Balázs Elemér Group / Gisela Days 2024
Every May, the largest multidisciplinary arts festival in the City of Queens fills the streets of the castle quarter and the city centre with a colourful cavalcade of free music, art, theatre, literature and family events.
The Balázs Elemér Group was founded in 2000 by Elemér Balázs, Gramophone and Fonogram award-winning jazz drummer and composer, who was awarded the Silver Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary. Over the past 22 years, the group has given many successful concerts both professionally and to the general public, including at the Blue Note Club in New York and at many major European festivals. The Group's unique sound is characterised by a melodic focus and a distinctive rhythm, complemented by a suggestive contrast between male and female voices. Their music is extremely varied and they like to venture into the world of ethno style, but also find exciting reinterpretations of folk music motifs and melodies in their concert and recording work.
On their album Magyar népdalok they combined the sound of Hungarian folk songs with their own style, while on their album Early Music, featuring ECHO Klassik award-winning Catalan soprano Nuria Rial, they combined baroque music with jazz. Both albums have since gone from strength to strength, and Early Music has enjoyed success across Europe, including at the world-famous Early Music Festival in Innsbruck.
The tracklist of the album, entitled Eternal Love, released in December 2015, was compiled by the band's fanbase from their favourite songs, and the compilation album was awarded the Fonogram "Jazz Album of the Year" by the professional jury in summer 2016.
To celebrate the band's 20th anniversary, the band released its 10th anniversary album, Celebration 20&10. The new CD features a fresh composition by each of the members, demonstrating Elemér's appreciation for his partners and his commitment to giving them the opportunity to express themselves as composers as well as interpreters.
As a drummer and composer, Elemér Balázs is a key figure in the Hungarian jazz scene, a member of legendary bands with which he has achieved outstanding success, such as Trio Midnight, Nospa or the Creative Art Trio. His formations have won him numerous international awards, including first prize in the Jazz Hoeilaart competition. He has worked with many national and international artists such as Stephane Belmondo, Lee Konitz, Nicholas Payton, Joe Lovano, Tim Ries and Till Brönner.
In 2004, Elemér Balázs and his brother József Balázs collaborated with the Balázs Elemér Group on the score of András Salamon's film Getnó. Since 2006, Elemér Balázs has been performing regularly with Tim Ries, the famous American saxophonist, in various formations and line-ups. They have performed together in Hungary on several occasions, but have also toured Europe's jazz festivals and legendary American clubs such as the Deer Head Inn, Smalls, Jazz Standard, Regatta and Blue Note.
