12.05.2007
Djabe & Steve Hackett: Sipos András benefit concert
Thank you, everyone!
On 30th November, Petőfi Csarnok had a full house for Sipi’s memorial concert. It is unbelievable but we played for four hours! I believe we managed to pay homage and say farewell to Sipi the way he deserved it. In addition we could help his family financially.
Our guests made this evening really special for us, too, and in spite of the sad occasion, we managed to unleash our positive energies. Judging from the reactions of the audience, we could express all we intended to. Steve Hackett, Mihály Dresch, Kálmán Balogh, Said Tichiti, Sándor Budai and Ferenc Németh were simply fantastic. I think we received the most special and greatest help from Steve. However, we must not forget about the technicians, the partner companies and representatives of the media, who made this evening possible with their generous work.
Once again, let me thank everyone who took part in realising this concert. I hope we will remember Sipi and this evening for a long time!
10.08.2007
The Djabe and Steve Hackett:
"András Sipos Charity and Memorial Concert"
30th November 2007 - 7 PM
Petőfi Csarnok
1146 Budapest, Zichy Mihály út 14.
Teleohone: +36 1 363 37 30
Ticket ordering: www.jegyelado.hu, www.gramy.com
Guest musicians: Saïd Tichiti, Kálmán Balogh, Mihály Dresch, the Magony Ensemble and actor friends.
Founding member of the Djabe, percussionist and singer András Sipos unexpectedly died at the age of 53. He left a vast void after him both on stage and in the band. He was a determining member, forming the sound of the Djabe and he took the lion's share in achieving the success and various awards of the orchestra both in Hungary and abroad. His friends, fellow musicians and actors, as well as the general public loved and respected him for his colourful, cheerful personality. He delighted the audience with his performance with the Djabe in around 19 countries outside Hungary.
Many knew him as an actor. He graduated from the former College of Theatre and Cinema Studies (Színház- és Filmművészeti Főiskola) in 1981, then became the member of the Comedy Theatre of Budapest (Vígszínház) for 18 years. His memorable roles are unforgettable for theatre-goers. He most fondly remembered the plays Book of the Jungle, The Attic (A padlás), Let's Dance Together (Össztánc) and Play it Again, Sam. He was also awarded for his high performance as a dubbing actor. The role to suit his personality most was the Hrabal play titled Dance Lessons for the Advanced in Age staged by the European Renaissance Honour group.
Along with István Bubik and Tamás Ruzicska, he co-founded the Macumba percussion ensemble, which later became a big success.
Sipi, as people called him, could play on hand percussions with such virtuosity that the audience believed they were listening to a native African musician if the lights were switched off. This is what happened in the Pompidou Centre in Paris. The black audience was almost 'indignant' as a white man could play as they did...
He played amazingly on every instrument he touched but he was really the king of the djembe.
András Sipos is mourned by the acting society, his musician friends and most of all, his family: his wife and three young daughters. Tercsike is seven, Anna and Ágota are four years old.
The organisers have offered the whole returns from the concert to the family. All the performers and service providers have denied to accept their fees. The program of "András Sipos Charity and Memorial Concert"
Actor colleagues pay homage to him in the first part of the program.
Following the introduction in prose, the Djabe will appear on stage. The group will say farewell to their friend and fellow musician with a program specially set up for this evening. Several musicians who earlier used to play in the group will also appear, including Said Tichiti, a singer and percussionist of Moroccan origin, who has joined the group on several albums and at various concerts.
An outstanding guest of the concert is Steve Hackett, former guitarist of the Genesis, who cooperated on the album titled 'Sheafs are Dancing' ('Táncolnak a kazlak') and appeared in concert with the group in London 2004. He accepted the invitation without hesitation. He will also perform a separate block of songs from Hackett's own repertoire. Naturally, Steve will play several songs together with the Djabe during the concert.
The audience can also hear Ferenc Kovács and his ensemble, the Magony; they will remember Sipi accompanied by Kálmán Balogh cymbal player and Mihály Dresch.
Of course, we cannot say everything about the concert in advance and there will be several surprises but one thing is sure: with the help of the technology and the video projector, the Djabe will play together with Sipi for one last occasion.
The group would like to remember András with a performance worthy of him; therefore they are to put on stage one of the most exciting Djabe programs ever, the standard of which will be further enhanced by the appearing guest musicians.
We hope many of you will be interested to experience this one-of-a-kind concert as you can help the grieving family with every ticket bought.
Ticket prices:
Student ticket: HUF 1800
Student cards (with the valid sticker) are to be presented on entry.
Full ticket: HUF 3800
Entrance ticket + Djabe: Thank you, Sipi CD: HUF 5800
Tickets are available: In ticket offices of Concert and Media, in the office of Gramy Records and on the venue. Online booking: www.jegyelado.hu, www.gramy.com
"The Djabe is making a farewell CD for Sipi. The band is recording the material of the album in the studio in early October. We play every note for András. With the help of old tunes, never before played compositions, archived and unused recordings, Sipi will also be present in the studio and on some of the tracks.
The album is closed with Witchi Tai To, the last song played at Sipi's last concert at the Debrecen Jazz Days on 7th September 2007. If we had known that this would be the last time, we might never have left the stage."
Without whom the concert could not have been arranged: Votec, HG Event Technics, Perfect Design Factory, Duotone Repro, Print America, Pharma Press Kft., Pont Reklám, QIB, Jazzy Rádió, Duna TV, Concert és Média Kft.
We are constantly refreshing the list of the concert's sponsors.
09.14.2007
With our deepest grief we have to disclose that one of the founders of our band, the percussionist and vocalist Sipos András with tragical suddenness died on 14th September at his age of 53.
His play and voice was one of the basis of the so called 'Djabe sound'. From Canada to Azerbaijan the audience enjoyed and loved his expertise and way of presenting it. He had a significant role in Djabe's success and also in winning domestical and international prizes. His personality and homour was a wonderful gift for the members of Djabe.
He graduated in 1981 as an actor at the College of Dramatic and Cinematic Art and than was the member of 'Víg Theatre' for 18 years.
We will keep him in our memories and will take care of his musicial and intellectual heritage.
09.06.2007
German speaking gigs!
Djabe plays in Portugal at Porto Covo
Djabe will play this September in Berlin and Wien.
The Berlin gigs will take place at Wabe on 21st and Quasimodo on 22nd.
In Austria they play at the famous Joe Zawinul's Birdland in Wien on 29th.
For showtime, address, ticketing info please click here.
Enjoy the shows!
07.30.2007
To attention of American Djabe fans!
Djabe Summer 2007 tour hit the American continent 4th of August. The band plays in Canada at the Kaslo Jazz, BC on 4th and 5th of August. Djabe continues the tour in the USA. Djabe will perform in the famous Blues Alley Club Washington DC, on 7th, and at the Paectec Jazzfestival in Baltimore, MD, on 9th.
Please check the details here:
05.29.2007
Djabe will play in 10 countries this summer!
Djabe's summer Parallels tour can be seen in the following countries: Azerbaijan, Latvia, Finland, Portugal, Austria, Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria, Canada and USA.
For the details please check the tour page:
04.19.2007
Djabe - Message from the Road
Double live CD and DVD, GR-071/072
The album was recorded during the Slices of Life 2006 tour in the USA, Europe and Hungary.
The first disc is CD and the second is dualdisc.
The CD side of the dualdisc contains the Part II of the concert, meanwhile the DVD side offers the whole live material in surround 5.1 DTS and dolby digital. In the DVD's extra features can be found a radio interview originally broadcasted in Berlin in German and English language. The DVD also contains a 71 minutes road movie recorded during the tour with much live footage.
Management: Gramy-H Advertising Ltd.
H-1092 Budapest, Ráday u. 40.
e-mail: djabe@djabe.com
Phone: +36 1 217 1121
Fax: +36 1 218 0166
