So who are the Underground Funk Orchestra? Well, they are Dimitry and Ákos, and they are like no other street musicians. When we meet them, they welcome us with a cheeky sense of humour, and we quickly realise that they are not only prodigious musicians, but are on an important mission.
“We go out to create a better world. The people walking by, we make their day with music.” They are super spontaneous. They often don’t know that morning where they’re performing later that day. “We start playing somewhere but then we might leave quickly if we don't feel positive energy. Today we played for one and a half hours, though.”
Their music, concept and technique are professional and they’re lovely with it.
Before meeting, Ákos and Dimitry each spread their wings separately as street musicians. “I was playing on the street once and saw a guy scribbling something on a piece of paper and then he threw it in my guitar case and left,” says Ákos. It was a note from Dimitry, which should provide a nice lead into a charmingly serendipitous story – except that Ákos didn’t contact him. Fear not, they did meet up later.
“We jammed a bit together, but it wasn't really working out so we went separate ways,” he continues. “We broke up,” addsDimitry. Luckily they realised that it is better to stick together, so now they throw amazing 90-minute sessions at least three times a week at Széll Kálmán Square, Fény Street market, Jászai Mari Square, Oktogon, the Buda side of Margaret Bridge, Örs Vezér Square, and in the underpasses at Nyugati and Keleti stations.
Dimitry, the 28-year-old saxophonist, from Kiev, admits: “I didn't listen to music much when I was younger”. He is, though, a composer, and if you are of that ilk, music simply comes to you, and so it does to him. He was an English major at the Debrecen University and has done corporate before. He decided to try himself as a street musician a few years ago – then on his own – and like the adventurous free soul he is, soon put everything on the line to make a living out of it.
Guitarist Ákos is 26 and originally a sound engineer. “I was in high school when someone told me I looked like Jimi Hendrix. I had no idea who he was, but I took up guitar lessons.” Mostly, the boys are self-taught. “Practice makes perfect and we play for hours on the street.” They consider themselves particularly lucky for being able to make a living from what they truly love.
Ákos and Dimitry live and breathe music. When they go out on the street, they have other people in mind, a courageous and honourable attitude. When these boys play, their positive personalities shine through, making their mini street concerts superb.
“If you are in a bad mood, are anxious or angry you shouldn't go out to play music. You transfer your mood through music. Music is a vibration that goes through your body and delivers your feelings to another person. Your body sends a message.” says Dimitry. “You get back what you give,” adds Ákos.
They occasionally perform at events and street festivals, but simply make more money on the street. Soon they will be heading to Brno and Vienna to perform.
Their original repertoire is made up of some well known songs, but playing on the street leaves infinite space for improvement and change. They mostly improvise. “We never play the same song twice the same way.” They are in perfect harmony, which makes it hard to imagine that their mini concerts are not rehearsed for hours but are thrown together in the heat of the moment.
As for their name, originally it was Funk the Ground, but after their brief breakup, their whole attitude changed, which called for a new name. “I once saw a pretty girl in Budapest and got so inspired that the name just came to me,” says Ákos.
“Ákos is the heart and core of our band”– adds Dimitry. The name Underground Funk Orchestra hides a gag if you look carefully, as the first letters together make up the word UFO, which the boys seem to take seriously. “We have personal experience... we are aliens.... just kidding,” they laugh.
They say that their perception very much depends on the weather and people's mood. The general ambiance is a bit better on the Buda side as pestiek are busier. However, if they play positively and energetically, no day goes by without a few appreciative smiles and coins wherever you find them.
To brighten your day, look for the boys either side of office hours, at public places. You can also follow them on Facebook.
