Ethno Music Days
Mihály Borbély – Balkan Jazz Project

18 November 2011, 8.00 pm - 10.00 pm
Festival Theatre

Featuring: Mihály Borbély – saxophone, clarinet, tárogató, pipes, Mihály György – guitar, bouzouki, Miklós Lukács – cimbalom, Krunoslav Agatic – accordion, Balázs Horváth – double bass, Hunor G. Szabó – drums, percussion
Guest: Theodossii Spassov - kaval, Carlo Rizzo - tamburin

The Balkan Jazz Project is led by Mihály Borbély, a saxophonist as at home in folk and world music as he is in jazz and contemporary genres. Borbély gathered this band of like-minded musicians following joint concerts given by Quartet B and the Vujicsics Ensemble. The two bands are connected by the multi-faceted musician and their concerts to date have shown that the collective energies of the Carpathian Basin, the Balkans and jazz can be focused with huge success. Powerful rhythms, elegantly transparent, lyrical melodies and frenetic dance tunes all combine to great effect. BJP concerts frequently feature the masters of Balkan music performing as guest soloists, giving enthusiasts of folk music, jazz and world music a special treat.
Theodosii Spassov is the world-famous virtuoso of the kaval and has done much to preserve and further the traditions of this iconic Bulgarian instrument. He has won numerous awards and played with a host of big names, including Dave Liebman, Andy Sheppard, Yildiz Ibrahimova, Ennio Morricone, Jamey Haddad, Albert Mangelsdorf, Mark Johnson, Ivo Papazov, Trilok Gurtu, the Radio Sofia Orchestra, Glen Velez, Rabih Abou-Khalil and Milcho Leviev. Tonight's concert will introduce material from the forthcoming joint album by the Balkan Jazz Project and Theodosii Spassov, which will feature several new versions of old songs alongside original tracks written by Borbély and Spassov themselves.
The evening's other special guest is Carlo Rizzo, master of the tambourine and the definitive representative of Southern Italian and Persian folk music. He even plays instruments he developed himself.

Prices: 1700, 2900, 3700 Ft

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