You usually don’t think of Serbia as a hotbed for jazz, but that’s where Szilard Mezei was born. He plays viola, and uses Hungarian folk songs as the basis for the twelve pieces on this two disc set. The ensemble includes reeds, woodwinds, strings, brass, vibes and a rhythm section while the pieces themselves are rich with melody, brought out and accentuated by the various artists.
The flutes and reeds are sublime on gentle themes of “Nm Zorog…” with a chamber feel during “Nem Fustol A Zentaji…” Bogdan Rankovic’s bass clarinet lurks mysteriously on “Ma Menyasszony…” and there are glorious harmonies for the flowing “Nem Idevalo…” . Pastoral vibes hover on “Eskuvorol Jovet” and Mezei delights with rich water color strokes during a charming “Szeles A Duna.” There is a rich mix of freedom from the soloists held well in the form by the strong traditional pieces. This is a delight!