Dél-Alföldi Saxophone Ensemble

Hungarian Saxophone Collective

The ensemble was formed by three young sax-players in 1992, all born and, by and large, still living in the Southern and South-Eastern end of the Great Hungarian Plains. In fact they derive their name from the region of their birth. ("Dél-alföldi" means "of the Southern Plains"). Their common ground is not just a matter of geography, although geography matters too because the corner of Hungary they come from practically borders on the Balkans and that is also something that you can hear in their music. The present personnel crystallized in 1997. Their repertoire includes folk arrangements, traditional pieces, and jazzy, almost danceable compositions with their roots in the rhythmic world of Hungarian and Eastern European folk music and jazz. Their musical choices are illustrated by their instruments too: the bag pipe, the hit gardon (a percussion instrument resembling the shape of a cello), traditional recorders, and the "körtemuzsika" (a special Hungarian flute) are in their arsenal just as well as a unique vocal effect called tuva singing. In the singular compositional concepts of the three saxophonists just as in the free parts one can point out highly individual ideas. However, the influence of Mihály Dresch’s and György Szabados’ music on their approach is undeniable. Members of the band: Béla Ágoston - vocal/saxophone/clarinet Róbert Benkő - double bass Béla Pöcök Burány - saxophon Tamás Geröly - drums Balázs Dongó Szokolay - saxophon/flute/clarinet Discography: 1997. Dél-alföldi Szaxofonegyüttes: Esthajnal 1999. Dél-alföldi Szaxofonegyüttes: Kalamona 2004. Dél-alföldi Szaxofonegyüttes: Tótágas