Daveform Quintet with Krisztián Oláh, Gábor Subicz, Dániel Mester, Ernő Hock and composer Dávid Szegő has been enthralling listeners with their unique and ecstatic music for over a year. After several sold-out concerts, this evening marks the debut of their album Arrival, which the audience can hear live in its entirety for the first and last time. Daveform Quintet is a modern jazz group that combines American, Scandinavian and Balkan musical elements in a unique way, with plenty of room for improvisation. From jazz ballads to contemporary classical music to modern grooves, the quartet showcases a wide range of styles, featuring well-known excellent players of the Hungarian jazz scene. The bandleader is composer and drummer Dávid Szegő, who, together with Krisztián Oláh, Dániel Mester, Gábor Subicz and Ernő Hock, unleashes a force that guarantees to captivate all listeners.  

Károly Binder is a musician of high calibre, who puts his talents at the service of the synthesis of new trends, different musical cultures, compositional techniques and improvisational systems, not forgetting his own musical roots. He is an autonomous composer whose piano playing and compositions cannot be classified by style or genre. Since the late 1970s, Binder has pursued with unrelenting consistency the path he set for himself, a path on which he had no Hungarian predecessors. In his musical development, alongside the immense oeuvre of Béla Bartók, we can clearly trace the influence of the folk music of the Carpathian Basin and the melodic world of the Volga-Kama region, and even the American repetitive school hallmarked by Steve Reich. He has released more than 85 albums to date; this evening, he and his trio will present their latest album, inspired by Béla Bartók's masterful pedagogical miniatures, For Children.

If you’re feeling sacrilegious, call them the contemporary trinity: drawing back the curtain on future sound spheres, The Transcendent Triptych calls on early, classical and folkloric music to redefine modern avant-garde Jazz. Akin to the still-standing architecture of old, this ensemble of storied composer-musicians is built upon a tried-and-true triangular foundation: percussionist Tilo Weber – a force in the Berlin music scene (David Friedman Generations Trio, Y-Otis, Keno, winner of the Deutsche Jazzpreis 2022) – lends his mallets to the drums and vibraphone while Austrian pianist David Six (Bill Frisell, Bryce Dessner, Stargaze) sets himself to the piano and harpsichord. Rounding out the trio with his tenor saxophone, János Ávéd (Randy Brecker, Benny Golson) brings his stratified musical voice, informed by more than a decade at the Budapest Modern Art Orchestra and countless collaborations with icons of the Hungarian and international jazz scene. In this constellation, the star-studded troupe has produced pieces such as “Lound”, the dreamy, intimate embodiment of their name. As if in meditation, all musical streams flow into one whitewater torrent – the avid listener, however, is not thrown off-course by the jutting powerplays. Fickle rhythms, profound structures and nuanced melodies course through the piece with tenderness, ready to cross their own aqueous boundaries at a moment’s notice. Our visionary trio goes on to moonlight as musical time-travellers, lifting the musical veil with “Minta”. Tastefully lyrical, sophisticated and subtle, this piece approaches its audience with open arms from a time yet to come. In 2025, the debut of this all-star trio will be released on renowned Budapest label, BMC Records. Victoriah Szirmai

This evening actually happened on three nights, recorded during three different studio sessions between April 1954 and August 1955. O’Day was signed by the young Los Angeles producer Norman Granz (Jazz at the Philharmonic), Jimmy Rowles and two lesser-known pianists were engaged, and guitarist Tal Farlow contributed on four tracks. The singer’s straightforward, veiled delivery, which avoids the broader vibrato and is equally captivating when ironical or wistful, has been likened by many to a saxophone. Her performance at the Newport Jazz Festival in a few years is in the annals of jazz history. Here, O’Day makes the standards (The Man I Love, There’ll Never Be Another You) her own, and her original blues track shows why black jazz musicians always said yes right away when Anita O’Day invited them. The internationally renowned singer Júlia Karosi, who is also breaking new ground with her own band, recommended the production to the orchestra and will also take on the role of O’Day. 

The Fusio Group is the most unique fusion jazz band in Hungary, not only thanks to the compositions of Péter Szendőfi, but also as the result of the chemistry between the five musicians, refined over many years. The band was founded in 1992. In the past decades they have released 8 albums, in 2022 presenting their latest, 30th anniversary album XXX. Since 2023 they have been performing with singer Erika Kertész. The backbone of their repertoire is the music from the XXX album, some of which was originally instrumental, but band leader Szendőfi has written English texts for them. Erika's unique voice, clearcut rhythms and performance style perfectly match the band's well established sound, and harmonise marvellously with the often virtuosic, dynamic themes and the large-scale improvisations.

Connected by the love for classic guitar trios, role models like Bill Frisell or John Scofield, and the affinity for an intimate, acoustic sound, Tobias Faulhammer, Gregor Aufmesser and Jakob Kammerer strive to create spaces of creative freedom within jointly constructed musical arrangements. Searching for these creative spaces, the three musicians, who are firmly rooted in the Austrian jazz scene, create unique musical moments through joint improvisation. On their self-titled debut album, the three Caballeros present ten compositions by band leader Tobias Faulhammer. They have also been joined by two guests, Clara Montocchio (vocals) and Max Tschida (organ) for two pieces. The album was recorded, mixed and mastered by extraordinary sound engineer Christoph Burgstaller, and released in November on cracked anegg records.  

Incorporating Latin American serenity and sweet melancholy, Cafuné's repertoire is made up of special pieces of traditional South American guitar music. The world of pulsating samba and soft bossa nova is reminiscent of the jazz clubs of the sixties. In its acoustic sound, the band aims to continue the tradition of Dilermando Reis, Augusto Garoto, Baden Powell and Luiz Bonfa. This sound is further enhanced by the voice of Anna Pataki, who interprets this style with rare naturalness in Portuguese and Spanish. In the past two years, they released two albums, Inspiração and Carimbo, containing internationally less-known pieces of Brazilian music, uniting sparkles, elegance, virtuosity, freedom, melancholy and joy.  

Serendipity is not only the closest meanings of Nasip Kısmet, but also the best way to describe this international band’s authentic, multi-genre music: an ancient folk melody turns into a psychedelic outburst by a sudden chord progression, then eases into a mild jazz-fusion breeze by a touch of masterful musicianship. Nasip Kısmet was founded in Budapest in 2019 by Turkish musician Arif Erdem Ocak, who is also the founder and guitarist of the famous Turkish band Seksendört. The band consists of high-caliber jazz musicians from the Hungarian jazz scene, such as Daniel Mester (saxophone & clarinet), David Szegő (drums) and Marton Eged (bass guitar); and Turkish folk/rock musicians, siblings Arif Erdem (guitar & vocals) and Derya Ocak (vocals). Nasip Kısmet plays Turkish psychedelic-folk/jazz/fusion genres and continues to grow its audience throughout Europe.

In his compositions, Ádám Móser has created a contemporary Gyimesi chamber music, which always evokes the turns of authentic Gyimesi folk music, yet its structure is based on quite different foundations. The music of Zerkula, Halmágyi or the Tímár brothers can be heard in his motifs, but the pieces are sometimes close to free-flowing, improvisatory, and sometimes to repetitive, contemporary chamber music. In the duo, Ádám Móser plays accordion and Márton Kovács plays violin. Both have many years of folk music experience behind them, and both have thrown themselves into the world of improvisational chamber music.  Three years ago, three musicians, who were also at home in theater circles, thought that they would call the sounds, rhythms and melodies they played in the plays directed by János Mohácsi to an independent life. They thought that the stringed strings of different origins, tearing apart from the system of a theatrical performance, could also come into contact with each other and tell further stories to both the musicians and even more so to the audience. And over time, more and more new melodies and rhythms emerge in the sometimes seemingly endless sound maze of the Trio Sordini. Composition and improvisation, traveling from everywhere to everywhere: More than an hour and a half of unstoppable sound streams in two parts.

Skylark Metropolitan is the brand new band of Viktor Tóth, saxophonist and composer, who has been selected multiple times as the Alto Saxophonist and Composer of the Year in Hungary. This time they perform in a trio lineup to create a more intimate yet still pulsating and rhythmic sound. Viktor Tóth has released eight albums so far, several of which have won the Jazz Album of the Year award in Hungary; each of his recordings and ensembles represent a different sound. What they have in common is an innovative spirit, overwhelmingly powerful expression and melodic richness. They invite the audience on an exceptional flight over landscapes of swing-based modern jazz and broken grooves.

János Vázsonyi's trio wonders on the boundaries of classical, jazz and folk music, exploring analogies between genres. Their concerts are thus a journey through music history, from ancient Greek music to contemporary music, where the specific musical styles frame the spontaneous improvisations as a theme. János Nagy needs little introduction to Hungarian jazz fans, but few know that he also has a close connection with church music; their saxophone-organ duo album with János Vázsonyi was recorded in a Budapest church. Flóra Joubert (drums) and Gábor Boros (double bass) are excellent partners in this lineup, as their sophisticated playing organically blends into the improvisations, which can almost be described as chamber music.

Hans Lüdemann and his French-German octet TransEuropeExpress have started their long-term Pan-European project On the Edges in 2019 and are now presenting the premiere of the fourth edition entitled Oriental Express. This ensemble of outstanding soloists now welcomes the great Ney flutist Burcu Karadağ from Istanbul as their special guest. She is an international soloist with classical orchestras, but also improvises and collaborates with jazz musicians. Hans Lüdemann has spent several longer periods as an artist in residence in Istanbul between 2021 and 2024, and they have been working with Burcu as a duo since then, including performances at CRR Philharmonic Hall and AKM in Istanbul. They developed a program of original music and also made re-interpretations of some pieces of oriental music like Kendim Ettim by Neset Ertas. The Ney flute is the core instrument of oriental and Turkish music, even constituting the names of different scales and tonalities. The character of the Ney is quite different from the Western flute as it requires a lot more air for the sound to be produced. This means that the music needs more space between the notes – and also behind them. The secret of the Ney is to connect us with a different, spiritual level. Hans Lüdemann has created new compositions and arrangements that give room for the special magic of the Ney flute and reflect his experience of Istanbul and the Orient in a poetic way. Hans Lüdemann, the TransEuropeExpress and Burcu Karadağ are also recording the music for a new album to be released on BMC Records. On the Edges is a Pan-European initiative to be realized in 5 different projects and album productions, each of them a creative musical encounter reaching to a border region of Europe and beyond. The idea, originally inspired by Navid Kermani’s book Along the trenches, has been transformed into the creation of a broad mosaic of musical colors within this frame. Each project is developed and realized in cooperation and exchange with guest artists and/or composers from the specific regions. The thread that finally connects all of the projects is a composition by Lüdemann in several parts, coming together to form a complete musical picture. The previous albums in the series were released on BMC Records: the critically acclaimed Maghreb Express with Majid Bekkas, Polar Express with Kalle Kalima and Sofia Jernberg, and, most recently, Roman Express with Rita Marcotulli and Luciano Biondini, which was nominated for the Deutscher Jazzpreis 2024.  

Details soon...

"Daniel's works show great control and versatility on all levels. Being equally at ease with the jazz and symphonic idiom, both his compositions and arrangements show complete awareness of what is relevant in today's orchestral music. His affinity with drama and his gift to encompass this in music make him a natural film composer." - Jurre Haanstra, composer  Daniel Mester travelled around the world to find his own musical universe, which accommodates the melodies of Anatolia, Indonesian scales and imaginary Hungarian folk songs. He began his musical studies as a classical clarinetist, and later started to learn jazz saxophone playing. He graduated at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, and he not only had the opportunity to perform in many parts of the world (South Korea, Indonesia, Turkey, Brazil, Morocco), but also to learn about musical heritages outside of Western musical traditions. He composed a couple of filmscores, and studying Turkish classical and folk music is another current inspiration for him, the impact of which is echoing in his compositions. His long-cherished dream of founding his own trio came true with the pandemic. He invited two talents of the young Hungarian jazz generation, guitarist Péter Cseh and drummer Tamás Hidász into this musical adventure. This evening, they will also be joined by the virtuosic master of the cimbalom, Kálmán Balogh. www.mesterdaniel.com

Thérapie de couple – we are talking, of course, about the Germany-France couple, the engine of Europe, which now and then finds itself in crisis. Saxophonist and bandleader Daniel Erdmann is the ideal counsellor because he knows the differences, the similarities, the possible misunderstandings, the psychology of these two countries very well. He is particularly pleased to have been invited to put together a new German-French sextet and, in selecting musicians, has opted for a combination of those he already knows very well – and the security that comes with that –, and inviting completely new people who bring with them the desire and magic of uncertainty. Daniel Erdmann has been travelling between Germany and France for over 20 years. German-French and European projects are at the centre of his work, in which he has been supported by Philippe Ochem and the Jazzdor Festival from the very beginning. Jazzdor is once again a partner and sponsor for the new band. Projects over the past 20 years include bands such as Das Kapital and Velvet Revolution, but also quartets, trios and duos with Heinz Sauer, Christophe Marguet, Vincent Courtois, Aki Takase, Henri Texier and many others. Two musicians from France, with whom Erdmann has played a lot in recent years, have agreed to join him in the new project: violinist Théo Ceccaldi, member of the band Velvet Revolution, and cellist Vincent Courtois, with whom Daniel Erdmann has been working in various bands since 2008, first in a quartet with Frank Möbus and Samuel Rohrer, then in Vincent’s trio with Robin Fincker and on the side in various projects with painters, actors, singers. All these common experiences can be a basis for imagining a band sound when composing. Other band members who have accepted the offer of this new collaboration include the young French clarinettist Hélène Duret, who is currently touring all the clubs and festivals in France with her band Suzanne. Her velvety clarinet sound combines wonderfully with the saxophone sound of Daniel Erdmann. The rhythmic basis of this sextet is formed by drummer Eva Klesse and bassist Robert Lucaciu, two now established greats of the German jazz scene, who in turn know each other well from the Leipzig jazz scene. A solid rhythm section that can also go unexpected ways, different generations and individual voices that can also put themselves at the service of the group sound. A German-French couple therapy full of the joy of playing with some of the best musicians of both countries. That is Daniel Erdmann’s idea for this new adventure. Before the concert, they are recording their debut album to be released on BMC Records in the near future.

Pianist György Pataj graduated from the jazz department at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in 1997. Over the past fifteen years he has played with such prestigious Hungarian musicians as Aladár Pege, Imre Kőszegi, Gyula Babos or the Cotton Club Singers. Pataj Jazz Quintet, his own band was founded in 2009, and after a few changes, the present solid lineup of prominent musicians of the Budapest jazz scene came to being. The quintet revives the hard-bop genre of the '60s and '70s: their sound reflects the world of groups led by outstanding personalities of the period (Miles Davis, Art Blakey, Freddie Hubbard, McCoy Tyner, Lee Morgan, Benny Golson, Cannonball Adderley).

Details soon...

The Modern Art Orchestra's À la MAO... series aims to present compositions and adaptations, sometimes originals, by members of the orchestra in a new context. In recordings and concerts, the orchestra has created a repertoire that is unparalleled in the history of Hungarian jazz. Some of these pieces have never been heard before by old or new followers, arranged in a new thematical, stylistic or other way. Additionally, some of them have never been released on disc or digitally. The mythical magic of the Far East and the Balkan or Asia Minor have often influenced pieces of recent Hungarian music history, they now provide the thematic link to the oriental music programme. An unmissable piece in such a programme is the orchestra leader Kornél Fekete-Kovács's suite Yamas and Nyamas, of which the movement Tapas is based on an Indian raga. Actually, Bartók also collected folk music in Asia Minor, and in recent years the MAO has systematically adapted Bartók's works, such as the 15 Hungarian Peasant Songs, to its own sound. Some compositions by the in-house composers of the Modern Art Orchestra have also revealed Balkan, Indian and Arabic musical influences.

Details soon...

Details soon...

The brilliant and versatile Roy Hargrove summoned this parade 30 years ago, documented on 73+ minutes. Hargrove (1969-2018) created wonders: in addition to his quintet albums, he founded a big band and opened wide doors to hip-hop and R&B. Here, as one of the ambitious young lions, he provides yet another example of positioning his generation in the jazz tradition, while happily savouring every minute of musical encounters. The Cyrus Chestnut-Rodney Whitaker-Gregory Hutchinson rhythm section features saxophonists in their 30s: Ron Blake, Branford Marsalis and Joshua Redman, as well as grand masters Johnny Griffin, Joe Henderson and Stanley Turrentine. Hargrove shines as a bandleader, composer, soloist and host, smiling as he opens the door to the parade of saxophone stars. Kristóf Bacsó, János Ávéd, Árpád Dennert and Balázs Cserta - almost the entire MAO saxophone chorus - take turns interpreting the music of their great predecessors, while Kornél Fekete-Kovács takes the trumpet part.    

Details soon...

Details soon...

Details soon...

Details soon...

Details soon...

Details soon...

Details soon...

Details soon...

Details soon...

Details soon...

Details soon...

Details soon...

Details soon...

Details soon...

Details soon...

Not just the members of the quartet, this album is a legend in itself. Two originals have become standards from it. By 1965, the self-taught Montgomery received many invitations, including one from New York’s Half-Note. The rhythm section, Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers and Jimmy Cobb, had accompanied Miles Davis for four years. For some reason, only No Blues and If I Could See Me Now have made it from the concert onto the first release, the rest were studio recordings three months later. Two tracks with numbered titles, Unit 7 and Four on Six, became standards from this album, but the bluesy, hidden tension of What’s New is also full of excitement. The almost breathless momentum all the way through is impressive, like a hissing steam engine at full speed, and it’s not just the guitar that gives that feeling. It’s the piano and accompaniment throughout as well, as they reveal simple yet nuanced melodies with the endlessly precise interplay of the whole quartet. The first LP release has been followed by numerous analogue and digital discs since 1965, because this material never gets old. The guitarist of MAO, Áron Komjáti, a master of shades depicting any colour of jazz, interprets the classic tracks as a soloist on the podium.

Details soon...

Details soon...

Details soon...

Details soon...

Details soon...

The Modern Art Orchestra's À la MAO... series aims to present compositions and adaptations, sometimes originals, by members of the orchestra in a new context. In recordings and concerts, the orchestra has created a repertoire that is unparalleled in the history of Hungarian jazz. Some of these pieces have never been heard before by old or new followers, arranged in a new thematical, stylistic or other way. Additionally, some of them have never been released on disc or digitally. Big bands achieved their greatest popularity during the swing era, and the Modern Art Orchestra, embracing the jazz tradition, is keen to return to its roots. Recently, trombone player Attila Korb's suite Swinging on the Danube was written entirely in this style, in which the composer plays several instruments, including a memorable bass saxophone solo. Not only Korb performs regularly in traditional orchestras, also some other composers are rooted in the swing tradition, whether in rhythm, harmony or the pulsation of the kind that the Ellington and Co’s song says without swing „it don’t mean a thing”. 

Details soon...

Details soon...

Details soon...

Details soon...

Details soon...

The Modern Art Orchestra's À la MAO... series aims to present compositions and adaptations, sometimes originals, by members of the orchestra in a new context. In recordings and concerts, the orchestra has created a repertoire that is unparalleled in the history of Hungarian jazz. Some of these pieces have never been heard before by old or new followers, arranged in a new thematical, stylistic or other way. Additionally, some of them have never been released on disc or digitally. On International Jazz Day, an initiative associated with the name of Herbie Hancock, one of the founding fathers of jazz-rock, it almost goes without saying that the Modern Art Orchestra will be drawing on the extensive repertoire of the jazz-rock genre. Works by the versatile trumpeter-composer Gábor Subicz, pianist Gábor Cseke, saxophone soloist Kristóf Bacsó and bandleader Kornél Fekete-Kovács form the backbone of the programme. A surprise guest will be sitting down into the drum chair.

The Modern Art Orchestra's À la MAO... series aims to present compositions and adaptations, sometimes originals, by members of the orchestra in a new context. In recordings and concerts, the orchestra has created a repertoire that is unparalleled in the history of Hungarian jazz. Some of these pieces have never been heard before by old or new followers, arranged in a new thematical, stylistic or other way. Additionally, some of them have never been released on disc or digitally. The Modern Art Orchestra's last concert of the season might as well bring up Herbie Hancock's name again, because this is the title of the Hancock's sextet album released almost 30 years ago.  They have been instrumentally reworking current pop hits. Of course, ever since jazz emerged, it has been using the hits of the day as a starting point to improvise, and the Great American Songbook was almost exclusively made up of musical, pop and film hits from the 1930s. In the last few decades, the freshness of new styles of pop has inspired some of the most famous foreign artists. The Hungarian jazz repertoire has also included songs by the most successful pop ensembles, while composers such as Gábor Subicz, Kristóf Bacsó and the orchestra leader Kornél Fekete-Kovács have also adapted film or stage music, creating a whole series of new jazz standards.