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Djabe is a Hungarian jazz- and world music band formed in 1996. The name Djabe is influenced by the Akan word djabe, which means freedom. The group composes its own works in which jazz style is mixed with elements of Hungarian and African music. The band has performed internationally at several festivals. Moreover, they worked together with musicians, such as Steve Hackett and Ben Castle. The band’s recordings are published by Gramy Records.

Djabe plays unique music in which the elements of jazz are mixed with various parts of Hungarian and world music. The main composer of the band is Tamás Barabás, who – at the same time – is the most virtuoso Hungarian bass guitarist. Djabe means freedom in the African Ashanti language. The founder and other composer of the band is Attila Égerházi – playing the guitar and being the leader of the band, too –, who interprets this freedom primarily by freely mixing the styles and instruments. Égerházi and Barabás refreshed the band in September of 2016. They stayed true to the high standards accustomed to Djabe when selecting the newest members of the band.

At the drums sits the internationally acclaimed, Artisjus Award-winner and Grammy Award nominee Péter Kaszás, who was and still is the drummer for Al Di Meola’s band, World Sinfonia, for 7 years. The old-but-new member of Djabe, Áron Koós-Hutás, multiple award-winning trumpet player who performed at many gigs of the band between 2008 and 2010. Primarily as second for Ferenc Kovács, Áron played alongside with the former Djabe member in 2010. He can be heard and seen on Djabe 15 DVD and on In the Footsteps of Attila and Genghis double CDs. The keyboards are under the hands of the Hungarian musical life’s outstanding talent János Nagy. The Artisjus, eMeRTon and Erkel Award-winning musician played with exceptional Hungarian and foreign jazz giants along his career.

The new line-up released its first LP and CD in February 2017, entitled Djabe: New Dimensions Update Live. As a sound engineer, the arranger of the band, Tamas Barabas has won the recognition of the experts at Abbey Road with the 5.1 surround mixing of ‘Sheafs are Dancing’. This release was nominated to Surround Music Award in Los Angeles in 2004.

Djabe in the past 22 years worked together with several foreign and domestic musicians. Ben Castle saxophonist (The Brand New Heavies, Sting, Jamie Cullum, Georg Michael) can be heard on 5 albums and 3 concert releases of Djabe, as he also toured with the band. John Nugent, American saxophonist (Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennett, Carla Bay) plays on the album Take On, Down And Up, Forward and 20 Dimension and regularly participates in Djabe’s concerts. Malik Mansurov is the master of the ancient instrument of Azerbaijan, the tar – Djabe played with him in Baku and in Hungary as well in addition he can be heard on many albums. From the domestic musicians we have to emphasize 3 saxophonists, Mihály Dresch, Ferenc Muck and Viktor Tóth, besides the table player Tibor Mótyán.

Since 2007 Djabe has joint concerts regularly with the former guitarist of Genesis, Steve Hackett. The outstanding project of the band, the show of ‘Djabe special guest Steve Hackett’ not only contains Steve playing Djabe tunes, it includes playing Genesis and Hackett classics with Djabe. At the Garana Jazz Festival in Romania, 13.000 music fans enjoyed the music of Djabe and Steve.

Steve Hackett became legendary as the guitarist for Genesis. He joined the band in the ’Peter Gabriel-era’ of Genesis along with Phil Collins, in 1970. His guitar play and influence as a composer was paramount concerning the most revered albums of Genesis. His personal favorite of this era is ’Selling England By The Pound’. Steve’s first solo album was released in 1975, christened ’Voyage of the Acolyte’ – in quality it is only comparable to Genesis albums of the time. After Peter Gabriel’s departure, Hackett co-produced 3 other albums, ’Wind And Wuthering’ being the most prominent. From 1978 he took on a solo career and made some of his best records since. Hackett is an innovative composer with diversity being a key factor in albums, style and unique expedient alike. He produced not only rock albums but numerous acoustic guitar-based, classic releases saw the light of day since 1983. His electric guitar play is incomparable and one of the most well-known in the rock genre in the whole world. For a short time Hackett made joint recordings with Steve Howe, guitar player of Yes, under the supergroup GDR – this formation also went on tours in both 1986 and 1987. He joined with Attila Égerházi in 1999, who took up managing the Hungarian releasing of the albums of Hackett. In 2002 Steve Hackett’s first acoustic concert in Hungary was also managed and organized by Attila Égerházi, who also recorded the content for CD and DVD ’Hungarian Horizons’. In 2003 their collaboration evolved into joined musical cooperation as Steve played on the album ’Táncolnak a kazlak’ by Djabe. In 2004 Steve Hackett and Djabe stepped on the stage together in London. Later this year Steve Hackett returned to Budapest with his rock band. This was also organized by Attila Égerházi, and he also recorded the concert album ’Once Above A Time’. In 2007 he played at the charity concert dedicated to András Sipos – the gig was released under joint name on double CD and DVD.

Every year since 2008 a short tour named ’Djabe special guest Steve Hackett’ is concluded. The project’s program includes Djabe, Steve Hackett and Genesis pieces. They appeared in numerous countries of Asia and Europe. At the Romanian Garana Festival they appeared in front of a 15 000 crowd. The first ’Djabe special guest’ album, ’In The Footsteps Of Attila And Genghis’ was released in 2011. Since then numerous joined albums were released. Furthermore, Steve played on every single Djabe release since then and Djabe members also appeared on some of Steve’s albums. Steve Hackett not only plays the guitar on te records and at gigs but also sings, since 2011. In the future the joined recordings and gigs are sure to be continued.

The current lineup of Djabe are:

Tamás Barabás – bass guitar
Attila Égerházi – guitar, percussion
Áron Koós-Hutás – trumpet, flugelhorn
Péter Kaszás – drums
János Nagy – piano, keyboards