Béla Szakcsi Lakatos

Béla Szakcsi Lakatos (1943 –2022), also known by the mononyms Szakcsi or Sa-Chi, was a Hungarian jazz pianist, keyboardist, arranger and composer.

Born in Budapest, Szakcsi Lakatos studied at the Béla Bartók Conservatory and started his professional career in the mid-sixties. In the 1970s he was part of the Aladár Pege’s quartet, with whom he performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival to great critical acclaim, and later he was part of the bands Rákfogó and Saturnus, as well as leader of his own ensemble. He recorded 16 albums and composed several musicals.

Szakcsi Lakatos is regarded as a key figure in the spreading of jazz and fusion genres in Hungary. During his career he received numerous honours and accolades, including the Kossuth Prize and the title of Meritorius Artist of Hungary.