Djabe - Slices of Life (audio DVD) [Gramy GR-063-EAD 2006]

The disc made in DVD-video format, and consist of the eleven new studio tracks in surround, one hour concert footage recorded in Budapest 2004, a video documentary about the Djabe's Scandinavian tour, and a live TV footage of the Hungarian Televison.

Audio: Dolby Digital Surround, LPCM stereo; PAL, No region code.

From djabe.com:

This music based on the Sheafs album's style, but became more dynamic and structured. The main composer is Tamás Barabás again. Ben Castle took over the role of saxophone player on the recording in the studio.
Djabe, the Hungarian Music Award, eMeRTon and PRinceAward winners band, which has become one of most popular Hungarian invited bands to foreign festivals in the last years, has published its new CD. The band has further improved the sound of the successful Dancing Sheafs. The listener can hear a more dynamic material with more momentum. Next to the usual Djabe band's lineup, its' English music friend, Ben Castle (Sting, Marillion, Jamie Cullumn) can also be heard. A further colourful patch of the CD is the closing piece, which is played by the Echo String Quartet. Apart from two songs, the whole of the album was composed and arranged by the bass guitar player, Tamás Barabás.

From djabe.com:

What makes a band a good band?
Its music has to be honest, can give something to the audience. Has a tendency to be original, but its' only aim should not be separation at all cost. The members should be masters of their own instruments with a musical education background; musicians who can professionally perform anywhere and in any circumstances. They should be inspiring towards each other not only as an artist, but also as private people as the unified sound of a band is not the simple sum of the instruments, but it is the musical synthesis, which raises the experience of playing in a band to a higher level. A good band is able to revive but in a way, that it can deliberately keep its' previous basic values of music and with saving them, refresh them. This is the reason, why Djabe is a good band, as it is able to meet these demands.
I write about the latest CD (Slices of life) of the band in the spirit of maintaining the existing values and also refreshing the music. I feel, even after several sessions of listening, and what is more I feel to a continuing greater intensity, that with this album Djabe has once and for all made it to the international front line. As far as I am concerned Djabe was already there anyway, but after this CD even those who were making faces before will have to admit defeat and replay it. This record reflects freshness, momentum, intellectual demand and professionalism in the best meaning. After even the first beat of Doromb it is clear for the listener that he or she has found an extraordinary piece of music material. The original introduction is followed all the way through by vibrating joyful music, beating, dynamic.
To sum up, Djabe can be happily congratulated for this excellent musical performance. Through the personal touch as well, the music atmosphere of Dancing Sheafs is definitely lyrical and especially intellectual. It has certainly set the standard, to a very high level. With this new music material the band has managed to step forward once more. The direction is right, heading for world renown! The cover of the album was made with fine taste, for it fits finely to the music content of the CD.

Critics of Miklós Kovács

Tracklist:

1. Doromb - 8:03
2. Message from Iceworld - 7:10
3. Sigh - 7:12
4. Omachule - 8:39
5. Rush for Ménes - 8:18
6. Waterfall - 8:15
7. Slices of Life - 7:59
8. City of Habi - 6:47
9. Children's Room - 6:14
10. Indian Experience - 7:14
11. Night in Kolkata - 1:24

Total time: 1:17:14

Extra features:

Live at the New Orleans 2004 - 53 mins DD 2.0
- Concert video recorded at the New Orleans Music Club, Budapest

Street Scene of Hajdúböszörmény - 5 mins DD 2.0
- Live television broadcast, 2005

On the Road in Scandinavia 2005 - 7 mins DD 2.0
- Documentary filmed by Tomi & Attila in Finland & Sweden

Musicians:

Barabás Tamás - bass, percussion
Égerházi Attila - guitars
Sipos András - vocal, percussion
Kovács Ferenc - trumpet, flugelhorn, violin
Kovács Zoltán - piano
Banai Szilárd - drums
Ben Castle - tenor and soprano saxophone
Echo string quartet
About the band:

Djabe is the no.1 jazz/world fusion band of Hungary. The group has received recognition and won numerous Hungarian and international awards since its foundation twelve years ago. Witchi Tai To won the prize in the category Best Hungarian Jazz/World Music Album of the Year, in 2000. In 2002, the Update received the award of the Best Hungarian World Music Album of the Year. Aside from this Ly-O-Lay Ale Loya (2001), and the Sheafs are Dancing album (2003) were nominated for Hungarian Award in category the best Hungarian jazz album of the year. The DVD audio version of the Sheafs are Dancing won the international PRince Award in 2004. The same album was nominated for Surround Music Award in Los Angeles in the best additional features category 2005. In 2006 Slices of Life got a nomination for the best world music album of the year in Hungary.
Djabe is one of the most invited and popular Hungarian jazz bands at international festivals. During the last three years the band did successful performances in Europe and North America. Some significant gigs at festivals: Rochester, Baltimore, Washington DC - USA; Kaslo - Canada; Burg-hausen, Berlin, Regensburg, Munich - Germany; Klaipeda, Kaunas - Lithuania; Riga - Latvia; Pori, Imatra - Finland; Glo-gow, Cracow, Poland; Stockholm - Sweden; London - UK; Hradec Králové, Prague - Czech Republic; Bansko - Bulgaria; Cakovec - Croatia; Bratislava, Presov - Slovakia; Vienna, Wiesen - Austria; Nis - Serbia; Sarajevo - Bosnia and Herzegovina; Udine - Italy; Sines - Portugal; Baku - Azerbaijan; Mercuria Ciuc - Romania.
Djabe is a regular performer at Hungarian festivals, and often organizes domestic tours, too. Djabe plays unique music in which the elements of jazz are mixed with various parts of Hungarian and worldmusic. The main composer of the band is Tamás Barabás, who - at the same time - is the most virtuoso Hungarian bass guitarist. Jazz and authentic Hungarian music are simultaneously present in the art of Ferenc Kovács. According to Archie Sheep, who worked with Ferenc Kovács on several occasions "he is one of the best violin playersin the world and in the meantime plays the trumpet like Miles Davis". He also worked with Dave Murray and Hamid Drake many times. The pianist, Zoltán Kovács is playing on the synthesizers, too, his colourful play increases the standards of Djabe's performance on a large scale. The percussionist and singer András Sipos, co-founder of the band died in 2007. He is also the eponym of the band. Djabe means freedom in the African Ashanti language. The 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. Djabe's drummer, Szilárd Banai is one of the most talented Hungarian jazz drummers, his reliable and musical play gives the best possible rhytmic background of the band.
Djabe's concerts have been the most spectacular Hungarian jazz concert productions since 1997. The band has been working for 7 years with the peak of the intelligent lights, the Vari*Lite lighting technology. The stunning lighting has been completed by several spectacle elements during the last years. The band worked with dancers, they used laser and video-projection, where they showed animations and films prepared for the compositions. Djabe has always been famous for applying the most modern technical solutions foreshadowing progress on their releases and concerts. Djabe's concerts had the real 5.1 surround sound for the very first time in Hungary, the band could also be heard from the background loudspeakers. During their tour in 2003 the projecting and surround live sound were controlled by computers. According to the Stereo High End Magazine "if there is a High End in concert sounds, then it is Djabe's concert."
The band's regularly returning special guest is the British Ben Castle (tenor and soprano saxophone and flute), who played among many others with Sting, Jamie Cullumn and the Brand New Heavies. Ben can be heard on the albums Update, Sheafs are Dancing, Gödöllô,2001. június 23., Slices of Life, Take On and on the Flying DVD. The other special guest on the album Sheafs are Dacing is Steve Hackett, former guitarist of Genesis, who joined Djabe during their live concert in London 2004 and in Budapest 2007.
Djabe's concerts are broadcasted by Hungarian Radio and Television, Duna TV, BR Alpha - Germany, Czech-, Bulgarian-, Lithuanian-, Serbian and Portugese Television, Bayerisher Rundfunk Radio, Radio Cracow, Radio Stockholm, Radio Kaunas.

The current lineup of Djabe are:

Barabás Tamás - bass guitar
Égerházi Attila - guitar
Kovács Ferenc - trumpet, violin
Banai Szilárd - drums
Kovács Zoltán - piano, keyboards

Discography:

Djabe CD 1996
Witchi Tai To 2 CD (Enhanced), LP 1998
Ly-O-Lay Ale Loya CD, LP 1999
Tour 2000 CD 2000
Update CD 2001
Flying - Live in concert DVD 2002
Sheafs are Dancing CD 2003
Sheafs are Dancing DVD-Audio 2004
Unplugged at the New Orleans 2 CD (Enhanced) 2003
Djabe - Gödöllo 2001. júius 23. CD 2004
Djabe goes to festivals CD 2005
Slices of Life CD 2006
Slices of Life DVD 2006
Sheafs were dancing DVD 2006
Message from the Road CD, DVD 2007
Take on CD 2008

As of April 2008 the latest version 1.04 of TAK lossless audio codec can be found here