The band Söndörgő is often described as a World Music band, and indeed has won numerous awards under that category. For me its firmly in the tradition of modern European jazz. It combines deep ethnic Balkan roots with exciting improvisation. If that wasn’t clear from their earlier albums the inclusion here of saxophonist Chris Potter just adds to those credentials
The band has been going for almost 30 years and is made up from three brothers, Áron, Benjamin and Salamon Eredics, plus cousin Dávid Eredics and Ábel Dénes, the only non-family member, on bass.
All the family members are multi-instrumentalists. All of them play various different sizes of the Tambura – a mandolin-like instrument, probably of Turkish origin, used by the South Slav (Serbian and Croatian) communities in Hungary. But in addition Áron Eredics plays outstanding Darbuka (a goblet drum), Benjamin Eredics plays trumpet, Dávid Eredics plays clarinet, saxophone, and kaval (an end-blown flute) and is also lead tabura player. Salamon Eredics plays hulusi (a chinese flute), bass drum and accordion.
The music can be fast and furious with incredible precision from the tamburas, it can mix rock with balkan bluegrass, with nods to classical composers like Bartok, who used folk music themselves. They can also play a cheesy ballad as in their version of Laura where Potter and others soar over the sparkling Tamburas.
The press release is helpful, and describes the opening track Liras thus:
“The musical material of the composition consists of three layers: motivic music based on Balkan asymmetrically rhythmic dances, a Greek 7/16 Serra dance originally played with a lyre, and improvisation. Interestingly, some motifs from one of Rachmaninov’s liturgical choral works appear in the music.” Most of the other tracks have a similar mixture of improvisation and folk music.
I did like the cheekily named, trumpet led, Sketches of Spoon, and the two arrangements of Bartok pieces. The final track encapsulates the whole style. It starts slowly and lyrically with short improvisations from saxophone trumpet and flute over rhythmic percussion. Then about three minutes into the nine minute track it suddenly triples in speed and becomes a dance rhythm with ferocious solos from saxophone, accordion and others over a constant driving rhythm from the percussion.
The whole album is great fun, and clearly sits firmly in its local roots, but is nevertheless full of exciting improvisation – definitely a jazz album – and great fun at that!
Peter Slavid broadcasts a programme of European Jazz on mixcloud.com/ukjazz and various internet stations
