Djabe

Djabe released their first CD in November 1996, simply titled Djabe.
The first Djabe album, recorded between June 1995 and September 1996, was already noticed by both the audience and the professional scene. It was created by the two founders of Djabe, percussionist András Sipos (1954-2007) and guitarist Attila Égerházi. They were joined by Tibor Karvaly, a violinist from the former Novus Jam band of Égerházi and Sipos, for the recordings. Among the invited musicians were Ferenc Muck saxophonist, bassist Tamás Barabás and trumpet and violin player Ferenc Kovács. From the criticisms of the time, the opinion of the American writer Mike Ezzo should be highlighted, who predicted, right fromthe first album, that Djabe would achieve significant success and a great career internationally. And he was right…

Djabe & Steve Hackett line-up made up for the 2020 and 2021 tour postponed due to Covid in 2022. The musicians eagerly awaited to make music together, so on the tour the band was very much together and gave their best performances of all time. At the final stop of the tour, the band also recorded a video, the post-production of which, as usual, was done by Tamás Barabás and Attila Égerházi. The concert, which can be found on Blu-ray, includes several tracks performed live for the first time. Examples include Lake By The Sea from the Back To Sardinia album, the rock band version of Ace Of Wands from the Voyage Of The Acolyte album, or the Gyor Blues compositions. There are several live versions of Steve Hackett and Djabe compositions previously not released on a Djabe & Steve Hackett live albums. Songs like The Steppes, Witchi Tai To, Gyor and Power Of Wings.

The Djabe came out with a new studio album at the end of 2022. The album ‘Before’, which was released firstly in double CD format, contains fifteen new original recordings. Although the beautiful photos of the four-panel digi sleeve packaging once again praise the beauty of Sardinia, this time the recording sessions were taken in Hungary, Denmark and England. On the double album, the current line-up of Djabe can be heard as the core band, namely: Tamás Barabás bass guitar, guitar, synthesizer program, vocals, sound engineer; Attila Égerházi guitar, percussion, producer; Áron Koós-Hutás trumpet, French horn, Péter Kaszás vocals, drums; Zoltán Bubenyák keyboards. As well as four guest artists already known from previous records: Steve Hackett guitar, harmonica; Rob Townsend sax; Tibor Karvaly electric violin; Éva Kozma koboz and a newcomer in Djabe colors, violinist György Mesics.

In 2003, Steve Hackett met the Hungarian jazz fusion septet Djabe and contributed to their album Táncolnak A Kazlak. They got on so well that they played shows together whenever possible. In 2016, Djabe and Hackett got together for improvised recording sessions in the parsonage of a Sardinian cathedral. The flow of ideas and easy rapport netted the widely celebrated Life Is a Journey: The Sardinia Tapes. A year later, the guitarist and band took the material on tour, resulting in the document Life Is a Journey: The Budapest Live Tapes. Djabe returned to the same spot earlier in 2019, without Hackett; his touring schedule wouldn’t allow him to participate live.

Every year Djabe & Steve Hackett impress jazz and progressive rock fans with more and more cohesive and powerful performances. The 2023 tour has once again delivered some surprises. The most attention-grabbing of these was the interpretation of the Genesis song Carpet Crawlers, sung fantastically by Péter Kaszás behind the drums. Listening to the whole concert, we feel that the parts are coming together more and more. The musicians and the songs from the repertoire of Djabe, Djabe & Steve Hackett, Genesis and Steve Hackett form an inseparable unit. The musicians perform Camino Royale, Ace Of Wands, Buzzy Island, Last Train To Istanbul and Los Endos with elemental power and energy. These are beautifully counterpointed by lyrical compositions such as Franciska, Horizons, Tale, Hairless Heart, Firth Of Fifth. And jazz fans will not be left unsatisfied either: in Could Have Been or Central European Time, the musicians of Djabe prove that they are without a doubt the leading musicians of the Hungarian jazz scene.

Djabe are an award-winning Hungarian jazz and progressive fusion band comprised of virtuoso musicians. Their music is a unique meld where elements of electric jazz are woven through various aspects of Hungarian and other cultures' folk and progressive rock. Djabe often collaborate with guitarist Steve Hackett.
In 2019 the band went on an North-American tour. Some of the highlights of this tour is the full house show in the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, the 8th performance at the Rochester International Jazzfest in New York, and the closing gig at the Edmonton International Jazz Festival of Canada. In the band’s opinion the latter show was the best and they decided to release the recorded multitracks. Djabe played 2 sets with different tracklists, now featured both of them on this release.

Esoteric Recordings is pleased to announce the release of the new studio album by Hungarian band Djabe, "The Magic Stag". Featuring special guest Steve Hackett.
Djabe is one of the finest Progressive / Jazz fusion bands working in the world today. They are also known to a wider audience outside of their native land thanks to a series of collaborative albums and live appearances with the legendary solo musician and ex-Genesis member Steve Hackett…

The first Djabe album, recorded between June 1995 and September 1996, was already noticed by both the audience and the professional scene. It was created by the two founders of Djabe, percussionist András Sipos (1954-2007) and guitarist Attila Égerházi. They were joined by Tibor Karvaly, a violinist from the former Novus Jam band of Égerházi and Sipos, for the recordings…