Interactive stories, concerts, musical puppet shows and extraordinary workshops for children
Danny Mesél (Stories with Danny) is a series of musical and theatrical performances for children, performed by Hungarian-based American musician Danny Bain. At a Danny Mesél performance, you are just as likely to see traditional African drums and a Brazilian berimbau as you are to be chased by a home-made trombone made from a kitchen sink or asked to play a xylophone made from a ladder and junk metal. The catchy melodies, exciting stories, and Danny’s unique brand of musical comedy make for a one-of-a-kind show that is fun for the whole family.
Danny and his instruments
The gyil [’dʒil’] is a kind of wooden xylophone traditionally played by the Dagara and Lobi people of West Africa, and whose origins date back to the 1300’s. It is a pentatonic instrument, meaning the scale consists of five notes. It is made by suspending 14 wooden keys on a frame over 14 gourds. Spider web silk covers small holes in the gourds, and antelope or goat skin is used for fastenings.
Performances and Workshops
Danny first performed his adaptation of this African folktale at the Kabóciádé Family Festival in Veszprém in 2013. Since then, the story of Kitenji, Tenten, and Koko has become a favorite of countless children and adults in Hungary and abroad
In this performance we meet one of the most famous characters of American folk culture: The Gingerbread Man. The delectable dessert must flee from his peckish pursuers, running on and on until he arrives to the edge of the river, where he meets a sly and sleepy fox.
Danny Bain has been developing his one-man band since 2019. While he initially played only 3-4 instruments, he is now equipped with 20 different instruments, all attached to him as he walks, plays music, and leaves his audience in awe.
Have you ever heard a trombone made out of a kitchen sink accompanied by a steel drum? How about a Bulgarian bagpipe/Ghanaian xylophone duo?
Listen to the sounds of the Lomophone and the Kitchen Trombone, and discover the Lükeröpke, the Cunning Trunkster, the Lopossums, and the other peculiar creatures of the Tokapippi Mountains in this magical concert!
Djeli, the musican, magician, and storyteller extraordinaire, whisks us away to his West African home, where he tells us the story of Sandji and Kalili, who rescued the Sun and the Moon from the wicked witch Kodzsugukila.
In the joint performance of Kabóca Puppet Theatre, Anna Gulyás, and Danny Bain, we embark on a special journey around the world, where music, storytelling, and shared play transform the audience into a true celebrating crowd.
- Organization and Information: Melinda Bain
- Email: melinda@dannymesel.hu
- Phone: +36 20 429 4650
- Address: 2092 Budakeszi
Danny’s first children’s book and CD, Danny mesél – “Ez nem az apu hangja!,” was released in 2015.
Brought to life by the exotic and colorful illustrations of Mariann Maray, the book carries the reader away to the savannahs, jungles, and deserts of Africa.
The accompanying CD contains Danny’s musical performances of the stories, played on the Ghanaian gyil.
The book was chosen by the Hungarian Institute of Children’s Literature (Magyar Gyermekirodalmi Intézet) as among the year’s top 50 books for children and young adults. Currently, it is available only in Hungarian.
Brought to life by the exotic and colorful illustrations of Mariann Maray, the book carries the reader away to the savannahs, jungles, and deserts of Africa.
The accompanying CD contains Danny’s musical performances of the stories, played on the Ghanaian gyil.
The book was chosen by the Hungarian Institute of Children’s Literature (Magyar Gyermekirodalmi Intézet) as among the year’s top 50 books for children and young adults. Currently, it is available only in Hungarian.
Djeli, the musican, magician, and storyteller extraordinaire, whisks us away to his West African home, where he tells us the story of Sandji and Kalili, who rescued the Sun and the Moon from the wicked witch Kodzsugukila.
The sound recording of the award winning puppet show is available on Spotify, too.
Djeli, the musican, magician, and storyteller extraordinaire, whisks us away to his West African home, where he tells us the story of Sandji and Kalili, who rescued the Sun and the Moon from the wicked witch Kodzsugukila.
The sound recording of the award winning puppet show is available on Spotify, too.
Mi az hogy jól sikerült! Ezek a fiúk zsenik. Annyira laza, finom, elegáns, és mégis vicces, nem is tudok hasonlót mondani, hogy láttam volna korábban.
Velence, 2022
Velence, 2022
Mert a legnagyobb egzotikum Danny hangszere és előadásmódja. Egy falapokból, lopótökökből és antilopbőr madzagokból álló, afrikai xilofonon játszik, ezt püföli virtuózan két gumiabroncsból készült ütővel, miközben meglepően választékos magyarsággal és amerikai akcentussal kántál és énekel. Az egészben a legjobb maga az akcentus, ami nem hogy nem zavaró, de sőt, éppenhogy még varázslatosabbá teszi az egészet.
Libri.hu, 2016
Libri.hu, 2016
Danny came to The Anglo-American School of Moscow for a week to engage our students in storytelling with songs. It was an incredible creative experience for the students. Teachers were stopping into music class during their breaks to see the performances (multiple times). Educators across the school were so excited about how the presentation was the epitome of bringing different units together regarding writing, story telling, fairy tales, composition, playing music, accompaniment, culture, and world instruments. With the students, Danny was an instant celebrity after the first few performances as word spread about what was happening in music class on the playground. Do not miss out on the opportunity to have Danny work with your students, and we cannot wait to get him back in Russia
