Djabe is the number 1 jazz/world fusion band in Hungary. It has been established 15 years ago and since then, Djabe won numerous domestic and international awards and recognitions. Since 2007 Djabe has common concerts regularly with the former guitarist of Genesis, Steve Hackett. From 2002, the band gave concerts in 36 count-ries throughout Europe, Asia and North-America. Djabe is one of the most invited Hungarian bands by international festivals.
Just to name a few of the most important venues:
Rochester, Baltimore, Washington DC, San Jose USA; Kaslo, Toronto Canada; Burghausen, Berlin, Regensburg, Mnchen Germany; Klaipeda, Kaunas Lithuania; Riga Latvia; Pori, Imatra Finland; Glogow, Cracow, Warsaw Poland; Stockholm Sweden; London England; Hradec Krlov, Prague Czech Republic; Bansko Bulgaria; Graz, Vienna, Wiesen Austria; Sarajevo Bosnia and Herzegovina; Udine Italy; Sines, Portiamo Portugal; Baku Azerbaijan; Seben, Garana Romania; Nis, Novi Sad Serbia, Ulaanbaatar Mongolia; Almaty Kazahstan; Bishkek Kirgistan; Kuala Lumpur, Penang Malaysia, Dubai United Arab Emirates, Koktebel Ukraine; The Hague The Netherlands; Zagreb, Dubrovnik Croatia; Bratislava Slovakia; Crete Greece.
Djabe plays unique music in which the elements of jazz are mixed with various parts of Hungarian and world music. The main composer of the band is Tams Barabs, who at the same time is the most virtuoso Hungarian bass guitarist. Jazz and authentic Hungarian music are simultaneously present in the play of Ferenc Kovcs. According to Archie Sheep, who worked with Ferenc Kovcs on several occasions he is one of the best violin players in the world and in the meantime plays the trumpet like Miles Davis. He also worked with Dave Murray, Balanescu and Hamid Drake.
The pianist, Zoltn Kovcss colourful play, sometimes tending to be classical, increases the standard of Djabes performance on a large scale. Djabe means freedom in the African Ashanti language. The founder and other composer of the band is Attila ...gerhzi playing the guitar and being the leader of the band, too , who interprets this freedom primarily by freely mixing the styles and instruments. Djabes drummer, Szilrd Banai is one of the most talented Hungarian jazz drummers, his reliable and musical play gives the best possible rhytmic background of the band. As a sound engineer, the arranger of the band, Tamas Barabas has won the recognition of the experts at Abbey Road with the 5.1 surroud mixing of Sheafs are Dancing. This release was nominated to surround music award in Los Angeles in 2004.
The outstanding project of the band, the show of Djabe special guest Steve Hackett not only contains Steve playing Djabe tunes, it includes playing Genesis and Hackett classics with Djabe. At the Garana Jazz Festival in Romania, 13.000 music fans enjoyed the music of Djabe and Steve.
Djabe in the past 15 years worked together with several foreign and domestic musicians. Ben Castle saxophonist (The Brand New Havies, Sting, Jamie Cullumn) can be heard on 4 albums and 3 concert releases of Djabe, as he also toured with the band. John Nugent, American saxophonist (Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennett, Carla Bay) plays on the album Take On and regularly participates in Djabes concerts. Malik Mansurov is the master of the ancient instrument of Azerbaijan, the tar Djabe played with him in Baku and in Hungary as well in addition he can be heard on the album Take On. From the domestic musicians we have to emphasize 2 saxophonists, Mihly Dresch and Viktor Tth.
