BYOT (Bring Your Own Tokaji)
Uszturu Ensemble
For the last 15 years this Hungarian folk quartet has dedicated itself to preserving the traditional dance music of Transylvania, in which violinists saw out electrifying melodies over high-velocity grooves played on a couple of viola-like instruments (the bracsa and the kontra) and the bass. Uszturu's members have studied with some of the region's finest string players, from Sandor Fodor to Ferenc Mezei of Szaszcsavas, and that training shows on their most recent album, 2004's Az Oregeke (Folk Europa), where the elaborate harmonies and heavy chording produce a kaleidoscopic range of textures. For this show, part of the city's Summerdance series, the group will be joined by cimbalom player Kalman Koszorus, who doubles on bracsa, and dancers Istvan Kis and Julia Redo, who will also give a free dance lesson at 6 PM.
--Peter Margasak
Thursday, July 5, 7:30 PM, Spirit of Music Garden, Grant Park, 601 S. Michigan, 312-742-4007.
For the last 15 years this Hungarian folk quartet has dedicated itself to preserving the traditional dance music of Transylvania, in which violinists saw out electrifying melodies over high-velocity grooves played on a couple of viola-like instruments (the bracsa and the kontra) and the bass. Uszturu's members have studied with some of the region's finest string players, from Sandor Fodor to Ferenc Mezei of Szaszcsavas, and that training shows on their most recent album, 2004's Az Oregeke (Folk Europa), where the elaborate harmonies and heavy chording produce a kaleidoscopic range of textures. For this show, part of the city's Summerdance series, the group will be joined by cimbalom player Kalman Koszorus, who doubles on bracsa, and dancers Istvan Kis and Julia Redo, who will also give a free dance lesson at 6 PM.
--Peter Margasak
Thursday, July 5, 7:30 PM, Spirit of Music Garden, Grant Park, 601 S. Michigan, 312-742-4007.