Párniczky Quartet

In 2016, András Párniczky (DLA) created his Quartet with the aim of performing adaptations of Béla Bartók’s pieces in an improvisational environment. Together with his fellow bandmates – wind instrument player Péter Bede and bassist Péter Ajtai – he has already performed at more than 300 concerts, including at venues such as the Guggenheim Museum in New York, the Bravo Art Festival in Brussels, Technopolis Jazz in Athens Festival or the Academy of Music in Budapest. Their first album Bartók Electrified was published in 2018 by Budapest Music Center. This repertoire was performed at the MÜPA in 2016 with Frank Möbus (b.) and Daniel Erdmann (ts.), and in 2019 with Carlos Bica (b.) and Dejan Terzic (dr.) as part of a European tour.

In 2023, building on this joint work, the formation will be renewed, with Ágoston Szabó-Sipos on drums. A summative repertoire was created that reflects the words of János Gonda: “[…] the sovereign European improvisational musical language, which integrates the elements of modern chamber jazz, contemporary and folk music”. Instead of the usual thematic pieces, the compositions move within a much freer framework, in which while the band’s recognizable sound is preserved, a self-identified performance is created. The debut performance of the new repertoire took place at the House of Hungarian Music on January 13.

Párniczky András Quartet

Members

  • András Párniczky – guitar
  • Péter Bede – saxophone
  • Péter Ajtai – double bass
  • Ágoston Szabó-Sipos – drums

Press quotes

  • 5 star (out of five) – Gramofon Magazin, Summer issue 2018
  • "Bartók Electrified is a consistent, great continuation of the outstanding composer of modern music." Mathias Bäumel, Jazz Zeitung
  • "Bartók’s music is airy and creates a character space. And this musical space is what the Párniczky Quartet can grasp, and gives back freely and perfectly. Mastery and fresh impetus for Bartók’s repertoire." Raphaël Benoit, Citizen Jazz
  • "Bartók Electrified is an excellent fresh and modern jazz project built on one of the greatest composers of the 20th century. Do not miss it!" SK Jazz
  • "Bartók Electrified is a great job, let yourself be tempted by the ideas of the Párniczky Quartet." Andrea Aguzzi, NeuGuitars
  • Notable releases of 2018 – W. Royal Stokes (Jazz Times, The Washington Post)