Viktor Toth - Popping Bopping [BMC Records]

Viktor Toth - alto sax
Bart Maris - trumpet, effects
Matyas Szandai - double bass
Robert Mehmet Ikiz - drums

Laszlo Valik - mixing and live effects

Budapest Music Center Records 2011

Viktor Toth stirred the jazz scene and caught some attention with a series of trio/quartet releases featuring the one and only Hamid Drake on drums. Vivid, vigorous, dynamic music merged succesfully jazz of the Ornette Coleman's tradition and hungarian folk melodies. This particular release focus much more clearly on the jazz core of the music and brings a selection of powefull music played in the free-bop tradition of Ornette's classic quartet, with melodic themes, dynamic interplay, sharp and wild soloing.

"Pocket-Ticket" even in its title reminds slighly of the melodic bop tunes like "Humpty Dumpty" (same case with the shamelessly swinging at ease "Hong Kong" with some bluesy honking) - whole lot of fun. "My Home" is an enchanting ballad with beautifull, nostalgic melody played unisono by sax and trumpet.

The Cool Runnings Orchestra - Tribute to Marley [BMC]

The Cool Runnings Orchestra :
Carsten Daerr - piano, organ, fender rhodes, melodica
Hamid Drake - drums
Manu Codija - guitar
Christophe Monniot - alto, baritone and sopraniono saxophone
Michael Schiefel - voice, electronics
Matyas Szandai - double bass
Viktor Toth - alto saxophone

BMC (Budapest Music Center) Records 2011

How does Bob Marley's music fit with jazz? I don't really know, yet it is not surprising to see Hamid Drake involved in such a project. He has played reggae music over the years and his physical presence (dreadlocks and all) suggests strongly an affinity for rasta culture and the sunny music of Jamaica. An affinity which he shares, as this album proves, with other jazz musicians.