Parno Graszt | Ham Ko Ham

As part of the House of Music’s social responsibility, the next event in its series of charity concerts will be a Parno Graszt and Ham Ko Ham concert, which we are organizing in partnership with the bands in support of the Bagázs Public Benefit Association. The Bagázs Public Benefit Association develops and implements long-term, complex programs with adults and children living in Roma settlements to give them a chance to achieve their goals. 

The proceeds of the concert will support the Association. 

Parno Graszt
Parno Graszt is one of the most original and most popular bands playing authentic Gypsy music. With their unique stage presence, traditional instruments, inimitable dance performances and tremendous energy, they contribute to a guaranteed, overwhelming atmosphere for the audience. The band has toured almost the entire world, performing across Europe, in several Asian countries, and multiple times in the USA and Mexico as well. The experience of success is the same everywhere: unrestrained joyful music and dance. The band, which has been active for more than 30 years, has been creating hits from the very beginning. They continually prepare songs with new styles and appearances to make their repertoire as colorful as possible and to make the true Parno Graszt feeling accessible to everyone. Year after year, the band collaborates with likewise acclaimed performers, including Bohemian Betyars, Punnany Massif, Bagossy Brothers and Pogány Induló. The seven-member band (which occasionally expands to nine members) forms a family. The relationship among the members is unshakeable, as everyone is related to everyone else. This might be one of the secrets of the band’s success: an unbreakable unity. The band from Paszab, founded in 1987, released its first full-length album in 2002, the highly successful record titled Rávágok a zongorára (“I Slam on the Piano”). This was followed by five more solo albums, the most recent being the 2024 release Suttog a szél (“The Wind Whispers”).

Ham Ko Ham
Ham Ko Ham means: “We are who we are”!
The band consists of four members: Csaba Ábri guitar, Levente Balázs lead vocals, Sándor “Herceg” Balázs cajon and vocals, Salamon Rétháti bass guitar. This is the lineup of Ham Ko Ham, who put authentic Gypsy music in the foreground. Their creed is to breathe together with the music. Their music radiates deep sincerity, kindness and dynamism. The musicians, well beyond their years, fill their performances with mature emotions. Their musical repertoire is primarily made up of authentic Gypsy music, mostly in the Romani language. In addition, they do not shy away from more modern musical styles either. Nor is the desire to know the truth missing from their folklore and their music. Truth and joy – neither can exist without the other. Through guitar, piano, bass guitar, metal can, cajon, tambura and vocals, they bring real music to life.

Activities of the Bagázs Public Benefit Association

At the level of Roma settlements
✓ Through individual and group programs, we support entire families according to their needs.
✓ We do not provide donations; instead of aid, our work is based on enabling the residents of the settlements.
✓ Each year, we work with nearly 150 trained volunteers in our programs, directly with local residents of all ages.
✓ The organization also employs people living in the settlements. Their training and our joint work demonstrate the possibility and credibility of change not only for the individual employees but for the settlement community as a whole.

At the level of the local village community
✓ We strengthen communication between the village community that coexists with segregated areas and the Roma communities – our goal is for everyone’s position to be represented and to serve as a basis for joint planning.
✓ In cooperation with the local care system and municipalities, we strive to find joint solutions to problems.
✓ As an independent civil organization, we feel responsible for amplifying the systemic problems that exist and for bringing about change in the relevant professional fields.

At the level of the majority society
✓ Volunteers participating in our programs establish personal relationships with people living in the settlements. Through direct experience, they become more sensitive and accepting, and in the long term take responsibility for the more disadvantaged members of society.
✓ We regularly host corporate groups for volunteer days so that they can better understand the difficulties of those living in the settlements.
✓ We make the problems identified at local level and the systemic deficiencies known to the country’s majority society, and through professional, legal and communication opportunities we give greater publicity to the obstacles standing in the way of equal opportunities.