Washington Life Magazine
Washington Life Magazine

Hangin' with the Hungarians

December 1 · The Embassy of Hungary

BY DONNA SHOR PHOTOS BY KYLE SAMPERTON

THE EVENT: When Washington's Rock 'n' Roll diplomat, Hungarian Ambassador András Simonyi, gets a request to help a charity, he knows what's wanted: A gig by the Coalition of the Willing, the R & R band he formed. It's a group of high-achieving suits who happily let their hair down performing gratis for a good cause. It was shirtsleeves and steam at the Hungarian embassy when they played to 500 clapping and swaying 20-to-60-somethings, including tycoons, ambassadors and World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz, all rock fans. The benefi t raised over $30K for the families of three Budapest fi refi ghters who died on duty. Onstage, Ambassador Simonyi, loving it, joked, played guitar and sang with the band, which comprises guitarist Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, once with Steely Dan and the Doobie Brothers, but now a Pentagon counter terrorism adviser; guitarist Daniel Poneman, a former presidential aide, now a honcho at a global advisory fi rm; as is bassist Lincoln Bloomfi eld, who was formerly an assistant secretary of state. The band's drummer is the U.S. ambassador to South Korea, Alexander Vershbow, or, when Vershbow is in Seoul, it's Dan McDermott, director of a workplace investment board.
THE GUESTS: Nada Simonyi, trim in black trousers, greeted their guests, including Mary Mochary, Esther Coopersmith, Brenda and Jacques de Suze, Nicole D'Amecourt, Cyd Everett, and an imposing man named Ted with an attractive wife. Someone, on hearing Ted's last name, said, "Oh, like Theodore Bikel." Surprised, the Broadway singing star and fi lm actor answered "I Am Theodore Bikel."

 

Madame Stendhagen Rory Beelek and Cynthia Revesz
Madame Stendhagen Rory Beelek and Cynthia Revesz

 

Hungarian Amb. András Simonyi, Skunk Baxter and Daniel Poneman Rick Szabo Massumi and Amber Gallop
Hungarian Amb. András Simonyi, Skunk Baxter and Daniel Poneman Rick Szabo Massumi and Amber Gallop

 

Katie Reilly, Kelly Naku, Margaret Naku and Erin Naku Attila Bakró-Nagy, Illés Retkes, Captain Carlos Calvillo and Tibor Nemes-Nagy
Katie Reilly, Kelly Naku, Margaret Naku and Erin Naku Attila Bakró-Nagy, Illés Retkes, Captain Carlos Calvillo and Tibor Nemes-Nagy

 

Esther Coopersmith, Theodore Bikel and Tamara Brooks Nada Simonyi and Paul Wolfowitz
Esther Coopersmith, Theodore Bikel and Tamara Brooks Nada Simonyi and Paul Wolfowitz

 

John Parkerson Danny McDermott
John Parkerson Danny McDermott



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