Poklade Band IS the Balkans. The song of the cicadas, shards of breaking glasses, the fire of rakia. Flavors, colors, spices, pain and the will to live, but most of all the kind of ancient energy that sticks to the hand, then flies off.

Another superb Balkan record from the Fonó! The music on "Balkantransz" is a true ’poklade’ –this great fullblooded music is like a real transformation. Students of legendary master musicians Versendi Kovács József, Tiszai György and Peti Kovács István founded their own band in 2010 in the southern Hungarian town of Mohács - the tambura music acropolis. The band of six young musicians has since then conquered the clubs and Serbian dance houses. Gráf Vivien (voice) and Babcsán Bence (saxophone, clarinet) join Poklade as guests on their second album.

Mohács is a multi-ethnic town on the banks of the Danube; in Hungary it is known as "the acropolis of tambura music". At one time this community on Hungary’s southern border boasted 13 taverns with 13 different tambura bands that entertained the guests. Since then the importance of Southern Slavic melodies has not wained; they have not lost their reason for existence. In Mohács tambura music is still alive today and is part of everyday life.
This is in large part thanks to the Mohács Tambura School founded by Tiszai György and Versendi Kovács József. In its small music room talented youngsters are still learning this music tradition, then they go on to form independent up-and-coming groups of their own. This is the way it happened with the founding members of Poklade. In their secondary school years they spent every weekday afternoon between those walls forming life-long bonds from a common love of tambura music, since then together they have enjoyed an unbreakable string of performances, celebrations and experiences.

Six youngsters Andrics Attila, Bischof Dávid, Bóka Balázs Andor, Pávkovics István, Róka Roland, and the virtuoso tamburaprímás, Balog Tamás "Cérna" formed Poklade in 2010. Soon Cselinácz Marko joined them - who learned the foundations of Southern Slav accordion from Peti Kovács István Jr. "Cini", then continued training himself to be an excellent and passionate accordionist never impeded by a congential vision impairment.
Their repertoire presents melodies and rhythms of the Balkan peoples, which they shape and formulate according to their own tastes. Their profile spreads from dance houses to festival concert stages. In the ten years since they started out they have played all over Hungary, in the Balkans and other European countries, continuously enriching their knowledge and honing their style.

For years now the band has been working with Gráf Vivien whose wonderful singing voice enhances their concerts and is also heard on their earlier recording “Poklade” featuring folk music from Mohács (a Fonó release). She also joins the band on the new record “Balkantransz”. Good friend of the band Babcsán Bence (clarinet, saxophone) a member of Babra Band, also joins Poklade on their new disc. “Balkántransz” is Balkan music transformed and restated in Poklade style.

1. Domakine 4’55
2. Prodjoh Bosnom 4’45
3. Moj Dilbere 4’28
4. Saxi Kolo 4’56
5. Kceri Moja 3’26
6. Cicka 4’58
7. Plava lampa treperi 3’43
8. Cigansko kolo 4’09
9. Jos ne svice rujna zora 4’30
10. Cororo 6:00
11. Tutti frutti 5:22

Members of the band:

Andrics Attila – bassprímtambura, tapan, voice
Pávkovics István – bassprímtambura, accordion, voice
Cselinácz Marko - accordion, darbuka, voice
Bóka Balázs Andor – tamburabrács
Bischof Dávid – tambura bass
Balog Tamás „Cérna” – prímtambura, bassprimtambura
Róka Roland – prímtambura
Guests:
Gráf Vivien – voice
Babcsán Bence – saxophone, clarinet

Recording, mixing: Maczkó Róbert, LA Gardens Studio
Graphics: Koleszár Stella
Producer: Horváth László, Fonó 2020