Czech bands will perform in Budapest on Jazz Showcase, 13–15 January
11.01.2012
Friday, 13 January 2012, 8 pm
Festival Theatre
Marcin Wasilewski – piano, Slawomir Kurkiewicz – double bass, Michal Miskiewicz – drums
The Marcin Wasilewski Trio first arose worldwide interest at the turn of the millennium after being discovered by famous Polish trumpet player Tomasz Stańko. Not so later, on Stańko’s albums: The Soul of Things in 2002 and Suspended Night in 2004, the Marcin Wasilewski Trio provided the rhythm section. Both albums received enthusiastic reviews. The trio’s performance with Stańko on the Müpa Jazz Stage at the Sziget Festival in 2006, followed by their appearance at the MOL Jazz Festival in Budapest later that year as Simple Acoustic Trio, they successfully captured the attention of European progressive jazz listeners and further broadened their audience.
Having worked with Stańko, it was obvious for the Marcin Wasilewski Trio to sign a contract with a leading European record company. Their first disc, Trio, was released in 2005, followed by their album January in 2008. This was well received by the international jazz community, who praised both their mature and unique music (including Prince’s Diamonds and Pearls and Stańko’s Balladyna), as well as the group’s own expressive and innovative compositions.
Their performance at the Jazz Showcase Polish day will present music from their latest CD, Faithful released in 2011.
Friday, 13 January 2012, 4 pm
BannerSquare
Boglárka Csemer – vocals, Áron Sebestyén – piano, Attila György – double bass, Tamás Németh – drums
Formed two years ago, the Boglárka Csemer Quartet made their public début on the stage of the Budapest Jazz Club, where they have performed regularly ever since. In 2009, they gave a concert at the Sziget Festival and have appeared at numerous jazz clubs and festivals over the past two years, playing together with Lőrinc Barabás and Viktor Tóth. Their melodic and catchy original compositions belong in the jazz mainstream, characterised by a smattering of 21st century influences, as well as soul and R&B. Their repertoire is enriched by arrangements of a number of little-known French chansons. With their intimate and easily accessible music, the quartet endeavours to bring the genre of jazz closer to the general public.
The Hungarian Jazz Federation recognised the group’s efforts with a special prize in 2011.
Friday, 13 January 2012, 4.45 pm
Foyer
Nikola Kołodziejczyk – piano, Maciej Szczyciński – double bass, Michał Bryndal – drums
All three members of the Stryjo trio are young but highly qualified Polish musicians. Nikola Kołodziejczyk gained a scholarship to Boston’s Berklee College of Music. At the age of 21, he was a semi-finalist in the Bösendorfer Solo Piano Competition organised at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 2007.
Maciej Szczyciński graduated from the Academy of Music in Katowice. Soon after, he won main prizes at the Tarnów International Jazz Contest and the Krokus Jazz Festival as a member of the Wierba/Schmidt Quintet. Besides jazz, he is also familiar with flamenco, Latin music and rock, in addition, he often participates in performances by symphony and chamber orchestras. It was thanks to this versatility that he had the opportunity to play with the Hilliard Ensemble, as well as collaborating on several film music projects and recordings.
Drummer Michał Bryndal likewise graduated with honours from the Jazz Faculty of the Academy of Music in Katowice, while also completing his studies at the Faculty of Fine Arts of the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń. His diverse talents have also been demonstrated as a founding member of the soul group Sofa, and he regularly collaborates with a number of Polish artists and groups. As keen experimenter, he also likes moving beyond jazz into the realms of hip-hop and disco music.
Friday, 13 January 2012, 5.30 pm
Banner Square
Júlia Karosi – vocals, Tamás Balázs – piano, Balázs Horváth – double bass, Bendegúz Varga – drums
Júlia Karosi comes from a family of musicians; her mother is an opera singer while her brother has himself performed on a number of occasions at the Palace of Arts as well-known organist. Karosi began her musical studies as a small child, first learning piano and then violin, while singing in a choir. It was during her university studies that she turned her attention entirely to jazz: having graduated in philosophy and aesthetics from Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), she began to study singing under the tuitions of Gábor Winand at the Jazz Faculty of the Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music. Her musical partners are well qualified musicians. Tamás Balázs graduated from the Jazz Faculty of the Academy of Music in Graz, and has won numerous accolades with his own group. Balázs Horváth gained his diploma in double bass and bass guitar, studying both at the Liszt Academy and at the Conservatoire Supérieur de Musique. He has already performed with Dave Liebman and Al Foster and alike, In 2005 he was a recipient of both the eMeRTon Prize and the Prize for Best Hungarian Jazz Album as a member of the Borbély Műhely. Initially self-taught, drummer Bendegúz Varga graduated from the Liszt Academy and won first prizes as a member of two different formations in the Hungarian Jazz Federation’s Combo Competition.
The Júlia Karosi Quartet was formed in 2009. Its repertoire mainly consists of the singer’s own compositions, arrangements of jazz standards and Hungarian chansons. The group regularly performs in Hungary’s leading jazz clubs and has also appeared at the Vienna Jazz Floor Festival.
Friday, 13 January 2012, 6.15 pm
Foyer
Maciej Obara – saxophone, Dominik Wania – piano, Maciej Garbowski – double bass, Krzysztof Gradziuk – drums
The career of the young Polish composer and saxophonist Maciej Obara began in 2006 when he won a competition for young jazz musicians in his homeland with a composition called Message from Ohayo. Two years later, he was touring Poland in the company of the American Antoine Roney, and in the same year was recommended to Tomasz Stańko, taking part in the Terminal 7 show at Poland’s National Theatre, as well as in the Tomasz Stańko Special Project and in the New Balladyna Quartet. His composition I Can Do It, performed in a trio, was a big hit both in jazz circles and among audiences. In 2009, he invited three musicians from the New York School of Improvisational Music to record, and the results were released the following January as the album Four. A year later, he recorded his latest album Three, with Harvey Sorgen and John Lindberg, while participating in a workshop at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.
2012. január 14., szombat 20:00
Fesztivál Színház
Featuring: Dávid Hodek – drums, Casey Benjamin – saxophone, vocoder, Corcoran Holt – double bass, Andreas Varady – guitar, Péter Sárik – piano
Guest: Juraj Bartoš – trumpet
Drummer Dávid Hodek was one of the favourites of the Jazz Showcase 2011. The 13-year-old drummer from Révkomárom thrilled the audience both experts and jazz fans by his mature and colourful musicality. Since then Hodek has added trophies to his performances and is a returning guest to Ireland, where he has been regularly accompanied by Andreas Varady, a well-known Roma guitarist of similar age from Slovakia. Varady is an exceptional talent himself, as proven by his appearing on the front cover of the April 2011 edition of the prestigious Guitar Player magazine. The two young talents will be joined by the popular local jazz pianist Péter Sárik, who has been the young drummer’s patron and musical partner from a very young age. The saxophonist, Casey Benjamin, an important pillar in the bands of Stefon Harris and Robert Glasper, and the double bassist Corcoran Holt, from the Kenny Garrett’s rhythm section, needed no persuasion to accept the invitation to perform with youngsters whose talents are exceptional even in comparison with the overseas talents.
The groups’ lively and dynamic music, containing numerous own compositions, draws on a number of styles from the best traditions of electronic jazz, while building on rock and R’n’B foundations and exploring the driving and pulsating energy of post-bop.
Saturday, 14 January 2012, 4 pm
Banner Square
János Ávéd – saxophone, Márton Fenyvesi – guitar, Ákos Benkó – drums
Born in Szeged, János Ávéd started his musical studies at the now closed Mindszent Elementary Music School, where he began alto saxophone before switching to tenor saxophone. Having graduated, he enrolled as a student of Gábor Kollmann at the Jazz Department of the Ferenc Erkel Secondary School of Music (previously the “Postás” Ferenc Erkel School of Music). The Not Blu band he formed here won third place in the jazz competition held at the Aranytíz Cultural Centre. From 2005, he was taught by Mihály Borbély and István Elek at the Liszt Academy. During his university years, he joined the Transform Quintet, where he had the opportunity to play with Joey Calderazzo. He has since worked with numerous groups, winning several prestigious prizes and accolades. He is going to perform at the Palace of Arts in the company of a group of musicians he has worked with for years, and who enjoy a familiarity with each other’s music that is both spoken and unspoken. Despite this musical proximity, the members are still able to surprise each other and their audience in their constant search for musical innovation. Functioning without a bass instrument, the trio creates its tonal balance through the use of free forms and various other musical devices. The group’s preferences extend to any musical theme, from mainstream roots to elements of both classical and contemporary music.
Saturday, 14 January 2012, 4.45 pm
Foyer
Juraj Šulek – piano, Matúš Dobeš – double bass, bass guitar, Peter Kurilla – drums
The group that would go on to become the Pink Horse Trio was formed in 2009 in Žilina (Zsolna) in Slovakia. Initially, it consisted of only keyboards and bass, before expanding a year later to regularly include a drummer in performances. The trio’s music is inspired by numerous genres from around the world, its richly arranged instrumental compositions are coloured by virtuoso solos. The musicians remain open to new directions and to experimentation with sounds – particularly with the bass. Their dynamic rhythms are accompanied by melodies that lean towards the melancholic. The Pink Horse Trio give more than 25 concerts yearly throughout Slovakia, and in July 2011 recorded compositions at the Žilina Theatre, which is available for download.
Saturday, 14 January 2012, 5.30 pm
Banner Square
Tamás Meleg – tenor saxophone, Gábor Subicz – trumpet, Márton Fenyvesi – guitar, András Csizmás – double bass, László Csízi – drums
Tamás Meleg studied classical music until the age of 17, before taking up saxophone under the influence of Charlie Parker and John Coltrane. After graduation, he studied at the Kőbánya Music Studio, and went on as a student at the Liszt Academy under Mihály Borbély and István Elek. Breaking off his studies, he played in various formations in Spain and on cruise ships. He returned to the jazz faculty in 2010, while playing in various local pop and underground groups. The quintet he formed in 2011 initially played jazz standards, but the saxophonist’s own compositions have since gained an increasing role in its repertoire. The greatest influences in Meleg’s work are Thelonious Monk, Wayne Shorter, Joe Henderson, Don Grolnick, Chick Corea, Charles Mingus, Oliver Nelson and Sonny Rollins. His compositions generally follow bebop, hard bop and late mainstream directions in jazz, with their characteristic forms and idioms. However, the quintet attempts to break from the above in tone, striving to convey a more contemporary feel and mood.
Saturday, 14 January 2012, 6.15 pm
Foyer
Martin Uherek – tenor saxophone, Jakub Tököly – piano, Peter Korman – double bass, Pavol Blaho – drums
The quartet was formed by young jazz musicians at the start of 2008 and has since appeared at numerous festivals and musical events. They performed at the United Europe Jazz Festival together with the Swedish guitarist Ulf Wakenius, who played for ten years with jazz piano legend Oscar Peterson. The quartet truly entered the international jazz world when they won second prize in the youth category of the Tarnów International Jazz Contest in 2008. In the same year, they won top prize at the Slovakian Jazz Christmas, while several members of the group also won awards in the best soloist categories. The group’s broad repertoire relies mainly on traditional jazz forms, primarily swing, bebop and jazz standards of the 40s’ and 50s’.
Sunday, 15 January 2012, 8 pm
Béla Bartók National Concert Hall
Guests: Miroslav Vitous, Nicholas Payton and Tim Ries
Part I: Attila László and the Senior Big Band feat. Miroslav Vitous
Part II: Elemér Balázs Quintet feat. Nicholas Payton & Tim Ries
Featuring: Attila László – guitar, bandleader, Miroslav Vitous – double bass, the Senior Big Band
Nicholas Payton – trumpet, Tim Ries – soprano and tenor saxophone, Elemér Balázs – drums, József Balázs – piano, keyboards, Krisztián Lakatos Pecek – double bass
The gala concert of the fifth Jazz Showcase will be held at the impressive Béla Bartók National Concert Hall for the first time in its history. The organisers aim to create a festive occasion. In the first part, a real Czech legend, Miroslav Vitous, former bass player of Weather Report, will be the guest of Senior Big Band, an ensemble by former and final year students of the Jazz Faculty of the Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest. The big band is led by guitarist and composer Attila László, who has been teaching at the Academy and has prepared new instrumentation especially for this occasion. The members include highly experienced professional musicians such as Ákos Csejtei, János Ávéd, Gábor Kollmann, János Hámori and Attila Korb.
In the second part of the gala concert, the audience will experience a highly interesting and exciting American and Hungarian jazz encounter. In the quintet of one of the best known Hungarian drummers, Elemér Balázs plays together with his brother József Balázs (piano and keyboards) and Krisztián Lakatos Pecek, one of the most sought-after Hungarian young talents, the double bass. The saxophonist is Tim Ries, returning member of Elemér Balázs Quintet, Kálmán Oláh and Friends bands – not to mention him as saxophonist of the Rolling Stones. Ries has also recorded albums with such musicians as Maynard Ferguson, Joe Henderson and Billy Drummond, Paul Simon, Sheryl Crow and Stevie Wonder. The formation will be completed with Grammy awarded trumpet player, Nicholas Payton, known for his playing and appearance in the movie Kansas City. Payton has played with numerous jazz stars, including Ellis Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, Marcus Roberts, Dr. Michael White, Christian McBride, Joshua Redman, Roy Hargrove, Doc Cheatham and Joe Henderson.
Sunday, 15 January 2012, 4 pm
Banner Square
Vera Jónás – vocals, András Csizmás – double bass, András Dés – percussion
The members of The Vera Jonas Experiment began their cooperation before they had even played a sound together. Vera Jónás and András Csizmás shared their musical ideas over the internet, sending concepts to each other by e-mail from London to Budapest and back. The real work began when the singer returned home to Hungary on a visit, whereupon ideas previously exchanged only online were finally able to take shape. Since András Dés joined the group it became a trio. Its exciting and unusual characters have been heard in numerous concert. Balancing on the borders of acoustic, experimental and electronic music, the trio has created its own unique style to regularly thrill concert audiences.
Sunday, 15 January 2012, 4.45 pm
Foyer
Máté Pozsár – piano, Gergő Kovács – saxophone, Ádám Meggyes – trumpet, Ferenc Schreck – trombone, Péter Ajtay – double bass, Ernő Hock – double bass, Ákos Benkó – drums, Szilveszter Miklós – drums, Boglárka Bábiczki – vocals
This is not the first performance at the Palace of Arts for Máté Pozsár, who performed with his teacher Károly Binder at his teacher’s concert in February 2011 at the Festival Theatre. As a student of the well-known pianist, he is about to obtain his master’s degree from the Jazz Faculty of the Liszt Academy in 2012. His music is focused around jazz and free, improvisational music. For his major recordings, concerts and film music, he has collaborated with Károly Binder, Mihály Dresch, Gábor Lendvai and Áron Török among others, and he presently plays piano as a permanent member of numerous formations both at home and abroad. He released his first solo piano record in 2011, after several albums as part of a group. He currently teaches theory and piano at the Vienna Konservatorium Budapest Teacher Training College. In 2011, he won the Creative Art Prize established by György Vukán.
Sunday, 15 January 2012, 5.30 pm
Banner Square
Thom Herian – drums, programming, Oskar Török – trumpet, keyboards, Jaromír Honzák – double bass
The Czech group was formed by experienced musicians in 2008. Initially only a duo comprising drummer Thom Herian and trumpeter Oskar Török, they found themselves collaborating with bassist Jaromír Honzák so often that the group finally expanded to form a trio. Sato-San To – which gained its spontaneously suggested name from the Japanese meaning “With Mr Sato” – artfully blends mystical motifs with folk elements, applying a wide range of electronic tools to build the wild rhythms of jungle onto jazz foundations. The trio has performed in numerous German and Czech cities as an opening act for popular Norwegian jazz musician Bugge Wesseltoft – a name familiar to the Palace of Arts audience from 2010.
The Palace of Arts first hosted the Jazz Showcase and Talent Exchange in 2008 and the first Jazz Showcase was followed by similar events each year. The fifth showcase takes place from 13th to 15th January, 2012.
The first time this year, the Talent Exchange steps out of Hungary by presenting outstanding new talents from the Visegrád Four countries.
Programme: Marcin Wasilewski Trio (PL), Boglárka Csemer Quartet (HU), Nikola Kołodziejczyk Trio – Stryjo (PL), Júlia Karosi Quartet (HU), Maciej Obara Quartet (PL), Dávid Hodek Group feat. Casey Benjamin & Corcoran Holt (HU), János Ávéd Balance (HU), Pink Horse Trio (SK), Tamás Meleg Quintet (HU), Martin Uherek Quartet (SK), Visegrád – US Summit, The Vera Jonas Experiment (HU), Máté Pozsár (HU), Sato-San To (CZ), Infinite Quintet (CZ)
The Unijazz association organize 4th year of the JAZSIX festival.
