Kerekes Band

“This is informed, conceptually savvy, and innovative music.” (Songlines Magazine)

Outlaws. They were vilified by the authorities but the commonfolk respected them as unbridled freedom fighters. Although their valiant struggle was against power and oppression, they sang their songs about heartbreaking lonesomeness and captivity. "The shepherd raises the outlaw" - as the saying goes. Such is the shepherd heritage of the Fehér brothers who founded Kerekes Band. Their ancestors have been rounding up sheep for the Bishop of Eger since the 1700's.

This rich heritage as well as the limitless drive for the neverending renewal of the Hungarian outlaw music is a source of inspiration for Kerekes Band. The shepherd's flute, the Csángó koboz (lute) and the viola from Mezőség in perfect harmony gave birth to the distinctive sound of the band. The groove of tumbling basslines with driving drums provide a free flowing structure adding to a marked stage presence. True to the outlaw spirit, it is a tough, reckless yet uninhibited music. This formula proved to be successful: Songlines awarded them the Top of the World Album, multiple industry recognitions in Hungary and Europe-wide tours from Spirit of Tengri to the Sziget Festival.

For more than two decades, Kerekes Band's colorful heritage is a fascinating world just waiting to be explored and listeners can discover how history can be seamlessly melt into the future.