The quintet’s rich repertoire ranges from arrangements for brass quintet of jazz, film music, opera and operetta through early music and Renaissance music, to modern music, including works of contemporary Hungarian composers.

The choir was formed in 2000 under the direction of Ágnes Lakatos from students of the Ferenc Erkel Jazz-Music Secondary School. After giving numerous concerts and participating in festivals in Hungary, in 2004 they won a gold medal at the Cantata Mundi choral competition in the Czech city of Olomouc, then repeated this achievement in 2005 in Riva del Garda. In 2006 they recorded an album titled Voice-sing featuring exclusively works by contemporary Hungarian composers, written specifically for this choir. Their programme is made up of works by Hungarian, modern contemporary composers with the emphasis on Balkan rhythms, modern harmonies and solo improvisations.

The Elemér Balázs Group, one of Hungary’s most popular formations, was established in 2000 by Elemér Balázs, the internationally acclaimed jazz drummer. The members are all leading Hungarian jazz musicians, and since its formation the group has been very well received in Hungary and has participated with great success in a number of prestigious European jazz festivals.

The band mainly focuses on contemporary music, primarily on introducing Hungarian jazz compositions and keeping them in their repertoire. MAO is made up of strong personalities whose shared vision is taking them towards realising the band’s goals. They have their own formation; they regularly compose and arrange music.
When the band was formed, it was one of the underlying considerations that a unique sounding formation compatible with the traditional big band formation should be created. Besides the double bass other striking bass instruments are the tuba and the horn, and among the woodwinds the flutes, clarinets and bass clarinet give the classical wood sound

The Hot Jazz Band formed in 1985 has become one of Hungary’s most successful professional groups. They bring to life early jazz of the twenties, thirties and forties, swing and Dixieland revival. Their repertoire also includes Hungarian compositions from the same period.
The band favours virtuosity and strives for authenticity of style, especially in the singing.

Saxophonist János Ávéd and guitarist Márton Fenyvesi formed their group in 2008. All the members studied at the Ferenc Liszt University of Music in Budapest. In addition to the traditional mainstream jazz repertoire, their programme includes compositions by the two leaders and arrangements drawn from a wide range of contemporary music genres.

The timeless, refined but fresh music of the András Dés trio is the perfect entry to the world of jazz: try it on friends who have been cautiously avoiding jazz and you will be surprised by the effect. But behind the light, airy sound and the playfulness of the numbers are precisely structured, finely polished compositions, an exciting treat even for already dedicated jazz fans. This production is eloquent proof that all three of the musicians can no longer be classified as “promising young titans” but must be regarded as mature players with their own sound and character, influential participants of the 21st century Hungarian jazz scene.

For this evening the seven-member Budapest-based group known for their absurd humour have chosen neo-swing numbers. While they preserve their unusual approach, we can expect visual and solo elements that are more elegant even by their standards. The members of the group include students from the jazz department of Kodolányi College.

József Balázs formed his own group, the József Balázs Quintet, in 2005. He is joined by Zoltán Zana (saxophone), Gábor Czvikovszky (trumpet), Krisztián Pecek Lakatos (double bass) and Elemér Balázs (drums).
In 2007 he won the Dezső Lakatos Ablakos scholarship for jazz performing artists.
Besides his successes in jazz he is also recognised for his orchestration and compositions in other genres (pop, film music).