Balogh is a Hungarian cimbalom player, descending from a famous dynasty of Hungarian Gypsy musicians. His virtuosity is matched only by his understanding and respect of his heritage. A graduate of Franz Liszt Academy of Music of Budapest completed his studies in 1980 under supervision of Ferenc Gerencsér. Balogh studied the Gypsy music in Europe and Asia for several years. He has completed many successful tours throughout the world with various ensembles, including five tours in North America. He has performed and toured with many of the best folk bands and has recorded dozens of albums with them and as a solo artist. He was a featured performer in numerous major European festivals and venues featuring Gypsy music. Balogh has performed on concerts in North America. He has performed with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra, New World Symphony, Oregon Symphony, Austin Symphony and the Band, Oregon Festival Orchestra. He also played at many North American festivals and clubs. He has played with several musicians like Arild Andersen, Patrice Heral, Ferenc Snetberger, Peter Ralchev, Ivo Papazov and Iva Bittova. In 1985 he was awarded the Hungarian distinction of "Young Master of Folk Arts", and two years later he won second prize in the Aladár Rácz cimbalom-competition. As an artist he has performed with Hungarian bands as Jánosi, Ökrös, Téka, Méta, Muzsikás, Zsarátnok, Vízöntő, Vasmalom, the Swedish Orient-Express, the Dutch Sultan and Ot Azoj, the English Transglobal Underground, the American Peter Ogi and the Joel Rubin Jewish Ensemble. The cimbalom, a sort of oversized hammer dulcimer played with mallets like a vibraphone, possesses piano like percussive abilities to drive a band rhythmically or take the melodic lead.
Balogh was musical director of the "Magneten Gypsy Show" of Andre Heller and also performed on a CD with the Budapest Festival Orchestra playing Brahms Hungarian Dances. In 1997, he performed with the Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra and also with the Miami Philharmonic Orchestra. On 10–11 March 2010, Balogh presented his musical project The Other Europeans at the EU conference "Projects in Favour of Roma Culture", in Brussels, Belgium.
Kálmán Balogh and the Gipsy Cimbalom Band
Balogh regularly plays with the Gipsy Cimbalom Band. The group performs Hungarian folk music, as well as classical music and jazz both at home and abroad.
Albums
Balogh Kálmán & the Gipsy Cimbalom Band: Roma vándor (1995)
Gypsy Music From Hungarian Villages (1996)
Balogh Kálmán & the Gipsy Cimbalom Band: Gipsy Colours (1997)
The Art of The Gipsy Cimbalom, ARC Music Productions Int. Ltd. (1998)
Balogh Kálmán és a Romano Kokalo: Gipsy Colours, FolkEurópa (1999)
Balogh Kálmán - Gipsy Jazz, Rounder Records Corp (1999)
Balogh Kálmán & the Gipsy Cimbalom Band: AromA, FolkEurópa (2003)
David Murray, Kovács Ferenc és Balogh Kálmán & a Gipsy Cimbalom Band, Fonó (2005)
Jaj - a világ! / Oh - What A World!Oh - What a World! · 2007 Pici Ház / Little HouseOh - What a World! · 2007 De sötétlik… / How Darkness SpreadOh - What a World! · 2007