Ági Szalóki

Ági Szalóki

Ági Szalóki in 2014
Background information
Birth name Ágnes Szalóki
Origin Budapest, Hungary
Genres folklore, world music, jazz, electro-pop
Occupation(s) singer
Instruments vocals
Years active 1996–present
Labels Hangvető
Associated acts Ökrös, Besh o droM, Budapest Bár, Makám, Kishúg

Ági Szalóki (born Budapest, October 17, 1978) is a Hungarian folk singer.[1] She has toured worldwide with world music and folk revival bands such as Besh o droM and Ökrös.

Life

She started singing as a toddler, considering Márta Sebestyén a role model. Her musical background is traditional folk music; she first won recognition for singing with Ökrös in a traditional folk style, and Besh o droM, a Balkan gypsy brass band.[2] With these ensembles she toured around the world from the Montreal Jazz Festival, through Glastonbury Festival to the Théatre de la Ville in Paris, from New York to Beijing.

Since 2005, she began to pursue her solo career and explore various genres, such as jazz, thirties ballads, or children's songs.

Until now, three of her six released albums were awarded Album of the Year Prize (MAHASZ Fonogram Award) in the children's records and jazz categories.

"When I sing it's not important whether it's jazz or traditional music or music of any other kind", Szalóki has said. "I feel as if I'm swimming in the music. The music is like water; or air and I fly in it."[3]

She is trained in the Kodály method. Many of her projects are inspired by poetry, be it "Sunset of Rust, It is Dusk" on Lament (2005), or the Karády album of ballads (A Vágy Muzsikál, 2008).

She has also performed at numerous children's concerts.[3]

Discography

Solo albums

Szalóki's first solo album was written for preschool children. The record contains nursery rhymes, tales, children's games and other songs. The musical accompaniment was composed by folk-inspired classical musicians.
Ági Szalóki – voice, Dávid Lamm – guitar, Vera Berán – cello, András Dés – kanna, drums, Kati Lázár – tale telling, Róbert 'Szigony' Kerényi – flute, Péter Bede – flute, István Berán – bombard, Zoltán Kovács – double bass, Judit Ábrahám – gardon.
These folk songs originate from Moldva and Gyimes.
Ági Szalóki – voice, József Balázs – piano, Dávid Lamm – guitar, Kristóf Bacsó – tenor saxophone, András Dés – percussion, József Barcza Horváth – double bass, bass.
The CD largely consists of folk songs from Transylvania and the Uplands arranged by the band, together with poems by Ágnes Nagy Nemes and Sándor Weöres set to music. The poems are also narrated by two noted performers from the theatre, Mari Kiss and János Kulka.
Ági Szalóki – voice, Dávid Lamm – guitar, Judit Nagy – cello, András Dés – percussion Zoltán Kovács – double bass
Featuring: József Balázs – piano, Balázs Szokolay Dongó – flute, bagpipe, Attila Jakab – violin, József Barcza Horváth – double bass, poems and tale telling: Mari Kiss and János Kulka
These songs speak about the happiness and the sadness of love.
Ági Szalóki – voice, Kristóf Bacsó – tenor saxophone, Ferenc Schrek – pozan, Gábor Juhász – guitar, Dávid Lamm – guitar, Zoltán Kovács – double bass, András Mohay – drums, Róbert Szakcsi Lakatos – piano, Richárd Szaniszló – vibrafon, Tcha Limberger – violin
The record includes renewed folksongs and sung poems from Attila József, Károly Tamkó Sirató, Sándor Weöres and from Anna Szabó T., who is a young Transylvanian-born poet. The narrator of the record who is telling the tales is the actor György Cserhalmi.
Ági Szalóki – voice, whistle; Dávid Lamm – guitar, voice; Zoltán Kovács – double bass, voice; András Dés – percussion, voice.
Featuring: Kornél Fekete-Kovács – horn, Gábor Juhász – guitar, Péter Szalai – tabla, Balázs Szokolay Dongó – flute, tárogató; tale telling György Cserhalmi
This album combines Hungarian, Roma, and Turkish songs with contemporary Hungarian poetry.
Band members: Ági Szalóki – voice, Gergő Borlai – drums, Zsolt Csókás – guitar, Zoltán Kovács – double bass.
Featuring: Peta Lukács – guitar, Zoltán Sipeki – guitar, György Orbán – bass violin

Contribution

Awards

References

  1. ↑ "Ági Szalóki (Vocals)". ExtremelyHungary. Retrieved 19 April 2014.
  2. ↑ Cronshaw, Andrew (7 March 2006). "Ági Szalóki:Lament". fRoots. Retrieved 4 October 2011.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Hunt, Ken (1 July 2008). "Otherwordly". fRoots. Retrieved 4 October 2011.

External links