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Attila László: Concerto for Jazz Guitar & Chamber Orchestra

By Friedrich Kunzmann
July 2, 2020
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Attila László: Concerto for Jazz Guitar & Chamber Orchestra

A household name in Hungary's jazz topographic for about 40 years, Hungarian guitarist

Attila László

guitar
b.1953

" data-original-title="" title="">Attila László has made a lasting impact on the fusion guitar world with a number of critically acclaimed collaborations, and by performing alongside international heavy weights of the genre, such as

Randy Brecker

trumpet
b.1945

" data-original-title="" title="">Randy Brecker,

Peter Erskine

drums
b.1954

" data-original-title="" title="">Peter Erskine and Weather Report bassist

Miroslav Vitous

bass
b.1947

" data-original-title="" title="">Miroslav Vitous. More recently he released an exciting workout in original modern fusion on Bridges of Souls (Dreamers Collective, 2014) in co-leadership with his compatriot

Ferenc Nemeth

drums
b.1976

" data-original-title="" title="">Ferenc Nemeth on drums. Everything about Laszlo's musical approach can be described as smooth. His guitar-tone. The lines he draws from it. The harmonies in which he envelops those lines as well as the general preciseness and sweetness with which he then logically crafts his melodies and compositions out of the above.

On Concerto for Jazz Guitar & Chamber Orchestra the fret-acrobat is joined by a core quartet, a number of flutes and the Budapest String Orchestra, conducted by Laszlo Kovacs and whose scores were arranged by Christian Olah. Divided over three movements, clocking in at about ten minutes each, the half hour concert proves a lush display of elegant craft and comforting sweeps of harmony— very much consistent with the notion of the "smoothness" just mentioned.

Very little goes against what would be expected from an added orchestra to a jazz quartet. In their harmonic layout the strings play a reinforcing role rather than an independent one, while the flutes decorate the outer melodic lines with imitations and small embellishments. On the compositional side of things, the display remains varied enough for it to result in an overall dynamic experience. The highlights, however, are discovered within the soloist moments and sections that focus on the core quartet. Laszlo's classic approach brings to mind fusion heroes from a past era, recalling the likes of German bandleader and guitarist

Volker Kriegel

b.1943

" data-original-title="" title="">Volker Kriegel in his rock-meets-jazz vocabulary and nimble fluidity over the board. Bassist

Béla Lattmann

bass

" data-original-title="" title="">Béla Lattmann and drummer Tamás Hidász are more than capable of holding their own and deliver tight rhythmic backing. On the final movement the two propel the orchestra to the point where whiplash would seem a plausible outcome, while pianist

Kalman Olah

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Kalman Olah is given his moment to shine in the second movement— commanding the keys with taste and control in one of the strongest solo sections on the record.

Saying that this music is original would be a lie. Pretending not to have a blast listening to it would however be the far bigger one. Concerto for Jazz Guitar & Chamber Orchestra is a fine display of the craft that

Attila László

guitar
b.1953

" data-original-title="" title="">Attila László has been working on to near perfection (what is really perfect after all...) for so many decades and presents the guitarist in an adequately pompous setting.

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Track Listing

I. Movement; II. Movement; III. Movement;

Personnel

Attila László

guitar

Kalman Olah

piano

Béla Lattmann

bass

Tamas Hidasz

drums

Eszter POZSAR

flute

Bela Horvath

oboe

Gyorgy Lakatos

bassoon

Budapest String Orchestra

various

Additional Instrumentation

László Kovács: conductor.

Album information

Title: Concerto for Jazz Guitar & Chamber Orchestra | Year Released: 2020 | Record Label: Tom-Tom Records

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