In August 2023, on the island of Sardinia, we met Italian vibraphonist Pasquale Mirra, who we soon discovered had a quartet with Hamid Drake, Viktor Tóth and Mátyás Szandai. We immediately started planning and organising to bring these four musicians back together for the 2024 festival. Just ten days later, we received the sad news that Matyi had tragically passed away at a young age.
With this concert, we pay tribute to the memory of this extraordinarily talented musician.
Born in 1955, Hamid Drake was already considered one of the best percussionists in jazz and improvisational avant-garde music by the end of the 1990s. ...
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In August 2023, on the island of Sardinia, we met Italian vibraphonist Pasquale Mirra, who we soon discovered had a quartet with Hamid Drake, Viktor Tóth and Mátyás Szandai. We immediately started planning and organising to bring these four musicians back together for the 2024 festival. Just ten days later, we received the sad news that Matyi had tragically passed away at a young age.
With this concert, we pay tribute to the memory of this extraordinarily talented musician.
Born in 1955, Hamid Drake was already considered one of the best percussionists in jazz and improvisational avant-garde music by the end of the 1990s.
Now touring and recording all over the world, Hamid Drake was in demand worldwide, having performed and recorded with musicians such as Don Cherry, Pharoah Sanders, Fred Anderson, Herbie Hancock, Archie Shepp, William Parker, Yusef Lateef, Wayne Shorter, David Murray, Evan Parker, Peter Brötzmann, Dewey Redman and many others.
Pasquale Mirra is one of the most prolific and interesting vibraphonists on the Italian and international jazz scene. In 2013, 2014 and 2015 he was awarded the "Best Italian Vibraphonist" by Jazz It magazine and in 2014 and 2015 he was selected as one of the best Italian jazz musicians by Musica Jazz magazine. He has recorded more than 30 albums and has worked with many world-renowned artists such as Michel Portal, Fred Frith, William Parker, Rob Mazurek, Hank Roberts, Nicole Mitchell, Tristan Honsinger, Ernst Rijseger, Ballakè Sissoko, Butch Morris, Lansiné Kouyaté, Jeff Parker, Micheal Blake and Hamid Drake.
Viktor Tóth is one of the most versatile figures on the Hungarian jazz scene. His musical personality can be expressed with as much impact as a virtuoso post-bop virtuoso as a unique interpreter of spiritual music that speaks to the soul. The saxophonist sees himself as a man on a journey, seeking unity with universal harmony in his musical endeavours. He has played with such greats as Hamid Drake, Henry Franklin, William Parker, Piotr Wojtasik and John Betsch. The musician sees their concerts together as great opportunities for learning and self-improvement. His instrumental playing is characterised by a dynamic yet sensitive expression, and his musical expressions seek to capture the energy of the moment.
György Orbán is one of the most sought-after bassists in the Hungarian jazz scene, and has played in numerous outstanding formations, including the Szakcsi Trio, Viktor Tóth's Arura Trio, Miklós Lukács' Cimbiózis, Norbert Káel's Jazzical Trio, Károly Gáspár Trio, Gyula Babos' Makrokozmos Orchestra, and the list goes on. He started playing guitar at the age of six and studied classical music until he was eighteen. "I switched to the double bass and found my way into jazz music. Since then I've had the opportunity to play with countless musicians, including the greats of local jazz, such as Jimmy Wormworth, Ronnie Cuber, Tim Ries and Tony Lakatos."
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