BÉLA SZAKCSI LAKATOS, Artist of the Nation, Kossuth Prize-winning pianist, composer, and iconic figure of Hungarian jazz, passed away this morning at the age of eighty. His personality was intertwined with the development and fulfillment of Hungarian jazz, his departure is an irreplaceable loss. Write on the Facebook page of the Hungarian Jazz Association.

The world-famous jazz musician spoke about his life, music and values ​​in an interview in February.

Béla Lakatos Szakcsi started playing the piano at the age of nine. He studied classical music at the Béla Bartók Conservatory of Music, but his attention turned to jazz. As a member of the band Rákfogó from 1972, and then of the band Saturnus from 1980, he played an important role in the spread of fusion music in Hungary, and his interest also extended to the fusion of classical music and jazz. From the beginning of the seventies, he taught for twelve years at the jazz-piano department of the Bartók Béla Music Academy. He was also involved in collecting gypsy folklore and shaping it into stage works,

He created the main work of his life in recent years. This is what the composer said The Tree of Knowledge , published last week. Fifteen years ago, he came up with the basic concept, which has been taking shape since then. The piece itself is the result of five years of work.

magyarnemzet.hu

"What only the greatest are capable of: he played from the heart - for our souls. God rest Béla Szakcsi Lakatos!"
This is how Viktor Orbán said goodbye to the outstanding figure of Hungarian jazz in his Facebook post.
Orbán Szakcsi

Viktor Orbán and Béla Szakcsi-Lakatos (Photo: Facebook)

In our opening picture, Béla Szakcsi Lakatos, Kossuth and Ferenc Liszt Prize-winning pianist, Artist of the Nation, at the Mandoki Soulmates concert at St. Stephen's Basilica in Budapest on August 21, 2021 Source: MTI/Zoltán Balogh