Balázs Bágyi New Quartet „In the Footsteps of Erik Satie” Hungary

Drummer and composer Balázs Bágyi is a highly esteemed figure on the Hungarian jazz scene, and he will be performing at Autumn Jazz with his ensemble, the Balázs Bágyi New Quartet. Bágyi’s unique melodic drumming style is both emotionally rich and captivating, enchanting audiences across Europe, America and China. While the ensemble typically showcases Bágyi’s original compositions, the Estonian audience will have the opportunity to experience the Hungarian musicians’ interpretation of the works of French minimalist pianist and composer Erik Satie.

The music of the Balázs Bágyi New Quartet is grounded in post-bop elements and embodies the essence of acoustic jazz. The drummer is joined by exceptional musicians from Budapest’s younger generation: saxophonist Soso Lakatos, award-winning pianist Dezső Oláh and acclaimed bassist Péter Oláh. In 2016, the quartet’s album Homage to Shakespeare,featuring vocalist Kriszta Pocsai, received the international jury prize at the Gramofon Awards, and they were subsequently named Band of the Year by JazzMa.hu.

Erik Alfred Leslie Satie (17 May 1866 – 1 July 1925) was a French composer and pianist, renowned as a key precursor to minimalism. John Cage cited him as one of his most significant influences. Although Satie briefly studied composition at the Paris Conservatory, he spent much of his career performing as a pianist in Montmartre’s cafés and cabarets.

Among Satie’s friends were Ravel and Debussy, the latter being particularly captivated by Satie’s elegant harmonies. Satie was a central figure for the group of French composers known as Les Six, whose ideological leaders were Jean Cocteau and Satie himself. The group included Georges Auric, Louis Durey, Arthur Honegger, Germaine Tailleferre, Darius Milhaud and Francis Poulenc. Despite their diverse creative approaches, these composers were united by a quest for novelty, a clear musical language, and a desire to distance themselves from Slavism, post-Wagnerism and Impressionism.

Special thanks to Liszt Institute – Hungarian Cultural Center Tallinn.