Tamás Berki
Tamás István Berki (born 16 May 1946) is a Hungarian singer, songwriter, guitarist, drummer, television personality and teacher.
Tamás Berki | |
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 Berki in June 2015 | |
| Born | Tamás István Berki May 16, 1946 |
| Nationality | Hungarian |
| Occupation | Singer |
| Years active | 1966-present |
| Spouse | Erzsébet Kurucz (m. 1975) |
| Children | 2 |
| Honours | Knight's Cross of the Hungarian Order of Merit |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | |
| Labels |
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Early life[edit]
Tamás István Berki was born in Budapest, Hungary to Dezső Berki (1910 – 12 April 1994) and Irén Tröster (14 February 1917 – 22 December 1994),[1] just after the end of the Second World War.
From 1969 to 1972, Berki mastered the nuances of jazz music at the Béla Bartók Conservatory, under the guidance of the likes of János Gonda and György Vukán.[2] After his graduation, he was invited to work as a teaching assistant at the Conservatory and proceeded to stay there for the next five years.[2]
Career[edit]
Early career (1966-1984)[edit]
In 1966, Berki founded the Gerilla Band with Tibor Vámos (the eventual author, Miklós Vámos) and bassist, Ágnes Gergely.
With the help of a classmate, Berki joined Interbrass in 1973, which greatly helped him in finding his own path in music.[3] In the following years, Berki acted as a soloist for a variety of smaller and larger bands. His work with Sándor Benkó's Benkó Dixieland Band contributed greatly to his early rise in the world of jazz.[4] He was slowly but surely establishing a foothold for himself in the world of Hungarian music.
Solo career (1984-present)[edit]
In 1984, Berki presented his first solo album to Imre Wilpert of Hungaroton, who in turn forwarded his material into a song contest – without his knowledge – which was eventually won by Berki's "Igazi paradicsom (Real Paradise)".[3] This launched his solo career, leading to the releases of seven other solo albums and his eventual establishment as one of the foremost names of Hungarian jazz.
In 1996, Berki appeared on the soundtrack of the Hungarian dub of Toy Story.[5]
After 1996, Berki began to focus increasingly on teaching and guiding the next generation of Hungarian singers. He commenced teaching singing at the Music Studio of Kőbánya in 1996 and jazz at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in 1997.[6] He retired from his teaching position at the university in 2019.[7]
In 1988, Berki released his second solo album, "Hé, Mi a Bigyó?", swiftly succeeding it with a third album in 1990, "Jó Reggelt". His 1995 and 1996 albums, "Mende-Sülysáp Blues" and "Berki Sings Jazz", further solidified his portfolio. Following a brief period of silence, in 2004, Berki returned with a long-awaited solo album titled, "A Híd".[4][8] This was followed by another album in 2009, entitled "Bika Jam", which dealt with the singer's birth and the experiences of his family during the Second World War.[9]
His 2014 album, "Minden Délibáb," was a joint project between him and Hungarian pianist Péter Sárik. Since 2012, they have been appearing together as a performing duo in numerous shows.[10] Berki has formed a close friendship with Sárik, even featuring the pianist at his 70th Birthday Concert in 2016.[10]
At the end of 2023, Berki released a novel studio album titled "Hintaló", which dealt with themes of nostalgia and reflection as the singer examined his life through his music.[11] From the outset, he aimed to create a heavily biographical album, as the singer began working on the album in 2019, after the death of his sister. In January 2024, for this particular release, Berki was proclaimed Male Singer of the Year by JazzMa.hu.[12]
For the albums "Bika Jam" and "Minden Délibáb" – for which he acted as the producer – Berki drew the album covers himself.[13]
It is estimated that Berki has held more than 4,000 concerts throughout his longevous career.[6]
Berki uses the scat technique of vocal improvisation extensively in his songs.[14]
Television career (1994-2000)[edit]
From 1994 to 1998, Berki became Duna TV's popular music editor and from 1998-2000, the broadcaster's jazz editor.
Writing career (2022-present)[edit]
During the pandemic, Berki wrote a novel titled Hangszálak, which was subsequently published in 2022.[15] Although the book is a work of fiction, the narrative is constructed from the singer's own life experiences and stories.[16] Berki is not planning on writing a sequel for the book as he humorously commented on keeping Hangszálak his "first and last novel".[13]
Personal life[edit]
Berki married Erzsébet Kurucz in 1975. The couple had a son, Balázs (born 1976) and a daughter, Lili Emily (born 1990).[17]
Discography[edit]
Gerilla Band[edit]
| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 1966 | "Mr. John elment Vietnámba / Ejtőernyős dal" |
| 1967 | "Disszidensek (Ecc-pecc-kimehecc...) / Várunk este a szobornál / Nem lehet tudni" |
| 1971 | "Antal Gazda" |
| 1971 | "Umlaut tu phenye / Gazsi cigány" |
Gonda Sextet Band[edit]
| Year | Title | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | "Shaman Song (Sámánének)" | Sámánének |
| "Confused Heads (Elcserélt Fejek)" | ||
| "Afro-Cuban" | ||
| "Profane Feast (Profán Ünnep)" |
Benkó Dixieland Band[edit]
Berki first became involved with Benkó Dixieland in 1973. He never joined the band, nonetheless, Berki continued to frequently appear on the band's albums as a soloist.[18]
Heart of My Heart (1991)[edit]
| Year | Title | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | "Heart of My Heart" | Heart of My Heart |
| "Mame" | ||
| "Ain't Gonna Give Nobody None of My Jelly Roll" | ||
| "You Look Good to Me" | ||
| "All That Jazz" | ||
| "On the Sunny Side of the Street" | ||
| "All of Me" | ||
| "Louisiana" | ||
| "Summertime" | ||
| "Hallelujah I Love Him So" | ||
| "Hymn to Freedom" | ||
| "Tootsie, Tootsie, Tootsie Good-Bye" | ||
| "Don't Get Much Anymore" | ||
| "Little Dolphin" | ||
| "Some of These Days" | ||
| "Down by the Riverside" |
Christmas Mass (1991)[edit]
| Year | Title | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | "White Christmas Tonight (Fehér Karácsony Éjjelén)" | Christmas Mass (Karácsonyi Mise - Igeliturgia) |
| "On Shine Forth (Világosság Ragyog felettünk)" | ||
| "Sing a New Hymn (Énekeljetek az Úrnak Új Éneket)" | ||
| "My Sweet Lord (Édes Uram)" | ||
| "Lord Have Mercy (Uram Könyörögj)" | ||
| "Lift Up Your Eyes (Szemeinket Az Égre Emeljük)" | ||
| "Glory Halleluja" | ||
| "With Joy We Await (Örvendezve Várunk)" | ||
| "Our Hearts Are Full Of Joy (Szívünk Boldogsággal Van Tele)" | ||
| "Sweet Little Jesus, Born In A Manger (Édes Kis Jézus, Ki Jászolban Születtél)" | ||
| "The Day Of Love (A Szeretet ünnepén)" | ||
| "Sweet Jesus, Holy Child (Édes Jézus, Szent Gyermek)" | ||
| "Praise Be To God (Istennek Hála)" | ||
| "Glory To God In The Highest (Dicsőség A Magasságos Istennek)" | ||
| "Hossanna In Heaven (Hozsanna A Magasságban)" | ||
| "The Last Supper (Utolsó Vacsora)" | ||
| "The Lord's Prayer (Miatyánk)" | ||
| "Free Forever (Szabadság Mindörökké)" |
Take The A-Train (1996)[edit]
| Year | Title | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | "Take The A-Train (17 untitled tracks)" | Take The A-Train |
Benkó Dixieland Band 50th Anniversary Concert (2007)[edit]
| Year | Title | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | "Go Down Moses" | Benkó Dixieland Band 50th Anniversary Concert |
| "On a Slow Boat to China" | ||
| "One More Saints" |
Solo discography[edit]
Berki commenced releasing solo records in 1984. He released nine albums between 1984 and 2023.
Igazi Paradicsom (1984)[edit]
| Year | Title | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | "Legyen Egy Dal" | Igazi Paradicsom (Real Paradise) |
| "Nem" | ||
| "Szerenád" | ||
| "Kezet Fel!" | ||
| "Ószeres" | ||
| "Békés Expressz Blues" | ||
| "Szerelemlovag (Igazi Paradicsom)" | ||
| "Szép Kislány" | ||
| "No Nézd Csak, Mindenki" | ||
| "Tartozom" |
Hé, Mi a Bigyó? (1988)[edit]
| Year | Title | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | "Hé, Mi A Bigyó?" | Hé, Mi a Bigyó? |
| "Rumbassador" |
Jó Reggelt (1990)[edit]
| Year | Title | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | "Jó Reggelt!" | Jó Reggelt |
| "Hitetlen Tamás" | ||
| "Ez Van!" | ||
| "Utazás" | ||
| "Csütörtök Blues" | ||
| "Más" | ||
| "Álom (In Memoriam D. M.)" | ||
| "Harmadik Típusú Találkozások" |
A Mende-Sülysáp Blues - Best of Tamás Berki (1995)[edit]
| Year | Title | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | "Legyen Egy Dal" | A Mende-Sülysáp Blues / Best of Tamás Berki (Best of Berki Tamás) |
| "Nem" | ||
| "Kezet Fel!" | ||
| "Ószeres" | ||
| "Békés Express Blues" | ||
| "Szerelemlovag (Igazi Paradicsom)" | ||
| "No Nézd Csak, Mindenki" | ||
| "Tartozom" | ||
| "Ez Van!" | ||
| "Hitetlen Tamás" | ||
| "Utazás" | ||
| "Más" | ||
| "Álom" | ||
| "Harmadik Tipusú Találkozások" |
Berki Sings Jazz with Shabu-Shabu (1996)[edit]
| Year | Title | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | "Summertime" | Berki Sings Jazz |
| "Take The "A" Train" | ||
| "Georgia On My Mind" | ||
| "Sugar" | ||
| "Autumn Leaves" | ||
| "All Of Me" | ||
| "Song For My Father" | ||
| "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" | ||
| "Work Song" | ||
| "Hard Times" | ||
| "Hallelujah I Love Her So" | ||
| "Let The Rain Fall On Me" | ||
| "The Last Blues" |
A Híd (2004)[edit]
| Year | Title | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | "Tavasz" | A Híd |
| "Kati" | ||
| "Rapjazz" | ||
| "Köszönöm Szépen" | ||
| "A Híd" | ||
| "Egy Csepp Méz" | ||
| "Az Élet" | ||
| "Te Kis Nyuszi" | ||
| "Agyamra Megyek" | ||
| "A Láz" | ||
| "Kerek A Világ" | ||
| "Várj" | ||
| "Minden Változó" | ||
| "Uram Adjál Jelet" |
Bika (2009)[edit]
| Year | Title | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | "A Bika" | Bika Jam |
| "Miről Írjak Kedves" | ||
| "Vasárnap Délután" | ||
| "A Majom" | ||
| "Gilgul" | ||
| "Új Tél, Új Nyár" | ||
| "Ez Volt A Vesztem" | ||
| "Fekete Blues" | ||
| "Perpetuum Mobile" | ||
| "Ha Fogod A Kezem" | ||
| "Hol Volt, Hol Nem Volt" | ||
| "Fohász" | ||
| "Ha Fogod A Kezem" | ||
| "Vasárnap Délután" |
Minden Délibáb (2014)[edit]
| Year | Title | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | "Búcsú Blues" | Minden Délibáb |
| "Én Az Egó" | ||
| "A Bika" | ||
| "My Funny Valentine" | ||
| "So Danco Samba" | ||
| "Minden Délibáb" | ||
| "Kötelező Blues" | ||
| "Várj" | ||
| "The Days Of Wine And Roses" | ||
| "Love For Sale" | ||
| "Legyen Egy Dal Ami Mindig A Végén Van" |
Hintaló (2023)[edit]
| Year | Title | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | "Hol van az erdő" | Hintaló |
| "Hintaló" | ||
| "Szerelmes üzenet" | ||
| "Berki Bárd" | ||
| "Ez hát az élet" | ||
| "A teszt" | ||
| "Minden a tiéd" | ||
| "Megjöttem Bébi" | ||
| "Üzenet a netről" | ||
| "Egy frászt!" | ||
| "Love for Sale" |
Ancestry[edit]
| Tamás Berki (16 May 1946, Budapest) |
Father: Dezső Berki[19] (18 June 1910, Budapest – 10 April 1994, Budapest) optician |
Paternal grandfather: Salamon Berkovits[20] (26 January 1875, Som – 19 August 1944, Budapest) |
Paternal great-grandfather: Farkas Berkovits |
| Paternal great-grandmother: Teréz Hauzmann | |||
| Paternal grandmother: Julianna Kaufer[21] (31 August 1883, Diószeg – ?) |
Paternal great-grandfather: József Kaufer (14 November 1856, Galánta) | ||
| Paternal great-grandmother: Katalin Müller (1860, Galánta – 23 July 1898, Budapest) | |||
| Mother: Irén Tröster (17 February 1917, Budapest – 22 December 1994, Budapest) |
Maternal grandfather: Elek Tröster[22] (26 November 1881, Budapest – 2 November 1959, Budapest) |
Maternal great-grandfather: Lipót Tröster (1842, Vörösvár – 14 August 1888, Budapest) | |
| Maternal great-grandmother: Etelka Fischer | |||
| Maternal grandmother: Kornélia Weinberger[23] (12 September 1885, Budapest – 22 November 1953, Budapest) |
Maternal great-grandfather: Bertalan Weinberger (1848, Óbuda – ?) | ||
| Maternal great-grandmother: Zsófia Oszmann (1855, Kecskemét – ?) |
Honours and awards[edit]
- For Socialist Culture (1987)
- Inter-Lyra Award (2000)
- Gábor Szabó Award (2004)
- Artisjus Award (2006, 2021)[24]
- Knight's Cross of the Hungarian Order of Merit (2007)[17]
- Péter Máté Award (2018)[25]
References[edit]
- ^ "The Marriage Certificate of Dezső Berki and Irén Tröster". FamilySearch. 1937.
- ^ a b https://www.demedia.hu. "Berki Tamás". www.demedia.hu (in Hungarian). Retrieved 2022-05-07.
{{cite web}}: External link in|last= - ^ a b "Benne van a feeling: Berki Tamás". Music Media (in Hungarian). 2022-06-04. Retrieved 2023-01-29.
- ^ a b "Berki Tamás: A HÍD". Fidelio.hu (in Hungarian). Retrieved 2023-06-30.
- ^ "JazzMa - Sztárinterjú - Sztárinterjú – Berki Tamás 65!". www.jazzma.hu (in Hungarian). Retrieved 2023-06-26.
- ^ a b Németh, Alajos Lojzi. "Parlando.hu". www.parlando.hu. Retrieved 2023-06-26.
- ^ Réka, Irk. "Interjú a 75 éves Berki Tamással - MagyarJazz / Jazz.hu". jazz.hu (in Hungarian). Retrieved 2023-06-30.
- ^ www.neosoft.hu, NeoSoft Kft- (2005-05-31). "A híd - Berki Tamás és együttesének lemezbemutató koncertje Öregyhegyen". Székesfehérvár Városportál (in Hungarian). Retrieved 2023-06-30.
- ^ "HírExtra - Berki Tamás új lemezzel rukkolt elő". www.hirextra.hu. Retrieved 2023-06-30.
- ^ a b "Jegy.hu - Minden délibáb - a 70 éves Berki Tamás születésnapi koncertje". Jegy.hu (in Hungarian). Retrieved 2023-06-26.
- ^ "Berki Tamás új lemeze tizennégy év után / PRAE.HU - a művészeti portál". PRAE.HU - a művészeti portál (in Hungarian). Retrieved 2024-01-17.
- ^ "JazzMa - Hírek - www.jazzma.hu Szerkesztőségi Szavazólista 2023 - Végeredmény". www.jazzma.hu. Retrieved 2024-01-17.
- ^ a b ""Kati, nézd, még van barack a fán!"". Szombat Online. 2023-06-30. Retrieved 2023-06-30.
- ^ "BERKI TAMÁS | turigabor.hu". turigabor.hu. Retrieved 2023-06-26.
- ^ Hangszálak (Berki Tamás) (in Hungarian).
- ^ MTI/Szerk (2022-12-03). "Berki Tamás: Tizenéve kezdtem írni ezt a könyvet". Librarius.hu (in Hungarian). Retrieved 2023-01-29.
- ^ a b "Official Website of Tamás Berki (Berki Tamás hivatalos oldala)". Official Website of Tamás Berki (Berki Tamás hivatalos oldala). Archived from the original on 2019-07-31. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
- ^ "Official Website of the Benkó Dixieland Band | Benkó Dixieland Band hivatalos honlapja" (in Hungarian). Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
- ^ "Berki (Berkovits) Dezső és Tröster Irén házassági bejegyzése a Budapest V. kerületi polgári házassági akv. 577/1937. folyószáma alatt". FamilySearch. Retrieved 2019-07-19.
- ^ "Berkovits Salamon és Kaufer Julianna házassági bejegyzése a Budapest VI. kerületi polgári házassági akv. 905/1909. folyószáma alatt". FamilySearch. Retrieved 2019-07-19.
- ^ "Kaufer Julianna születési bejegyzése a galántai izr. születési akv. 54/1883. folyószáma alatt". FamilySearch. Retrieved 2019-07-19.
- ^ "Tröster Elek és Weinberger Kornélia házassági bejegyzése a Budapest VIII. kerületi polgári házassági akv. 1455/1907. folyószáma alatt". FamilySearch. Retrieved 2019-07-19.
- ^ "Tröster Elekné Weinberger Kornélia halotti bejegyzése a Budapest XII. kerületi polgári halotti akv. 1583/1953. folyószáma alatt". FamilySearch. Retrieved 2019-07-19.
- ^ "Ők kapják 2021-ben a zenei Artisjus-díjat". Papageno (in Hungarian). 2021-12-16. Retrieved 2022-11-28.
- ^ "Rúzsa Magdi, Caramel és Berki Tamás –ők az első Máté Péter-díjasok". www.koncert.hu. Retrieved 2022-11-28.
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