These days, hardly anybody asks Viktoria Tolstoy if she is a descendant of the great Russian writer. She proclaimed her roots in her albums My Swedish Heart (2005) and My Russian Soul (2008) with stylistic diversity and convincing self-confidence. Today, she belongs to the vanguard of international jazz, demonstrated by her impressive list of her former musical partners (McCoy Tyner, Ray Brown and Esbjörn Svensson), not to mention her enchanting voice. Her compatriot, trombonist-singer Nils Landgren, says that Viktoria is a natural talent who gives authentic form to various musical moods and characters with unusual feeling. Not only that: she is a charming personality blessed with a splendid sense of humour, one whose smile can soften any heart. Esbjörn Svensson, who died under tragic circumstances, was more than just a musical partner to her: he also composed several songs for Tolstoy. Critics praised the pieces on the record Shining on You for their incredible beauty and the personal tone of their melodies. Her most recent record, Moment of Now, which she recorded with pianist Jacob Karlzon, puts her favourite pop numbers on a jazz wavelength. At this concert, she and her quartet will not only be choosing selections from this album; they'll be giving the audience of the Jazz Spring festival, which puts vocal jazz in the spotlight, a broader cross-section of her work to date.

Presented by: Müpa Budapest