A Tribute to György Szabados
MAKUZ Memorial Concert in Budapest
What may happen, could happen again. After more than a decade break, the band that György Szabados used to lead, came together for an open concert on 20th December. The evening, now an annual Christmas event, was organized by the Adyton Foundation and hosted by the premier avantgarde place in Budapest, the Lumen Café. Visitors came from all over the country including Győr, Debrecen, and even as far as Italy.
All the members of the onetime band available joined the company. In alphabetical word order: István Baló (percussion), Róbert Benkő (bass), Mihály Dresch (reeds), Tamás Geröly (percussion), István Grencsó (reeds), Ferenc Kovács „Öcsi” (trumpet and violin), Miklós Mákó (trumpet), Szilárd Mezei (viola), and Zsolt Vaskó (reeds). The only person missing was György Szabados who died in 2011.
The hall was packed with people who had the pleasure to listen to two extended compositions by the Master: The Interrogation of Irma Szabó, evoking the mood of remebrance, and a more energetic and playful Regölés (Winter Folk Ritual). The musicians, as if stepping back in time, felt high performing together again, featured their individual talents in solo spots emerging from collective improvisation, and uplifted the music from a solemn and mournful mood to celebratory outbreaks, fully dedicating themselves to the delight of free playing.
The concert was a huge success and may signal the beginning of something new. The notion of a long forgotten collective experience could rouse the interest of those involved to continue and come together to perform again once or twice a year. In the spirit of György Szabados.
Gábor Turi