The band was formed with the imagination of connecting two worlds of the jazz scene today.
This unique collaboration is a mixture of avantgarde jazz and ethno music from Hungary, like a cultural bridge between the USA and Eastern-Europe. This bridge is made of talent, respect, brotherhood and friendship, built by the common language of jazz and improvised music.
Occasionally the band perform as a trio, whitout piano.
 

Mihály Borbély - saxophone

He studied classical clarinet and jazz saxophone at Béla Bartók Conservatory and Ferenc Liszt Music Academy in Budapest. Through his career in addition to his original instruments (clarinet and alto saxophone) he has specialised in playing unusual wind instruments (tárogató, folk flutes, kaval, dvojnice, fujara, ocarina, bombard, zurna) as well as soprano and tenor saxophone.

He is one of the founding members of the famous Vujicsics folk group, and he is equally active participant – either as a leader or as a soloist – in various world music, jazz and contemporary music groups (Mihály Borbély Quartet, Balkan Jazz Project, Quartet B, Borbély-Dresch Quartet). He also a member of various line-ups (Binder-Borbély Duo, Eastern Boundary Quartet, Attila László Quintet, Kálmán Oláh Sextet).

He has participated in countless recordings and has given concerts in Hungary, throughout Europe, in the USA, in Mexico and in Australia, and has performed at large festivals with Hungarian and international musicians in different genres mentioned above. Some of the groups and musicians he has worked with:

Paul Bley, Steve Coleman, Allegre Corea, Joe Fonda, Kyle Gregory, Trilok Gurtu, Tony Lakatos, Herbie Mann, Bob Mintzer, Michel Montanaro and his „Vents d’Est”, Zbigniew Namyslowski, Gerard Presencer, Rova Saxophone Quartet, Saxophone Summit (Michael Brecker-David Liebman-Joe Lovano), Arnie Somogyi „Improvokation“, Michael Jefry Stevens, Jirí Stivín, Jens Winther, Yurodny.

The Bokros Ensemble, Nikola Parov, Márta Sebestyén, Sebő Ensemble, Hungarian World Music Orchestra, Budapest Jazz Orchestra, Modern Art Orchestra, Mihály Dresch, István Grencsó, Imre Kőszegi, Zoltán Lantos „Mirrorworld“, Attila László Band, Kálmán Oláh and the Trio Midnight, Syrius, Béla Szakcsi Lakatos, as well as Péter Eötvös, Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra, UMZE Chamber Ensemble, Group 180.

Teaching is an important part of his life and musical philosophy. He has been active in educating young musicians since 1979. He has been a teacher at Béla Bartók Conservatory since 1986, and at the Jazz Department of the Ferenc Liszt Music Academy since 1990. In the latter he was head of department between 1997 and 2000. Apart from the above mentioned activities he has also given lectures and lead courses at various places both in Hungary and abroad, e.g. Birmingham Conservatory, DISTIL England/Scotland, Royal Academy of Music, London (GB); Conservatoire de Lyon (F); Hochschule für Music C.M von Weber, Dresden (D); Morelia Conservatory (MEX); Lamantin Jazz Camp, International Clarinet, Tárogató and Saxophone Camps, Szombathely Bartók Seminar, International Creative Music Education Institute (H), etc.

He got several prizes and awards such as "Best soloist" of the Karlovy Vary Jazz Festival, State prize "For Minorities" (as a member of the Vujicsics ensemble), three eMeRTon prizes, Artisjus Music Foundation Prize, „Jazz Album of the Year“ for the Mihály Borbély Quartet "Meselia Hill" (Gramofon, 2005), Knight's Cross Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary.