concert reviews, teasers
"Best Jazz Album of 2022" and "Best Jazz Band of 2022" awards garnered at jazz.hu readers' poll!
January 1, 2023
https://jazz.hu/kiemelt/1916-kozonsegszavazas-eredmenye-2022-23
Our "Good Luck" album was voted "Best Jazz Album of 2022" and we were recognized as "Best Jazz Band of 2022" at jazz.hu's annual readers' poll. We are truly humbled and grateful, thank you!
In addition, several of our band members were voted among the Top 3 in additional categories:
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Attila László: Jazz Composer of the Year (winner), Jazz Arranger of the Year (winner)
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Sándor "Soso" Lakatos: Jazz Saxophonist of the Year (winner)
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Béla Lattmann: Jazz Bass Guitarist of the Year (2nd place)
Album review: Attila László Fusion Circus - Good Luck
September 9, 2022
by Károly Gáspár
Attila László Fusion Circus - Good Luck (Beagle Beat Records)
"Lucky are those who hear this music!"
For decades, Attila László has been a gem of the Hungarian jazz scene, his performances are a shining light in the genre. The brilliant guitarist, composer and educator has now released an album titled Good Luck with his newest band, the Attila László Fusion Circus.
Attila László's partners in the multi-generational ensemble are Sándor "Soso" Lakatos Sándor (saxophone), Balázs Pecze (trumpet), Krisztián Csapó (trombone), János Nagy "Yancha" (piano, keyboards), Béla Lattmann (bass guitar) and Attila Zombori (drums).
The guest artists on the album are also in the "supreme" category, with Brenka singing on "Kinylik az égbolt" (lyrics by Szabolcs Hujber), Kati Kunovics on vocals and Gergő Borlai on drums on "Waterloo".
The nine Attila László originals on the album were recorded partly in the studio partly live, which is how the great set list of "Good Luck" was put together.
With the exception of "Kinyílik az égbolt", the tracks had already been heard on previous releases, but Attila has rearranged them for a new sound with the addition of wind instruments, adapting them to the trendy "sound" of the present day. At the same time, the "arrangements" recall, to my great pleasure, the fantastic sound of the classic big bands.
"Good Luck" is proof that excellent compositions can stand their ground in any era. For example, what once "exploded" with the legendary band Things does so again, and that goes for all the compositions and their arrangements.
Attila is, as always, in top form. Virtuosity and great heart and soul go hand in hand in his playing. Thanks to his extraordinary abilities, he can show the beauty and sensitivity of music in the jazz fusion realm, too, while keeping the entire set cool and groovy.
Of course, the same can be said of his better-than-best companions, who play with humble, powerful concentration, but at the same time in an easy, relaxed and cool way, enjoying every moment of making music.
I think that "Good Luck", born in the spirit of constant renewal and the preservation of the values that were built to last, this is a must-have album on the shelf of every jazz aficionado.
Attila László Fusion Circus: Good Luck (Beagle Beat Records 2022)
1. My Village
2. GT
3. Good Luck
4. Tale from the Waltz
5. Downhill
6. It’s Allready That
7. The Only One
8. Kinyílik az égbolt
9. Waterloo
MÜPA - Attila László: It's Already That
March 20, 2020
This evening will feature one of the most versatile artists of the Hungarian jazz scene both as composer and guitarist. The two parts of the concert will present two different sides of Attila László's musical world. Through a wide selection of old and new compositions, the evening offers a thorough introduction of Attila László's music. The first part will feature softer-sounding jazz while the second will focus on more dynamic, butt-kicking fusion music. The icing on the cake is the world premiere of Attila László's piece composed for the 15th Anniversary of Budapest's prestigious MÜPA concert hall.
Attila László is no stranger to using different instrumental combinations, as he has led several groups in parallel for long, but this time we hear two halves with a very different musical character. The Budapest Strings Chamber Orchestra joined by virtuoso woodwinds, a rhythm section and master pianist Kálmán Oláh will play compositions from the now classic Brother I and II albums, plus the new Concerto for Jazz Guitar & Chamber Orchestra and a new piece written especially for this evening, MÜPA Budapest's 15th anniversary. After the intermission, Attila László's Fusion Circus will take the stage and perform the guitarist's most dynamic compositions from various eras of his career. The rhythm section will be supplemented with three horns and this part of the concert will also feature Ferenc Németh, a Hungarian drummer living in New York. The title of one of Attila's songs, It's Already That is quite probably an apt title for the entire concert: We anticipate something great to happen, and while listening to a concert of this calibre, we may realize It is Already That!
78th Jazz Wednesday – with the Attila László Fusion Circus
Nov. 12, 2021, by Sándor Fazekas and László Pohner
[excerpts]
"The concert kicked off with the funk-infused tune GT that featured a nice long guitar solo by Attila László and a trombone solo by Krisztián Csapó. Then came Downhill which rolled like a (music) train thanks to a swinging introduction by Attila Zombori (Atus), who played the drums intelligently, and the virtuosity of the brass players, Krisztián Csapó, Sándor Soso Lakatos (alto saxophone) and Balázs Pecze (trumpet, flugelhorn). It's Already That was one of the highlights of the evening. Everyone can take that title as they will, but the concert was already on for sure, and this tune feature János Nagy's solo on the keyboards. Attila László's compositions are characterised by catchy melodies, beautiful saxophone solos and spectacular drumming. Those who were there know what I mean."
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