Episodes featuring music and stories are available below (downloadable audio), or on YOUTUBE (video – please subscribe). Click here for “Tanchaz Talk Interviews” episodes.
“Roll Out the Sarju”: rolling out and introducing the teenage folk sensation Sarju Band’s first CD “Kedvenceink” together with founding members Laszlo and Balazs Hajdu-Nemeth calling in from Budapest. As we listen to several tracks, the brothers take us beyond the music, explaining how the recording came together, stories behind the tunes, their role models and mentors, and future plans for the group. The CD is available on Spotify, Apple Music, and http://webbolt.fono.hu/eng.sarjubanda.kedveceink. (January 17, 2022)
“Second Virtual Western Canadian Hungarian Folk Festival Episode”: an entire episode dedicated to the 2021 (second and last) VIRTUAL Western Canadian Hungarian Folk Festival, featuring seldom-heard music and classic hits mixed with interviews with dance group leaders from Winnipeg to Victoria: Winnipeg Kapisztran’s Liz Kovach; Regina Balaton’s Teres Ballman; Maros’ Royce Bereti; Vancouver Forras’ Anita Racz; and Victoria Buzavirag’s Iggy Kadar. (October 16, 2021)
“Live Music Returns”: celebrating the return of live tanchaz music in North America post-pandemic with the Gyanta Hungarian Folk Band’s recent Herd [Heard] Immunity Tour in Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal, featuring bootleg recordings from all three concerts; special music guests Sergiu Popa (accordion), Jessica Gal (violin) and Jozsef Horvath (violin); behind the scenes stories on how it all came together; and inspiring oratory at Toronto’s Drom Taberna. (September 25, 2021)
“Euro Edition”: recapping Hungary’s performance in the Euro 2020 (held in 2021) soccer tournament. Features some freshly released music from Budapest (home of Euro’s greatest stadium); a taste of music from the Group of Death countries (Portugal, France, Germany) and always-favourite Poland and Croatia; and a hot-off-the-iPhone bootleg recording from Gyanta’s post-COVID reunion. (July 5, 2021)
“Best of the Pandemic”: joined by Levente “Levi” Garda, Montreal-based kontra player and founding member of Gyanta, reviewing some of the hottest recordings, concerts, and projects released since the start of the pandemic. Includes some great recommendations for staying on top of new content, such as websites, YouTube channels, and Facebook pages. (March 15, 2021)
“Special Episode for Reconnect Hungary”: kick off 2021 with a special episode featuring powerpoint and video content – best if viewed on YouTube. Learn how the Tanchaz movement began in this Zoom presentation made exclusively for alumni members of the Reconnect Hungary community covering the basics of Hungarian folk music and dance. Reconnect Hungary is a unique cultural, educational and social immersion program for young adults aged 18-28 of Hungarian heritage born in the U.S. or Canada. Visit www.reconnecthungary.org for more information. (January 30, 2021)
“Bye Bye 2020 Blues”: say bye-bye to the blues of 2020 and welcome 2021 (finally) with Blues and Jazz-oriented selections, featuring witty, creative, and eccentric wall-to-wall tunes from Transylvania’s unbelievable Nightlosers, the fun-loving Cimbaliband, the always electric Napra, and more! (December 30, 2020)
“Christmas Special”: a unique mix of holiday music, including: Nikola Parov’s eclectic world music orchestra; Kalman Balogh’s diverse stylings; a very Hungarian White Christmas; and forgotten cuts from Meta’s classic Winter CD. (December 23, 2020)
“Explaining Regions to ‘Tanchaz Tyler’”: welcoming the generally uninformed “Tanchaz Tyler” to the program as I explain the regions of Hungarian folkdance and music to him. We start with three macro-regions of the Duna (Danube), Tisza, and Transylvania, and highlight most of the sub-regions within those macro-regions, with some music thrown in. This is a special white board (visual) episode, best viewed on YouTube. (December 14, 2020)
“What is ‘Gypsy’ Music?”: exploring this controversial question and often-misunderstood topic, including: Liszt’s original “fake news” that started it all; the ancient folk songs of the Roma; probing for alternative musical answers to the question; the Romani anthem with a jazz twist; and a never-before heard “Gypsy Spirit” bootleg recording. (November 9, 2020)
“2020 Virtual Western Canadian Hungarian Folk Festival”: looking at the history and development of the Festival, including: conversations with Victoria’s Louise Kadar and Edmonton’s Jim Cockell sharing stories about the Festival’s history and how live music has become an integral part of the Festival; music from some of the past Festival bands, from Malev Kamaras to Heveder; and a special “greeting from the east” from Gyanta’s Jeszika Paulusz. (October 13, 2020)
“No Strings Attached”: highlighting music on instruments that have no strings attached, including: stuff you blow into, hit, and squeeze; stories about swimming bagpipes, beginning kaval lessons, and syncopating saxophones; and a televised example of anti-furulya discrimination. (October 2, 2020)
“While the Dancers Change”: featuring musical numbers designed for the 3 or 4 minute window while dancers change costumes during performances, including: snappy presentations, unique instruments, and compelling arrangements; unearthing old Tanchaztalalkozo and Uj Elo Nepzene recordings; and some stories about wardrobe malfunctions, heavy set bugarija players, collapsing stages, and more. (September 23, 2020)
“Back to School”: marking the start of the academic year, including: music for kids, by kids; studying the obscure list of famous Hungarians; a very electric Kalotaszegi; and announcing graduate level courses at the newly-formed “Tanchaz University”. (September 8, 2020)
“So Close, Yet So Far”: investigating the music of villages that are geographically close to each other, but might as well be on opposite musical sides of the planet, including: the impact of money and business on Szék, Bonchida, and Ördöngösfüzes; only the crows fly between Kolozs and Magyarszovát; wars, migration and Méhkerék; and the boot-slapping Croatians of Somogy (August 26, 2020)
“Dream Festival Line-Up” (Live): imagining the optimal line-up for a post-COVID music festival, including: bands that will eat leftovers; grooves that draw the hipsters; emotional band reunions; the accompaniment duo that shook the earth; and mid-Tanchaz elevator misadventures (August 13, 2020)
“Dunantuli FlyOver”: this episode is devoted solely to the music of Dunantul (Transdanubia), featuring: the region’s remarkable instrumental variety; surprising influences from Hungary’s neighbors; Dunantul’s vast geographic reach; confusing Sarkozi and Sarkozy; and the time every child in New Brunswick, New Jersey sang (August 3, 2020)
“Guilty Pleasures” (Live): a look at some of the favorite non-Tanchaz music your host listens to when no one is watching, including luscious Bulgarian choirs; accordion heroes; oversized Romanian orchestras; when hip-hop, rap and folk collide; Roma party mixes; and Vojvodina’s Frank Sinatra (July 30, 2020)
“Old School & New School” (Live): vintage Eletfa Hungarian Folk Band recordings; when the Carpathians invaded London; the unique flavor of Crossing Paths; Hungarians in Louisiana, Riverdance, and everywhere; rolling out “physical distancing guidelines” for Tanchaz (July 23, 2020)
“The Legacy of Sandor ‘Neti’ Fodor”: examining the music of the legendary violinist from Kalotaszeg: Neti’s musical mastery; his enormous influence on the Tanchaz movement; when Neti came to America; Neti’s unexpected link with the Continental Dance Orchestra of New York; and Neti’s enduring legacy (July 21, 2020)
“Odds, Ends, Riffs” (Live): the training of a Hungarian folk musician in America; the impact of Bela (Bela Halmos tribute and Bela Bartok duos); how Tanchaz is the roots revival movement’s response to staged folk dancing; Serbian and Croatian influences; never-before released bootlegs – and the engagement song; and welcoming our “sponsors” (July 16, 2020)
“Show Premier” (Live): reconnecting with the Hungarian folk dance and music community since COVID-19 cancellations; reviving lost Gyanta Hungarian Folk Band bootlegs; impressions, including Trump at the Tanchaz; wound-up musicians and studio recording regrets; and pandemic csujjogatasok (July 14, 2020)