Gábor Szabó | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Gábor István Szabó (1936-03-08)March 8, 1936 Budapest, Hungary |
| Died | February 26, 1982(1982-02-26) (aged 45) Budapest |
| Genres | Jazz,pop,rock |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer |
| Instrument | Guitar |
| Years active | 1958–1982 |
| Labels | Impulse!,Skye,Blue Thumb,CTI |
Gábor István Szabó (March 8, 1936 – February 26, 1982) was a Hungarian-American guitarist whose style incorporated jazz, pop, rock, andHungarian music.[1]
Szabó was born inBudapest, Hungary. He began playing guitar at the age of 14. In the aftermath of theHungarian revolution of 1956, he moved to California, United States, and later attended theBerklee College of Music in Boston between 1958 and 1960.[2]
In a 1974 interview, Szabo said he fell in love with jazz listening toVoice of America: "I had to listen to the jazz stations very quietly at night--if they were not jammed--because listening to music from the Western world was an offense against the government." When the Soviet Union militarily suppressed Hungarian insurgents, Szabo was twenty. He escapedto an Austrian refugee camp, later emigrating toSan Bernardino. He found it challenging to break into jazz. He formed a trio with two other refugees. It failed; he worked as a janitor for a year. "By then I had saved enough money to study at the Berklee School of Music inBoston. And in 1958, I played at Newport (R.I.) with the International Band."[3]
In 1961, Szabó became member of a quintet that was led byChico Hamilton and includedCharles Lloyd,[2] playing what has been described aschamber jazz, with "a moderate avant-gardism."[4] Szabó was influenced by the rock music of the 1960s, particularly the use of feedback. In 1965 he was in a jazz pop group led byGary McFarland, then worked again with Lloyd in an energetic quartet withRon Carter andTony Williams.[5] The song "Gypsy Queen" from Szabó's debut solo albumSpellbinder became a hit for rock guitaristCarlos Santana as part ofBlack Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen. During the late 1960s, Szabó worked in a group with guitaristJimmy Stewart.[2] He started the labelSkye Records with McFarland andCal Tjader.[6]
He composed the score for theRoman Polanski filmRepulsion in 1965.[7]
Szabó continued to be drawn to more popular, commercial music in the 1970s. He performed often in California, combining elements of Gypsy and Indian music with jazz. In the 1970s he began to return occasionally to his home country of Hungary to perform, after more than twenty years absence.[2][8]
In 1978, Szabo divorced his wife Alicia, with whom he had one son, Blaise. Szabo became involved with Marianne Almassey, a Hungarian model. They remained together until Szabo’s death in 1982.[9]
In the late 1970s, Szabo sought drug treatment for a serious, long-standing heroin addiction dating back to his days withChico Hamilton. He enrolled in Narcanon, a treatment center run by the Church ofScientology. He signed with Vanguard Artists International, a Scientology-related firm led at the time byChick Corea, in November 1978. By February 1980, Szabo had become alienated from Scientology, telling friends “they’re turning me into a zombie.” He accused the church and Artists International of physical abuse, misappropriating his money and mismanaging his career.[10][11]
Szabo filed a $21 million lawsuit against the Church of Scientology, accusing the organization of embezzling his money, kidnapping him and forcing him to undergo a Scientology "Life Repair Course." Szabo accused the church of inducing him to sign with Artists International, alleging that the firm was inept and more concerned with using his name to win converts to Scientology. He said Artists International charged him 26 percent of his gross income, and embezzled at least $15,000 from him.[12] The suit was settled the next year.[13]
While visiting family in Budapest during the Christmas holiday, Szabó was admitted to the hospital and finally succumbed to the liver and kidney ailments he suffered from as a consequence of his drug habit. He died on February 26, 1982, shortly before his 46th birthday. He was buried next to his mother inFarkasréti Cemetery.
WithSteve Allen
WithPaul Desmond
WithCharles Earland
WithCoke Escovedo
WithChico Hamilton
WithCharles Lloyd
WithGary McFarland
