Kampec Dolores (Hungary):

Gabi Kenderesi - vocal
Csaba Hajnoczy - guitar
Andras Halmos - drums
Arpad Vajdovich - bass guitar
Istvan Grencso - saxophones

"Gabi Kenderesi is the most enchanting singer since Marta Sebestyen."

The name "Kampec Dolores" comes from an old Hungarian proverb used by village people. They say it when somebody dies. It means "the end of pains". None of the words is Hungarian: Kampec is Yiddish (to be pronounced with a <ts> at the end), while Dolores is Latin.

The band plays since 1984. In the early days they supported Nico in Budapest (1985), played at Eastern Europe's first international alternative festival (Carrot Festival, Warsaw 1987), and were support act for the 12-country revival tour of legendary American band Pere Ubu in Europe (1988). Their first record was initiated by The Ex, who invited Kampec Dolores to record in Amsterdam and released the LP on the Konkurrel label (1988). Kampec Dolores toured in almost all the countries of Europe, about 30 times, from Spain to Moscow and from Sweden and Norway to Italy and Yugoslavia (1988/99). They made their North-American debut at the prestigious Victoriaville Festival in Canada (1999).

The musical evolution of Kampec Dolores started from the "new rock" self-made experimentalism of the mid-80's. Over the years the band came through a whole lot of ethnic, contemporary and improvisational influences. All the albums represent a different stage of the process. While the earlier ones mostly concentrated on "songs", the point of "Rapid" (1996) was to create a larger construction, and a more free and associative playing as well. Singer Gabi Kenderesi has developed her own way of almost wordless singing. She uses unknown languages and unusual vocal techniques. The recent CD, which was released in October 2000 - entitled "Sitting on the Buffalo" - features both songs and "composition pieces". The diversity of the influences, adopted in their own style, makes the group able to play for different audiences.

Kampec Dolores was formed in 1984 by Csaba Hajnoczy and Gabi Kenderedi. The band has been their main musical activity and no doubt it concentrates around their couple. Both of them are part of a recently emerging new band, Kiss Erzsi Music, and, together with Amy Denio (Seattle, USA) and Pavel Fajt (Brno, Czech Republic), of the Danubians. They are also regularly collaborating with outstanding Hungarian jazz composer/improviser Istvan Grencso. Gabi (voice, violin) appears on The Ex's "Joggers and Smoggers" album. Csaba (guitar, Midi-guitar controlled sampler,) played from 1980 to 83 in Kontroll Csoport (Control Group), one of the leading bands of Hungarian new rock of those years. Besides his group activities he also works as a composer of his own right.

Arpad Vajdovich (bass guitar), after his jazz studies in Budapest and Hilversum, NL, plays in various Hungarian jazz, rock and electronic acts. He's the bass player for Kiss Erzsi Music too.

Andras Halmos (drums) plays with various jazz and rock groups.

Istvan Grencso, one of Hungary’s most original saxophone players - as mentioned above - plays as a regular guest with Kampec Dolores.

© Jūratė Kučinskaitė