Söndörgő, lead by the Eredics brothers, is one of the most active and interesting world music groups in Hungary. They play a style of music that is hugely attractive, but little known and quite different to the traditional, fiddle-led Hungarian repertoire. Their aim is to foster and preserve Southern Slavic traditions of the Serbs and Croats as found in various settlements in Hungary. In contrast to most groups playing Balkan music, Söndörgő isn’t playing brass band music, it is a tamburitza band. The tambura is a small and agile plucked instrument similar to the mandolin which is occasionally supplemented by wind instruments and accordion.

The three Eredics brothers and a cousin come from a village on the Danube near Budapest called Szentendre. It’s a centre of South Slav traditions in Hungary and that’s what gives a distinctive flavour to the music with its plucked tamburas. Their new album ‘Tamburising – Lost Music of the Balkans’ features virtuoso dance melodies from the gypsy maestro József Kovács, leader of the Mohács tambura orchestra in the south of the country, and great vocals from Antal Kovács and Kátya Tompos. Discover with them the delicate beauty and fizzing power of a different Balkan sound. Come and dance the cocek, drink a palinka and get dizzy on Söndörgoő’s extraordinary rhythms.

“Söndörgő are proving themselves to be one of Europe’s most versatile and exciting bands.”

Simon Broughton, Songlines Magazine

“Söndörgő sound like a world-class band”

Robin Denselow, The Guardian

“Their music sparkles with virtuosity and foot-tapping joie de vivre”

London Evening Standard

“The tambura is a mandolin-style instrument with a wide expressive range,

and thanks to Söndörgő, it’s achieving a new popularity”

Michael Church, Independent

“This CD shows them at their seductive best, alternating fast dance tunes with slow and melancholy accordion songs.”

The Scotsman