Jazz Free University

Gábor Turi’s Jazz Free University series introduces some of jazz’s greatest personalities and presents the most significant stages of their lifelong journey. Jazz has been a familiar term for well over a century now, and a library of literature has been written about it. It has conventionally been described as the ‘music of improvisation’, the ‘folk music of the 20th century’, ‘rhythmic improvisational music’ or ‘the music of freedom’. Yet above all, jazz belongs to the performers. There is no other musical genre in which individuality plays such a prominent role. Jazz musicians consider the voice or instrument – or sometimes the band as a whole – to be an extension of themselves. It is here that their personality truly manifests itself through sound, playing style and freedom of expression.

The most notable characters in jazz can be identified through just a few notes or chords. Which is why the House of Music Hungary decided to have the Jazz Free University focus on thematic introductions to the key stylistic trailblazers of the genre. In the spring series, Gábor Turi’s presentations will offer insights into the art of pianist Dave Brubeck, saxophonist Sonny Rollins, keyboardist Joe Zawinul and singer Cassandra Wilson. Illustrated with video and musical interludes, the presentations also shed light on the era from which these great personalities emerged.