THINGS & TONY LAKATOS Mother Nature Tony Lakatos saxophone and Yamaha-WX 7 Torita Quick vocal (on "When you came ." and "Mother Nature" Attila Lázló guitar Kalman Olah keyboards Béla Lattmann bass János Solti drums Kornél Horváth percussion Turn to East When you came ... Dancing Dolls Basking Tiger Mother Nature Kid Song Good Luck Osteria Ballet on the Moon Slow River Total time: 57.09 Ein Meisterwerk des aus Ungarn stammenden Saxaphonisten Tony Lakatos. Das ist die Musik im Fusion-Stil. Torita Quick (USA) rundet mit zwei Titeln diese Super-Band ab. Sehr melodiöse Kompositionen! In vielen Momenten erinnert MOTHER NATURE an die Musik von Steps Ahead. Deren kosmopolitische, musikalische Botschaft ist auch bei der Gruppe des ungarischen Saxophonisten TONY LAKATOS "Things" gut angekommen. Darüber hinaus versteht er es, mit folkloristisch kolorierten Themen, Funky Beats und virtuoser Solistik ein abwechslungsreiches Fusionkonzept zu gestalten. Noch klingt die Scheibe "Blues for the last punk" in bester Erinnerung nach, da erreicht uns schon das Nachfolgewerk der ungarischen Formation "Things". Neu dabei, leider nur für zwei Lieder, die farbige Sängerin Torita Quick, die man zweifach mit dem Titel der Platte in Verbindung bringen kann: zunächst wegen ihrer urgewaltigen und höchst variablen Stimme, dann auch aufgrund ihrer sehr naturnahen fotografischen Darstellung auf dem Cover. Unverkennbar die musikalischen Handschriften von Tony Lakatos, Saxophone und Attila Lészló , Gitarren. Die beiden virtuosen Solisten komponierten das gesamte Material der vorliegenden CD. Dabei legten sie wohl ein etwas gewandeltes Konzept zugrunde: Setzten sie die erste Platte aus Stücken mit deutlicher wechselnder Stilistik, gepaart mit Komik und konsequenter Exotik, zusammen, klingt nun alles einheitlicher. Exotik fügt der Percussionist Kornél Horváth als aufflackernde Streiflichter, zusätzliche Farbflächen und Rhythmusstrukturen ein. Spannend und vielgestaltig wurde die CD "Mother Nature" durch die wohldosierte und konsequente duale Verwendung von klanglich hochkultivierten natürlichen und synthetischen Instrumenten im Gebrauch jedes mitwirkenden Musikers. Immer frisch und souverän sind die Motive und Themen der Kompositionen. Wie man es von Saxophonisten her kennt, hat László seine "Lieblingssounds" mit Erkennungscharakter; doch ebenso die Art, Töne zu spielen, sie er- und verklingen zu lassen, geschieht auf diesem Niveau (man beachte die akustische Gitarre). Fazit: Ein Meisterwerk (Peter Stegmaier/Jazzpodium 6/1991) They have been making themselves scarce in Germany, the jazzers and rockers from Hungary. Of course, a man like guitarist Attila Zoller is a houshold name on the swinging scene. But apart from him, for Germany Hungary is practically synonymous with sad gipsy tune. But the country striding the Danube certainly has more to offer than just puszta and paprika. There's also a fresh wind blowing from the East where fusion music is concerned. Till now the rock-jazz sounds most often heard come from Poland. We need only to mention the excellent formation 'Laboratorium' as representatives. Three years ago, however, Hungary appeard on the international fusion scene. BLUES FOR THE LAST PUNK jp 1026 was the title of a production, with which THINGS attracted some attention, and not only on account of the (deliberately) misleading title. Under the lead of TONY LAKATOS, a sexted of hitherto virtual nobodies mixed a both cheeky and original cocktail whose fizz appeard hardly surpassable. But appearance can be deceiving, and this was no exception. With their latest recording MOTHER NATURE the Hungarians surpassed themselves. While TONY LAKATOS & CO. Included unobtrusive reminiscenses of their native folklore in their first work, the current sequel is marked completely by Western influence. THINGS' music draws ist strength mainly from TONLY LAKATOS' dynamic sax lines. The bearded saxophone-player, who lives mainly in Munich and performs chiefly with local stars such as Toto Blanke, Kenny Wheeler, Michael Sagmeister, is also responsible for the compositions, together with guitarist ATTILA LASZLO, the second leader of the band. It is easy to hear that THINGS have been working together for years. Toop captivating is the filigreed transparency of the many-facetted arrangements. Their only new player is KALMAN OLAH (keyboard) – and, with his spectacular thumping of the keys, he follows wholeheartedly in his prodecessor's, Zoltan Csanyi's footsteps. The brilliand rhythm group with BELA LATTMANN (bass) JANOS SOLTI (drums) and KORNEL HORVATH (percussion) provides a soft, fluffy carpet, on which the three soloists can romp about to their hearts' content. Yeah, and then here’s this lady called TORITA QUICK. THINGS are bridging the herring pond by including this American singer. In both her short takes the vocalist, still an art student in Munich, adds a light and sparkling flavor with her acrid, crystal-clear voice. But nevertheless, the Hungarian sounds do not at any time slide into the shallows. The black beauty from the States also makes visually clear how hot the sounds recorded by THINGS are. While she's prudishly wrapped in a fur coat on the front cover, TORITA QUICK presents herself on the back cover with nothing but TONY LAKATOS’ saxophone. That's to say: The Hungarians are puffing that stuff their dreams are made of into the West with such force that it might not only blow the people hereabouts out of their socks. Whoever claims that rock-jazzers have run out of ideas should just turn to MOTHER NATURE. In Hungary, as THINGS, TONY LAKATOS and TORITA QUICK demonstrate so impressively, all's well in the world of music. (Wolfgang Blum) Our price: 13,45 EUR incl. 19.0% MWSt. / VAT