Family D2
Járóka
id. Járóka Sándor — King of the Prímás
Hungarian Roma — Kisvárda / Budapest
Style: Hungarian Romani music / Cigányzene
The restaurant violin family whose funeral gathered the musicians who founded the 100 Member Hungarian Gypsy Orchestra. A different line from Lakatos and from Sárközi. The 100 Tagú site names Sándor Járóka Sr. as the master the orchestra was founded to honour.
Id. Járóka Sándor was born 16 February 1922 in Kisvárda and died in Budapest on 11 April 1984. Magyar életrajzi lexikon (Arcanum): Népművészet Mestere, 1955. From 1932 a leading primás of the aranyosi Rajkó orchestra — the lexicon’s wording. Own ensemble from 1947. From 1952 he led the Interior Ministry artists’ folk orchestra. In 1958 he formed a new band and later opened the rebuilt Fortuna étterem with it. A six-week American tour in 1971 with a seven-piece band — Karádi Katalin and Svéd Sándor sang with them, as the lexicon spells the names. Six months in 1976 at the new Budapest restaurant in Detroit; in 1978 the Magyar Falu restaurant there also opened with his orchestra.
The 100 Tagú Cigányzenekar’s own history: founded 1985 as a tribute to the late Sándor Járóka Sr., “King of the Prímás.” Roma musicians gathering to honour a master — that is the origin story the orchestra prints.
His son, ifj. Járóka Sándor, was born in Budapest on 30 September 1954. Fidelio: Magyar Érdemrend lovagkeresztje, 20 August 2003. In 1994, in the United States, Romani musicians crowned him king of the primás, as they had his father. Diabetes; coma from 27 February 2004; he did not wake. Died 18 September 2007. Buried beside his father in the New Public Cemetery, Rákoskeresztúr. The 100 Tagú played at the grave, with Boross Lajos among the leaders. One joint record of father and son exists. Further chairs wait until they are sourced.
Járóka Sándor, id. (Kisvárda, 1922. febr. 16. – Bp., 1984. ápr. 11.): prímás, zenekarvezető, a Népművészet Mestere (1955). 1932-től az aranyosi Rajkó-zenekar egyik vezető prímása. 1947-ben megalakította saját együttesét. 1952-től a Belügymin. Művészegyüttes népi zenekarát vezette. 1958-ban új zenekart alakított s később ezzel nyitotta meg kapuit az újjáépített Fortuna-étterem. 1971-ben hathetes amerikai körutat tett héttagú együttesével, ahol Karádi Katalin és Svéd Sándor is énekelt zenekarával. 1976-ban hat hónapig Detroitban, az akkor megnyílt Budapest étteremben muzsikált, 1978-ban ugyanott a Magyar Falu étterem is az ő zenekarával nyílt meg.
Járóka Sándor Sr. (Kisvárda, 16 February 1922 – Budapest, 11 April 1984): primás, bandleader, Master of Folk Art (1955). From 1932 one of the leading primáses of the Aranyos Rajkó orchestra. In 1947 he formed his own ensemble. From 1952 he led the folk orchestra of the Interior Ministry artists’ ensemble. In 1958 a new band, with which he later opened the rebuilt Fortuna restaurant. In 1971 a six-week American tour with seven players; Karádi Katalin and Svéd Sándor also sang with them. In 1976 six months at the new Budapest restaurant in Detroit; in 1978 the Magyar Falu restaurant there also opened with his orchestra.
Lineage
Birth and death on a vertical line — generation by generation. Places are listed where we could find them.
Generation 1
id. Járóka Sándor
Violin, primás · 1922–1984
Born Kisvárda. Died Budapest. Népművészet Mestere 1955. The master 100 Tagú was founded to honour.
Generation 2
ifj. Járóka Sándor
Violin, primás, composer · 1954–2007
Born Budapest. Knight’s Cross 2003. Died after a three-year coma.
Orchestra years
When the band was founded, when it split, when a new generation took the stand.
1932
Generation joins
Leading primás as a child
Aranyos Rajkó
Magyar életrajzi lexikon: from 1932 a leading primás of the Aranyos Rajkó orchestra.
1947
New orchestra
Own band
id. Járóka Sándor ensemble
Own ensemble from 1947. Interior Ministry artists’ folk orchestra from 1952. Fortuna étterem from 1958.
1985
New orchestra
Tribute orchestra
100 Tagú Cigányzenekar
Founded as a tribute to the late Sándor Járóka Sr., “King of the Prímás.” Debut, Budapest Spring Festival, 1986.
Neighbours
Same country or city, but a different way of playing.
- Veres (Sárközi) — Hungarian Roma → Rotterdam / The Hague
- Lakatos — Hungarian Roma — Budapest (and Belgium, for a time)
- Sárközi / Sárközy — Hungarian Roma — Budapest
- Czinka — Hungarian Roma — Kingdom of Hungary, eighteenth century
- Kalyi Jag — Hungarian Roma — Nagyecsed / Budapest, from 1978
- Boross — Hungarian Roma — Budapest
- Danyi — Hungarian Roma — Budapest
- Lendvai Csócsi — Hungarian Roma — Ménfőcsanak / Budapest