Sounds of Devil [Pure DSD]

The Chris Devil Trio was formed in 2011 by first-year jazz students of the Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest. By a twist of fate, they were assigned to a Friday afternoon ensemble class—an unpopular time slot few were eager to take. The trio format, lacking a harmony instrument, presented an additional challenge, hardly an obvious choice for a university practice setting. This was reflected in the fact that the group was originally meant to be a quartet, but the trumpeter quickly rearranged his schedule and moved to another ensemble with a more convenient time and an easier setup. A brief, spontaneous conversation in a hallway between the three remaining musicians ended with a simple phrase: “why not.” That “why not” became the starting point of a friendship and musical collaboration now spanning fifteen years.

Remaining as a trio, they soon discovered during their shared class that despite their different playing styles, they could collaborate remarkably well. These three distinct personalities create a sound that is unified yet richly diverse, forming a coherent musical voice. Not long after, they made their debut under the name Sörpa Trio, an acronym formed from the members’ names (Serei, ÖRdögh, PAczári). The following year, the ensemble adopted the English translation of the bandleader’s name, becoming the Chris Devil Trio. While the trio forms a strong and cohesive core, it can also expand organically with guest musicians, having performed alongside artists such as János Ávéd, Kristóf Bacsó, Mihály Borbély, Mihály Gotthárd, Bálint Gyémánt, Krisztián Oláh, Zsolt Sárvári Kovács, Viktor Tóth and Zoltán Zana.

The group’s repertoire consists primarily of original compositions. Just as the band’s name is built on contrast—an oxymoron—their musical world is shaped by the collision of moods, styles, and musical characters. The concept of the album follows this duality: the pieces move between two extremes of the emotional spectrum—explosive tension and profound, all-encompassing peace.

The Chris Devil Trio
Chris Devil – Sopano sax, Tenor sax, Bass clarinet, Kaval, Flute, Transylvanian whistle, Vocal
Viktor Paczári – Bass, Didgeridoo
Dániel Serei – Drums, Post horn