Spring Events

The most exciting jazz event of this spring in Budapest was the March concert featuring the Wayne Shorter Quintet and the Al DiMeola Band. Shorter's heavy funky music and fine improvisations attracted the 8,000-strong audience while DiMeola’s soft Brazil songs were of the same type as his performance in Hungary two years ago.

The Budapest Spring Festival this year offered mostly local groups and international workshops with musicians from Denmark, England and Finland. A more interesting program was scheduled by the Közgáz Jazz Klub, including Elliott Sharp, Marten Aaltena, KIXX and an East-European mini festival. Mention should be made of nationwide tours by two foreign groups, one being leading Polish bass guitarist Krzysztof Scieranski and his jazz-rock trio, the other being the avant-garde double-bass player Peter Kowald from West Germany who played in workshop with Hungarians István Grencsó (reeds), Róbert Benkő (bass) and Tamás Geröly (perc).

(Jazz Forum, 1988/3)