GYEZZ (2 vinyls)

Description

Hungarian traditional music veterans Sondorgo return with 'Gyezz', perhaps their greatest album in over 25 years, featuring special guest Chris Potter, the acclaimed saxophonist. The band blends jazz with their characteristic mix of traditional music, the sophistication of classical compositions, the energy of rock, and the purity of Bartók's thought. - - Gyezz is an expression of resilience in harmony, the band's story as a robust force in a tumultuous world, overcoming challenges and insecurities. 'In the midst of this chaos, our music has become a catalyst for hope and inspiration,' the band explains. 'We want our music to serve as a guide through life's turbulent waters.' Armed with their tamburas (plucked string instruments popular in Serbian and Hungarian folk music), the Hungarian quintet teamed up with Snarky Puppy's Michael League to release Gyezz, inviting the equally renowned jazz saxophonist Chris Potter aboard for an ambitious world-jazz crossover album full of tension, surprises, folklore, and, always at the heart of the album: jazz. Taking the listener on a journey through pieces by Bartók, Balkan folklore, Rachmaninov, improvisation, and even a jazz standard, the album is Sondorgo's most versatile offering to date - and likely Chris Potter's first foray into this exciting new blend of world music and jazz. Chris Potter truly brings renewed energy and vibe to the Sondorgo brand with his very first incursion into Balkan folklore. 'We express our deep gratitude to Chris Potter for his extraordinary talent,' the band states. We are convinced that audiences, far beyond Eastern Europe, will agree with us.