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Throughout his entire massive, incomparable oeuvre on records and concerts, the doyen of jazz musicians in Hungary, pianist Bela Szakcsi Lakatos' signature was always his playfulness, his larger than life heart and his openness towards his partners. On the present record he forms an experienced and mutually respectful duo with the unmistakeably individual French sax player Monniot, even if they are an odd couple by any standards, consider the rhythm of their voicing. Monniot, unlike your average sax player, while blowing his heart out when he plays, is prepared to show how fragile he is. In his hands the tenor is not a macho instrument, rather a candid one, not to mention the soprano. He alternates many reeds in the studio and in concerts, while he is inexhaustible in what he has to say. His vibrato and the bending of his melodies resemble the sighs of his deep soul, but may take an abrupt turn to the ironic within one bar. Monniot has a pretty universal vision of the world, and is able to show the reverse side of things that inspire him. When they take up a well-known tune with Szakcsi to new heights they also invite the other to explore new grounds. This is how the succession of old-school evergreens becomes new material, the medium and the message of playing. They would not take away the pleasure of the listener of recognising the well-known standards, but their new interpretations highlight the infinity of fantasy. Barcza and Balazs are leading representatives of their generation in Hungarian jazz, illustrated by a great number of sessions they have participated in. With all the great experience he has, drummer Elemer Balazs supplies the rhythmic basis with a zest, and is always on the lookout for any space that he could fill to embellish the music. The other half of the high-precision instrument that this rhythm sections resembles is the classically trained Barcza, always meticulous on the bass.

Track Listing

Press Quotes

The quartet of Bela Szakcsi Lakatos/p, Christophe Monniot/as, Jozsef Barcza Horvath/b and Elemer Balazs/dr deconstruct a collection of standards on this collective. Monniot's alto is razor sharp and brittle on the loose read of 'Someday My Prince Will Come' and gasps for air over Lakatos' pretty piano on 'Body and Soul.' Balazs supplies a bluesy pulse for the astringent alto on 'Summetime' while Horvath bows and snaps for the buzzing reed on 'Ove the Rainbow,' with the team getting the most inside on a mellow read of a brooding 'Days of Wine and Roses.' A stumper on 'Name that Tune.'

     —George W. Harris, jazzweekly.com

Béla Szakcsi Lakatos meant for the listener to choke in the frolic of fragrant standards when he and his colleagues so named this recording: Density of Standards and that is exactly what we have here: A recording that leaves us breathless; choking in gold. The pianist is, of course, at times his old self, playing in bejewelled phrases encrusted upon filigreed runs and glorious arpeggios with his right and, at times, his left as well; when it is not employed playing dark and light chords, chasing away root notes and replacing them with mighty harmonics behind Christophe Monniot's alto saxophone. Through it all the listener is left blinded by dazzling runs played by Mr Monniot who sometimes bends notes in phrases adorned with his own sublime glissandos.

     —Raul da Gama, JazzdaGama