Take a guitar, wooden spoons, accordion, a couple of milk cans, someone who can sing bass, a splash of Romany soul and, suddenly, it’s a party.

At least that was the scenario at the Napa Valley Opera House last Friday night when a colorful helping of “real” Hungarian music that Romas have been serving up for centuries was the main attraction.

Parno Graszt, Hungarian’s ambassadors of authentic Gypsy music, made its wine country debut, offering a small but enthusiastic audience in the Cafe Theater an uninhibited, boisterous show that is the ensemble’s stock in trade, one that blurs the line between audience and band. Concertgoers were delighted.

This was music of weddings, funerals, christenings and every kind of celebration in between, culled from their native culture as well as from neighboring Romania and Ukraine.

Formed two decades ago, the eight-member ensemble comes from the village of Paszab in underdeveloped northeastern Hungary.

The Napa show was the group’s last on its 40-day coast-to-coast tour. Tour manager Mark Szász, who served as translator, said the Roma musicians enjoyed their “exciting” American visit, playing gigs for audiences that ranged from elementary school students to enthusiastic fans from all over the map, including a few ex-pats.

The music exhibits natural exuberance and bounce, largely built on the tambura’s bright, chiming sound. Led by tambura player/singer Jozsef Olah, the ensemble also has a few members who do double duty, exhibiting energetic dances that translate custom and lifestyle in their part of the world.

In addition to acoustic guitars, double bass, tambura and spoons, the group’s lineup features “stereo milk jugs” and “oral bass,” improvised by the band's percussionist, and also draws upon accordion and a small drum held between the legs.

Just about every song included the two battered milk churns being slapped while player István Németh created a constant dialogue of throaty mouth music, like a resonant vocal bass.

Spoons player Sandor Horvath is also an amazing dancer, demonstrating remarkable agility with skipping, foot-slapping moves and a pole dance that is more martial art than it is terpsichore. Guitarist Viktor Olah, son of bassist Janos Olah, left the audience gasping for air with his high-stepping routines.

Jozsef Olah puts down his handmade pearwood tambura to play flamenco-like music on an acoustic guitar, accompanied by his son, Krisztian, on accordion. The sound is reminscent of music we’ve heard wherever Romas have roamed, Spain to Ukraine, Greece to Slovakia.

Like its name — Parno Graszt translates to “white horse” — the music symbolizes purity and freedom of spirit.

Napans are indeed fortunate to have opportunities to rub elbows with cultures of the world. And when the visitors exhibit as much talent as Hungary’s Parno Graszt, we’re doubly blessed. Hats off to the Opera House staff for providing us with this remarkable happening.