Interview with Desiderius Dužda
Music. Magic, insuperable, without frontiers. We feel it coming from everywhere – everything has its sound, tone, magic, finds its way into our ears, beats into our hearts and eardrums, comes right under our skin, caresses our soul, breaks prejudices, pushes us forth, we are inside it, it has us in its power. What is this music that elevates our inner selves? What can we see beyond its tones, beyond the voice that sings? Have you ever felt the infinite while listening to music? How is it, to exist within the space of guitar tones, within the space of the singer’s voice, which has the power to take us over?
But to let yourself be taken over by music and singing means to accept more love and peace, to discover new ways into the other dimensions of the tone, the voice, the motion and also emotional excitement. I was lucky enough to get into this state and I always feel it again when I listen to Roma songs rendered by Ida Kelarová, famous, magical and insuperable in the way of their interpretation. She sings songs, the beauty and originality of which is the work of the composer – as well as the singer – the artist in full sense of this word – Ida’s husband, friend and her greatest love in both the good and the bad – Desiderius Dužda.
Dežo, the way everybody calls him, is a modest person with big heart, beautiful soul and even more beautiful smile, which brings light into our stressed-out lives. He takes his guitar, gently, as if he wanted to caress it and say hello, he touches the strings and you suddenly find yourselves in the universe of music, where only a supreme instrumentalist can take you. You are there, inside the Gypsy music, together with him, you listen to his voice, you feel his smile, the mimics of his face, and suddenly you are one soul with him, you sound in the same tone.
This sensitive person – an artist – has got a charisma, which opens up right in front of you during his music production. It touches you and offers all his being. Through singing he talks about himself, about love and about who he is. His music reveals what troubles him, what makes him happy, what he is experiencing at this moment in life…
I tried to put into my music something of myself. I felt, that I must put into the composition what I am going through and what is forming me at this very moment, because only then it is going to be true…
Desiderius Dužda was born in Pilsen, he grew up in Rokycany, and comes from a family with ten children. His father was an exquisite musician, who played all kinds of music instruments. Dežo recalls:
I was the youngest child. My father, as a musician, did not devote that much time to me, he passed all his art on to my oldest brother. Nevertheless, I wanted to become a musician. My mother told me, that when I was small and my family played, I always took a coat hanger and played on it as if it was a guitar. I learned my first accords myself, I listened to how my brothers and my father played. And I used to practice a lot, I wanted to be a good musician. My childhood was quite hard, the poverty was overwhelming. I had big dreams, I wanted what the other children had. But I got more than those kids who had everything – I could feel the unity and fellowship of our family. In our home we played and sang all the time – whether we were hungry or not. Music and singing were my substitute for all the unfulfilled desires.
As a fourteen-year-old, Dežo left for Karviná, where he trained as a coal-miner and then worked in the mines for ten years. However, in Karviná he also met his friends – musicians, with whom he later founded a band.
We used to play at parties, in bars. I used to sing Steve Wonder, George Benson – these musicians fascinated me, they were my models. I used to listen to their songs and learned to play the guitar the way they played. I could perceive the brilliance of their improvisations. I had no idea, that this is the way I was going to proceed toward the level of music, which would later determine my music style and direction.
He played with his friends from Karvinná for 7 years.
I learned a lot during that time. I tried to feel every tone of my guitar, I wanted to know how exactly does it originate and I especially tried to improve my improvising.
And then came the times with Věra Bílá and Roma (Gypsy) music.
I met the supreme singer Věra Bílá thanks to my brother and cousins, who played in her band. I decided to join them and try to play Roma songs. It was another experience, owing to which I started to compose Roma songs. However, they were not typical Roma songs – I tried to incorporate all that I learned and what I sensed from other musicians – hints of jazz, funk. I tried to put in my songs something of myself. I felt it is exactly that which I go through, that which momentarily shapes and influences me, what I have to put into a song, because only then it will be true. With Věra I travelled nearly all around the world. I had thus a chance to meet new people and musicians at concerts and festivals and that had greatly inspired me. When I was a small boy, I dreamt about travelling the world and playing in a good band, getting to know musicians. This dream has come true for me and I am grateful for everything I saw and learned. This moved forward my understanding of the unlimited possibilities of music and music creativity.
Do you still remember the first Roma song you composed?
I can’t ever forget that one. I composed it when I was doing my military service. It is called “Muľas mange miri daj” and I still play it nowadays. In 1997, Ida and I formed a Roma band called “Romano Rat”. This band was composed solely of young Roma musicians. We played and performed together for five years. All this time I tried to prove to these musicians that Roma music is so rich, that it has the potential to touch deeply even non-Roma audience.
Ida and Dežo together pass on the mission of Dežo’s music – of his unique songs – at Ida’s workshops on human voice almost all around the world. His presence at these workshops appeals to everyone, regardless of the color of their skin, their nationality – the Danes, the Germans, the Austrians, the Swiss, the French, the Americans… They all sing next to each other and they all sing Roma songs, the author of which is Dežo. He thus achieved what our diplomats have so far failed to achieve – to dissolve prejudices and build bridges made of beauty and understanding. Thanks to him, too, Roma songs have become bridges, which get people closer to each other.
What are you doing at the moment? Recently you have been on a concert tour, you perform with exquisite professional Roma musicians.
At the moment we have a band, where we play in jazz style. Our musicians are among the best there are, they are wonderful jazzmen. I believe that we are succeeding in moving Roma culture on to a bit different spheres.
Who writes the songs in your band?
I am composer of most of them, but our vocalist Marie Duždová also writes songs. She is very talented. I am very proud of her and I believe that she will continue in her songwriting. It would be very sad if she threw her talent away.
What is the role of love and confidence in your life?
When I feel love, it inspires me in everything. If I didn’t feel love, my life would lost its meaning. I can say that I am the happiest person in the world. I found love in my wife, Ida. She gives me love in abundance and with her love she gives me freedom as well, which is very important for me. We trust each other, we have faith in each other. I believe that while I am alive – also owing to the fact that I am happy – I will be able to do a lot for Roma culture, for its move forwards. However, I’d like to say that sadness can also be an inspiration. I often think about my parents. They gave me inner wealth, on which I draw up till now.
We were poor, we didn’t have rich Christmas like other kids. I got a Christmas present only once – it was a cap. I will never forget it – my only Christmas present from childhood. Only later I understood, what kind of value these Christmas had for me – we would all sit at one table, talk to each other and it was beautiful. And owing to Ida, who listens to me and is able to experience my sadness with me, I am not alone. If I had ever loved and had ever thought I loved, I did not know what love was. I found out that only now I am able to say that I love and that I also know what love is. Love which enriches, love which gives me freedom, love, thanks to which I am the happiest person in the world.
Dežo says that he is the happiest person in the whole world! And it is probably so – he has found his love, his inspiration, and at the same time he remained himself and is true in what he creates. If it wasn’t so, his songs couldn’t get the listeners into this state of infinity, where nothing ends and everything begins. The happiness of a person depends on whether he makes other people happy. Dežo is happy, because he can make everyone around happy at least for a while. So, dear Dežo, thank you for all those you have made happy from all my heart. THANK YOU!
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