The young trombone player (cornettist, pianist, singer) of the Bohém Ragtime Jazz Band, Attila Korb won the Hungarian National Jazz Trombone Competition organized by the Hungarian Radio. The contest was for musicians under 30 years of age and five players reached the final. Attila finished as first (besides the obligatory piece, J. J. Johnson's Lament he played John Coltrane's Moments Notice). Second prize was given to Dániel Négyesi, trombone player of the Miskolc Dixieland Band - so trad jazz influenced players have beaten the modern guys in modern jazz, it seems. Two more musicians from Kecskemét were part of the competition. Tamás Kovács finished as fifth and Gábor Szilágyi just missed the final by finishing as sixth. All three Kecskemét musicians are part of the Kecskemét Jazz Orchestra, too.

Attila received a brand new King instrument, monetary prize, many concert invitations plus he is recording a new solo CD that will be published by the Hungarian Radio within 6 weeks. Attila, besides being an integral and important part of the Bohém crew, leads the Little Jazz Band and the Kecskemét Jazz Orchestra and plays in many formations including the Bohém Trio, a trad quartet called Papa Jazz and the Modern Art Orchestra. Otherwise, he is finishing the Music Academy as choir conductor and will finish the Jazz Faculty of the Music Academy as trombone player next year.
The above photos were taken by the Hungarian Radio's photographer, more (amateur) pics can be found in the Photo Gallery section. Attila's competition programme can be heard by clicking on the following link: http://www.radio.hu/hang.php?hid=6623&cid=223669 By the way, President of the jury was Jiggs Whigham trombonist extraordinaire.

It is so natural, we are so much used to it that I simply forgot to put up the news earlier when it happened: the Kecskemét-based Little Jazz Band (leader: Attila Korb) received the "Prize of the Town" (which is basically the second prize) at the International New Orleans Jazz Competition in Saint Raphäel, France. Well, they go to France in most years at summer and generally the band receives first or second prize at the competitions. Here they are again. Congratulations, guys!

Probably one of the oddest offer of sponsorship in (at least Hungarian) jazz history was made by Viessmann Hungary and Hőérzet Ltd. in February as the two supporting company of the Bohém Festival bought a new Stroh violin for Tamás as his phonofiddle was stolen last summer. They officially presented the new instrument to Tamás on March 25th at the Bohém Festival's evening concert where (with the help of Herbert Christ and Matthias Seuffert) the Stroh was "inaugurated" with a lovely Porter's Love Song right away. The Viessmann-violin (as the instrument should be mentioned by all experts from now on) can be seen on the artistic photo of Péter Siklós below:

My Stroh violin was stolen from my car's trunk on July 1st at night. I try to get a new one as soon as possible but until then you have to hear us without it - unless you buy listen to one of our recordings that features this odd instrument... Sorry.

Tamás Ittzés

The Kecskemét Jazz Orchestra took part at the 4th Hungarian National Big Band Meeting and Contest in Budapest (December 11-12) and received the highest ranks in the top "A" category (259 points out of the possible 270) thus proved to be far the best big band of all participants. They received the Special Golden Dimploma (the bands ranked closest to them did not even receive Regular Golden Diploma but Silver only). Zoltán Mátrai (tenor saxophone) received a special prize as the best soloist of the contest. Congratulations!

The Little Jazz Band led by Attila Korb finished last night as second at the International Jazz Competition in Saint-Raphäel, France. The Belgian Cotton City Jazz Band (founded in 1961) was given the first prize (so far such bands won the competition as the Hungarian Hot Jazz Band or the Slovakian Bratislava Hot Serenaders). As most of you might know, there is four musicians in the Little Jazz Band who are also active in the Bohém Ragtime Jazzband (band leader Attila Korb on trmbone, piano and vocal, Zoltán Mátrai on clarinet and tenor sax, György Mátrai on banjo and guitar and drummer Alfréd Falusi). Their fellow musicians are Zoltán Bacsa (trumpet), Zoltán Nagy (clarinet, alto sax) and Antal Szabó (tuba and string bass). Congratulations!

Csanád Fajszi replaces Attila until the end of May. We had a nice gig yesterday in Keszthely where Csanád did an absolutely fine job, we'll do our regular Bohém club tonight and then off to Breda.

Our wonderful trombone player, Attila was seriously injured a couple of days ago in the garden of the Music Academy's dorm while resting on a blanket and enjoying the marvelous weather. There was no wind blowing but somehow a huge branch of the tree above him broke down and fell right on him breaking his shoulder blade thus he will be unable to play for a few weeks for sure. We are seeking a good sub for the next couple of weeks, taking Attila's place especially at the Breda Festival. And we wish Attila a fast recovery. (Thank God, he is alive at all, he could have died from how that branch hit him - he was unconscious for a few minutes afterwards.)

The newest Bohém CD is out by December 10, 2003. Entitled 'Bohém live!', it contains 19 tunes recorded live during the band's tours in Switzerland and Germany in 2000 and 2001. Such favourites can be heard on the disk as At The Jazz Band Ball, Bohém Rag, Creole Jazz and others. Send an email or phone if you want to order the CD. You can check it on the Discography page, too.

The Bohém Ragtime Jazzband was featured on Hungarian Radio's Petőfi channel, in the Promenade programme on October 5, Sunday, between 11-12 in the morning. This was a live radio broadcast of a concert given in the József Katona Library's auditorium. The broadcast still can be heard at http://real1.radio.hu/petofi/2003/10/05/2003-10-05-p11.ram (Real Audio Player required). Since the Hungarian Radio's programme is archived in one-hour bits, our music starts in about the 5th-6th minute. (The above link is active only for about half a year after the actual date of the broadcast.)

The Little Jazz Band (led by the Bohém's trombone player, pianist, singer and arranger Attila Korb) received first prize in Sainte Adresse, France at the International Louis Armstrong Memorial Jazz Competition and Dixieland Festival, June 7-9, 2003. (The Little Jazz Band includes Attila Korb on T-bone, piano and vocal, Zoltán Mátrai on clarinet and tenor sax, Zoltán Nagy on clarinet and alto sax, Zoltán Bacsa on trumpet, György Mátrai on banjo and guitar, Antal Szabó on tuba and double bass, Alfréd Falusi on drums.) Attila won the dixieland composition contest, too, with his brand new number called "Snow". Congratulations!

The Bohém Ragtime Jazzband was given the prestigious eMeRTon Prize in March and the band was honoured as 'Jazz band of the year'. The prize was founded about two decades ago by the Hungarian Radio and is awarded annualy in 12 categories. It is the most important award in Hungarian light music and jazz. There was an 'eMeRTon Prize Gala' April 4, 2003 in Budapest broadcast live by the Hungarian Radio and TV.