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| Ruby Flower Records Signs with Violinist Zoltan Lantos  Ruby Flower Records signs with violinist Zoltan Lantos for an album with his quartet “MirrorWorld” planned to be released by the end of the year 2007. Zoltan Lantos is a violinist of many faces, colors and musical tongues. During his rigorous training at the Music Academy of his hometown, Budapest, he already appeared at the Eastern-European avant-garde scene but shortly after received a degree in classical violin (in 1984) and was now embarking on a remarkable musical (and geographical) journey.Being drawn toward experimental and Eastern music, he travelled to India to study classical Indian music in 1985. This is the place and culture where the “biology” of a single note, the life of the inner, unheard and unplayed sound (”anahata swara”) is of outmost importance. Just being there, joyfully in the moment, in a simple “oneness” - both in a spiritual and physical sense - is what music and improvisation became for him ever since. After 9 years of studying, travelling, teaching and performing he returned to Europe. In 1994, while developing his own unique way of improvising on the violin, he started rediscovering his musical roots and blending them with his knowledge of Eastern music with the fresh breeze of contemporary European jazz. This is an ever evolving voyage up to the present day that brought him together on stage and in the studio with many great artists (like Charlie Mariano, Dhafer Youssef, Didier Lockwood, Renaud Garcia-Fons, Rabih Abou-Khalil, Steve Coleman and others). But equally important were the numerous meetings with lesser known folk and ritual musicians, whether in the Gypsy caves of Granada, the deserts of Rajasthan, the age-old Buddhist monasteries up in the Himalayas or with the Bulgarian voice and wedding band soloists. It would be hard to put Zoltan's music into any particular category although the concept of similar projects is internationally recognized as World jazz. Even so, his playing and musicality is strongly rooted in the traditions of his native Hungary with its thoughtful, sometimes contemplative, sometimes fiery and dance-like qualities. On the other hand, the deep connections with oriental and Indian classical music, African traditions, European contemporary music and free jazz are equally important resources that form the compositions and determine the atmosphere of his improvisation language. Zoltan plays a 5 string violin, a custom made 5 main- +16 string sympathetic string violin and an N.S.Design electric violin, using electronic effects and live sampling. A tour of concerts is also planned in 2008. write your comments about the article :: © 2007 Jazz News :: home page |