Tickets price: 160 PLN
1st set Viktor Tóth Drum & Bassss
Viktor Tóth – alto saxophone & keyboards
György Orbán – double bass
Chris Jennings – double bass
Hamid Drake – drums
photo: press materials
The original trio of Viktor Tóth, Hamid Drake and Mátyás Szandai were working together for almost 20 years. They were touring around the World and they have published three albums together. The great bassist Mátyás Szandai tragically passed away recently. So the original trio can’t appear at the Jazz nad Odra festival. The composer Viktor Toth has invited two brilliant bassists, namely Chris Jennings and György Orban for this memorial concert of the great brother Mátyás. They celebrate the treasure of life, the blessings of the present moment, rebirth, and musical freedom.
“Viktor Tóth is one pf the most versatile figures in Hungarian jazz. Through his music, Tóth can express himself as rambunctious post-bop virtuoso (for example, in the Viktor Tóth Tercett) or as a spiritual guide for the soul as in the Arura Trio” said the press about him. He has won the award for Best Alto Saxophone Player multiple times, just as the award for Best Composer, which the artist recived last year in 2023, as well. Out of his eight albums, several became the Album of the Year and his album titled But Inside received the Gramofon award. As Toth has played with such internationally renowned musicians as Hamid Drake (drums), Henry Franklin (bass), William Parker (bass) John Betsch (drums) Eric Allen (drums) Bobby Few (piano) Bart Maris (trumpet) Piotr Wojtasik (trumpet) and James Carter (sax), he has garnered respect as a peer and has grown as a musician from these collaborations. His musical expression is dynamic yet sensitive and he strives to capture the energy of the moment with every performance. He has played throughout Europe, the United States, India and Africa in various jazz festivals. He leads his own projects, he composes his own material, he produces music for contemporary dance performances, leads masterclasses for young musicians and he collects folk music… He is always looking to forge ahead in new directions.
Hamid Drake is an American jazz drummer and percussionist. By the close of the 1990s, Hamid Drake was widely regarded as one of the best percussionists in jazz and improvised music. Incorporating Afro-Cuban, Indian, and African percussion instruments and influence, in addition to using the standard trap set, Drake has collaborated extensively with top free jazz improvisers. Drake also has performed world music; by the late 1970s, he was a member of Foday Musa Suso’s Mandingo Griot Society and has played reggae throughout his career.
Drake has worked with trumpeter Don Cherry, pianist Herbie Hancock, saxophonists Pharoah Sanders, Fred Anderson, Archie Shepp and David Murray and bassists Reggie Workman and William Parker (in many lineups)
He studied drums extensively, including eastern and Caribbean styles. He frequently plays without sticks, using his hands to develop subtle commanding undertones. His tabla playing is notable for his subtlety and flair. Drake’s questing nature and his interest in Caribbean percussion led to a deep involvement with reggae.
2nd set Stefon Harris & Blackout
Stefon Harris – vibraphone and marimba
Tim Warfield – saxophone
Christian Sands – piano
Dezron Douglas – double bass
Justin Faulkner – drums
photo credit: Deneka Peniston
Stefon Harris & Blackout, led by the visionary vibraphonist Stefon Harris, is a pioneering force in contemporary jazz. Harris has been named DownBeat Critics Poll Vibraphonist of the Year multiple times and has been heralded as “one of the most important young artists in jazz” (Los Angeles Times). The band, characterized by a stellar lineup of musicians, seamlessly blends funk, R&B, and global influences, transcending traditional jazz boundaries. With influential albums like Sonic Creed (named Jazz Album of the Year by WBGO – the world’s #1 jazz station) and Urbanus (Grammy-nominated), Stefon Harris & Blackout showcases a dynamic interplay of intricate arrangements and soulful improvisation, solidifying their status as trailblazers in the modern jazz landscape. Their performances promise an electrifying fusion of tradition and innovation, leaving an indelible mark on audiences and further shaping the evolving narrative of jazz expression.
