as the brainchild of three individuals. Maya was a dancer, doumbek player and flutist trained in classical belly dance and Indian Temple Dance. Gypsy John was a doumbek player and stringed instrument player and collector. He bought the first bouzouki, tambour and other stringed instruments for the band. Grant Withers met the pair at the 1999 PENNSYLVANIA Rainbow Gathering and began to Study the music. He had been a blues, country, rock and folk multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter since the 70's.

In 2002, they played their first shows around Columbia, MO as GYPSY BALADI.

In 2004 the name ROMANI BLUE was coined, while GYPSY BALADI remained the name of Maya's dance troupe. The name was derived from ROMANI being the preferred name of the many GYPSY tribes, and BLUE because of the similarity of the Turkish based music to African and American blues, and the belief that all music sprung out of Africa.

The group continues to gig in St Louis and Columbia as of Sept 2007. Most of the members are Wiccan and devote their music to the Goddess of the Olde Religion. They have released two CD's "LIVE IN TOWER GROVE 6/11/06" and a collaboration with MYSTIC TRIBE, Maya's drum troupe, "MYSTIC TRIBE."

A CD is due in late 2007 to be entitled "OZARKISTAN".

MOUNTAIN BLUES IS BACK!!!
A new singer will be fronting Romani Blues side project "Mountain Blues".
A CD of originals will be released in 2008.