Issue 2024-078
It's difficult, if not impossible, to keep up with all the wonderful progressive rock being released. Sadly, much of it doesn't garner anywhere near the attention deserved. Too many people never get to hear it, never get to experience that joy, drowned out by marketing campaigns for "the chosen few", however excellent some of that music might be, not produced solely for the purpose of making “the big bucks”. I am haunted by Rare Bird's lyrics to Sympathy
Sympathy is what we need, my friend 'cause there's not enough love to go round
(Rare Bird, of course, was one of the founding English prog-rock groups in the 1970s.)
Happily, DPRP.net and other sites strive to rectify this situation, by shining the spotlight on groups and composers who otherwise might languish in obscurity. It is my pleasure and honor to shine the spotlight on one of those groups, MAYA from Hungary, that has emerged like a butterfly from the chrysalis of an earlier group, You And I. Or like The Flower Kings sprouted from Kaipa?
Anyhoo, MAYA's 2024 debut, Fading Tomorrow, impressed me as being an incredibly mature work for a new group, before discovering their full, no less impressive history. Just had to learn more about them, and keyboard player/composer Greg Szabó kindly obliged by answering email questions. Let's get to that interview, followed by my humble take on all their albums to date.
David Taylor
Maya (promo photo)
Interview with Greg Szabo
This is a big thrill and honor to interview the keyboard player for the Hungarian symphonic prog-rock band, MAYA, Greg Szabo. Thanks so much for doing this, Greg! First off, how did you arrive at the name, MAYA?
This name already carries a history, having gone through some transformations. MAYA originally started as M.A.Y.A. (Music As You Are) in 2001, founded by some ex-members of You And I (details to follow). We actually wrote most of the material now on our new album back then, but we never made it to the recording studio, nor did we finish the album. We disbanded, and the unfinished material was shelved.
In 2017, the band started to revive when another former member of You And I called me up with the idea of bringing EXIT, You And I's final album, back to the stage. I said "yes" (what else), and we began re-establishing the band under the original name M.A.Y.A. (Music As You Are). After many lineup changes, the final group came together in 2018, and shortly afterward, we decided to simplify our name to just MAYA.
The name itself carries multiple layers of meaning. First, it happens to be the name of one of our member's wives. But perhaps the most significant connection is its Tibetan Sanskrit meaning: illusion (māyā), which in Buddhism refers to everything outside of consciousness. According to Buddhist thought, things do not truly exist—everything outside the mind is illusion, a projection of consciousness, or māyā. This ties in well with EXIT, which is based on the Tibetan Book Of The Dead, making the name a fitting choice for the band, in my opinion.
You and drummer Tamas Nadhazi had a seemingly Yes-inspired group, You And I, in the late 1990s that released three excellent albums. Any special reason for going with a new name? Was that your caterpillar group, and now you're a butterfly?
In fact, it's not just two, but three members of MAYA who played in You And I. After the release of EXIT in 2000, You And I's guitarist Zsolt left the band, and Péter Gosztola joined as a guitarist. We performed with him in 2001, playing EXIT in several locations, including twice in the Netherlands. Péter is now the bassist of MAYA, making him the third ex-You And I member.
You And I was heavily inspired by Yes, and that influence was clear in our music. However, three of the original founding members of You And I are not part of MAYA, so even though there may be similarities in the music, we can't say we are You And I. We're more like a continuation of it. At the same time, MAYA is a band inspired by many different musical influences, not just the progressive scene. Our singer, Zsuzsa, and our guitarist, Dávid, have brought in very different influences, which have been great for the band's growth and diversity.
Maya (promo photo)
MAYA's first release, Faded Tomorrow, contains a thirteen-minute track, two nine-minute tracks, and three shorter tracks. Yes's latest recording, Mirror To The Sky, also features a thirteen-minute track, two nine-minute tracks, and three shorter tracks. Is this a case of synchronicity, a meaningful coincidence? If so, any guess what that meaning is? Some deeper bond with the Yes spirit? Or is it just one of those things, less there than meets the eye?
Wow, that's really interesting! I appreciate you noticing that. You're clearly a true prog fan! Coincidentally, one of our songs is actually called Mirror! But to be honest, and this is just a personal comment, I haven't followed Yes' work as closely as I used to since Jon Anderson left as their singer. So, my answer would be that the similarity is purely coincidental. Most of the tracks on Fading Tomorrow, with one exception, were written back in 2001, when Anderson was still with Yes during the Magnification era.
That said, we absolutely love classic Yes. Our drummer is a huge Bruford fan, I'm a Wakeman fan, Péter plays a Rickenbacker and idolizes Squire, and Dávid really respects Rabin. So maybe these metaphysical connections transcend time, and it's not just a coincidence after all, but rather a kind of cosmic bond we share with our musical heroes.
Please tell me you guys are working on new material! When might we expect the second MAYA album? Any clues you wish to share regarding what direction it might take?
It's taken us 23 years to write and record this album, and now we're definitely feeling the fatigue. But on a more serious note, the process of finishing and recording the material alongside our regular day jobs really took a toll on the band. So, right now, we're taking a bit of a breather to let off some steam. That said, we have plans and plenty of ideas, and whether it's with this lineup or something similar, we'll definitely be making more music in the future.
I feel like we've said what we wanted to say in the realm of classic progressive rock. Going forward, we're more inclined to create music that's experimental and ventures into new, innovative directions. Personally, I have a drawer full of unfinished compositions from the past 37 years, so who knows? My next project might even be a solo album. But that definitely would be prog.
Do you have any upcoming concert tours in Europe or elsewhere?
At the moment, we don't have any concrete plans; we'll see how our album is received and how much people around the world enjoy it. If all goes well, we hope to start touring again next year. If anyone has suggestions on where we should play and can help organize a concert, please get in touch with us!
Anything else that might be of interest, such as how you or other group members got into prog-rock, and/or sources of inspiration?
Everyone has their own story about how they fell in love with music, and mine began when I was 13 years old. It all started thanks to a new classmate who sat next to me on the first day of school. The first thing he did was place a copy of Genesis' Invisible Touch cassette on my desk. I took it home, listened to it, and since then, I've been a devoted Genesis fan. I've never loved any musical expression more than what they created. While I'm a big music enthusiast with a broad range of interests, including many excursions into classical music, Genesis will always be my eternal favorite. Everyone has their own musical cornerstone like this.
What's interesting from the perspective of MAYA is that our two non-prog members, singer Zsuzsa and guitarist Dávid, have brought a significant elevation in quality and stylistic diversity to the band. Zsuzsa is an experienced blues vocalist, but she is a universal talent who excels in any genre, be it pop or rock. She has an incredible voice; just listen to our song Falling, for example. Zsuzsa has sung in numerous bands, provided backing vocals on many albums and productions, and has a wealth of experience to draw upon in live performances. For some reason, her voice never falters or fades, and she's always spot-on pitch-wise. She's a rare treasure.
Similarly, Dávid is an exceptional guitarist and a talented singer who has also enriched the band with his skills. During the album recordings, he learned the art of sound engineering and took on the role of mixing our album alongside my fatherly guidance as a music producer. We've learned not only about sound mixing and recording but also about the power of friendship. Interestingly, Dávid is also an actor, which gives him a natural comfort on stage. Together with Zsuzsa, they bring a level of confidence to the band, making us feel more self-assured, that us original introverted prog members could never have created on our own.
Thanks for the precious time you have devoted to answering my questions, Greg.
The pleasure was mine!
You And I — You And I
You And I's maiden voyage gets off to a very chill start with Clear, Real Life, a laid-back symphonic neo-prog ballad very much in the vein of early Karnataka, thanks especially to Völgyessy Szomor Fanni's silken vocals. Fanni sings in Hungarian for Ősz, which sounds a bit influenced by Gamelan music.
The seven-minute arrangement of a traditional, Wedding Day, is where this recording starts to get really interesting. The first half is Fanni on her own, save for an ambient background, and the second half is a grandiose, guitar and string synthesizer orchestral-sounding freak-out, altogether wonderful stuff!
Back to early Karnataka chill, and Hungarian lyrics, for Engedj El, very pleasant with Remenyik Zsolt providing the perfect electric guitar touch for the conclusion, with shades of Steve Howe. Then, You And I finally rock out in two Yes and Kansas-inspired instrumentals.
They saved the very best for last with their mini epic, Child Of A Guiding Eye. Had 1970s Yes collaborated with Karnataka, they might have produced something similar to this, yet with You And I's own personal touch, by turns pastoral, rocking-out, and transcendent. And for sure, Fanni got in close touch with her inner Annie Haslam!
You And I — Go
You And I's second effort gets off to a poppy start with Someday, Somehow and the ballad Moonsong, again in the same vein as early Karnataka. Then Decision goes for the funk disco like the closer, Children Of The Flame. Fun workouts. Incidentally, the “Hey, you” in the lyrics of Decision echoes Pink Floyd's “Hey You” on The Wall.
It's four tracks in, with the seven-minute Angel Dream, that we finally reach really proggy territory. A bit similar in feel and structure to Shoot High Aim Low on Yes's Big Generator, You And I confidently tackle some very infectious material with a strong arrangement full of depth.
The following two tracks, Angel Dream and Mistaken, are basically back in early Karnataka territory, very pleasant but not knock-your-socks-off. That's left for the twelve-minute epic, Invisible Ties. Even more in the epic Yes vein than the closer on their first album, Ties opens with an excellent, luxuriously expansive, suspenseful introduction before really settling down to business. Strong vocals and wild instrumental breaks cycle through variations on the opening themes, building to a magnificent chord resolution that includes a goose-pimp-inspiring electric guitar solo worthy of Steve Howe, plus a piano run that could have come from Rick Wakeman.
Wow!
You And I — Exit
Exit is simply You And I's symphonic prog-rock masterpiece, a concept album that dwells on the mystery of death, endearingly quirky and complex through and through. There is a minimum amount of Hungarian narration between the four major sections. Am not usually a fan of such interruptions, but in this case they do not distract whatsoever, and probably considerably enhance the experience for those fluent in the language. After a grandiose hymnal intro, Ancient Light is a great workout again in the Yes vein, but also full of You And I's signature ensemble instrumental work and Fanni's strong vocals.
The twelve-minute Gods Of Death is perhaps You And I's single best composition for its dynamically innovative structure. Among its many delights is a hauntingly beautiful mid-section melody that is reincarnated, if you will, at this album's conclusion!
What follows are four shorter tracks dedicated to the four directions, north, east, south, and west. They range from ambient passages to chorales to something nearly flamenco to more superlative prog-rock, West having a very wrapping-it-up concluding feel. But just like life after death, the eight-minute Matrix reprises earlier themes in a very Los Endos manner, like Genesis. Especially notable is the tribal percussion work with which it bursts into being like a baby's first cries. In a further conversation we had online, Greg explained that "matrix" is Latin for "womb", and had to do with a belief that in the final stage of reincarnation, one's consciousness (the only true existence) chooses its new family.
As Greg mentioned in the interview, MAYA's own birth/rebirth revolved around a concert revival of Exit. Happily, we can provide links to one of those performances, recorded on 15 February 2020 at the Club il Giardino in Lugagnano, Italy, as they were posted on Facebook:
MAYA, Exit live: 15 February 2020, Part 1
MAYA, Exit live: 15 February 2020, Part 2
Of special note: lyrics and narration are in English in this particular version. Moreover, pieces from You And I's first two albums are nicely folded into the concept as though they belonged there all along. Invisible Ties is renamed Peaceful Deities, and Ősz is renamed The Judgement, complete with a nicely developed instrumental break. One (at least this one) has to wonder why this hour and forty minute full expression of the EXIT concept hasn't been formally released!
MAYA — Fading Tomorrow
The lusciously slow keyboard wash that opens the thirteen-minute Tomorrow has to be one of the best-ever starts for an album, on a par with Tony Banks' mellotron solo at the outset of Watcher Of The Skies The joyous romp that follows is notable, like the rest of this recording, for Zsuzsa Garda's vocals grittier than Fanni's for You And I, when they are not more reminiscent of Renaissance's Annie Haslam. As well, there are lots of subtle touches that add a whimsical element, for example the brief, twiddly, tinkly keyboard bits that punctuate heavy passages.
The two nine-minute mini-epics, Mirror and Earth And Sky, are simply spectacularly addictive. Mirror develops complexly through a series of vocal melodies to a conclusion that follows the logic of Yes's Würm at the end of Starship Trooper without being at all imitative. Indeed, David Fecske seems to channel the spirit of George Harrison with his eruptive guitar work. And regarding that synchronicity with Mirror To The Sky, how about that song title?
Anyway, Earth And Sky opens with an a cappella workout that might remind you of Yes's opening to I've Seen All Good People, but again without being at all imitative. And again, what a spectacular conclusion, this time a rippling harp followed by a celestial choir fully invoking an ascent to the heavens!
Before the short, understated You And I wraps up this masterpiece, the single most aggressive track on the album, Wake Up, certainly does that, and concludes with a terrific repeating motif.
Greg and company made us wait over twenty years between the last You And I and the first MAYA, but c'mon! Don't make us wait another twenty-some years! All best wishes, regardless!