Simply English, Hungary’s only folk formation to perform exclusively English songs, ballads and tunes from the 15th to the 20th century, this year celebrates its 30th anniversary.
Originally a duo comprising Andy Rouse and Fenyvesi Béla, the group soon extended to a trio and has stayed a threesome ever since, and though musicians have come and gone in the interim, the “Simply English sound” originally created by Andy, Babarci Bulcsú and Zajzon Tamás has become recognisable, familiar and enduring. Throughout the three decades the musicians have brought with them other genres, from reggae, calypso and rock and blues rock and jazz fusion to Southern Slav and Celtic, not to mention mediaeval lyric and music hall. Andy himself brought from England the rich vocal tradition of the 1960s and 1970s Folksong Revival with its clubs attended weekly by almost 6,000,000, squeezed into the back rooms of public houses from the smallest village to the greatest cities. What was the táncház in Hungary was the énekház of England.
Simply English is equally at home on the Hungarian and European festival and concert stage as in the school and university lecture hall and the workshop.
We are delighted to be able to return on our anniversary year to the Kaláka stage, upon which we have performed in its earlier venues in Budapest and Diósgyőr.
The present members of Simply English:
- Andy Rouse: vocals, spoons, recorders
- Horváth Zsombor: fiddle, mandolin, viola, ud, vocals
- Császár Róbert: guitar, squeezebox
