Bėla Babai

Antal Béla Babai (April 27, 1914 – October 1, 1997) was an ethnic Romani musician and interpreter of romani music. Babai was born in Austria-Hungarian Empire and emigrated to the United States late 1930s, where he became famous as "The King of the Gypsy Violin".

Babai was born in Graz, Austria-Hungary and grew up in Kaposvár near a large community of Romani. He learned to play the violin at a young age. At age 12 he would play in a local cafe, and in later years he would keep a clipping about those performances.

After he emigrated to the United States in 1937, he noticed that the music from his country was played in Hungarian restaurants. Babai started an orchestra in which he played the violin, accompanied by a kontras (second fiddler), a bratchas (violist), a bogos (double bass), a cimbalom-player, and a cellist.

In 1953 he left Chicago for New York, where he performed in the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.

Babai was married to Emma Horvath, who was of Bashalde Romani descent, and had a son and two daughters. He died in Nesconset, New York.

Birth and Death Data: Born April 27, 1914, Died October 1, 1997

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1925 - 1941

Roles Represented in DAHR: leader

Notes: Hungarian surnames customarily precede given names: Babai Bėla.

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Columbia 72110 10-in. 1925 or earlier Nem vagy legény berci Babai Bėla ės Cigany Zenekara ; Ernő Király Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble leader  
Columbia CO30227 10-in. 1941 Ácsi, Ácsi (Nyirbátorban van egy asszony) Babai Bėla ės Cigany Zenekara ; Endre Szathmáry Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble leader  
Columbia CO30228 10-in. 1941 Ėdes anyám sirhalmára Babai Bėla ės Cigany Zenekara ; Szojer Lenke Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble leader  
Columbia CO30229 10-in. 1941 Lehullott a rozsalevėl Babai Bėla ės Cigany Zenekara ; Endre Szathmáry Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble leader  
Columbia CO30230 10-in. 1941 Nincs senki olyan jo Babai Bėla ės Cigany Zenekara ; Szojer Lenke Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble leader  
Columbia W100193 10-in. 1925 or earlier Kerek a káposzta-kék a szeme Babai Bėla ės Cigany Zenekara ; Ernő Király Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble leader  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Babai, Bėla," accessed November 24, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/356567.

Babai, Bėla. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 24, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/356567.

"Babai, Bėla." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 24 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/356567

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