Review from: All About Jazz

Ruby Flower Records signs with violinist Zoltan Lantos for an album with his quartet “MirrorWorld" planned to be released by the end of the year 2007. Zoltan Lantos is a violinist of many faces, colors and musical tongues. During his rigorous training at the Music Academy of his hometown, Budapest, he already appeared at the Eastern-European avant-garde scene but shortly after received a degree in classical violin (in 1984) and was now embarking on a remarkable musical (and geographical) journey. Being drawn toward experimental and Eastern music, he travelled to India to study classical Indian music in 1985. This is the place and culture where the "biology" of a single note, the life of the inner, unheard and unplayed sound ("anahata swara") is of outmost importance. Just being there, joyfully in the moment, in a simple "oneness" - both in a spiritual and physical sense - is what music and improvisation became for him ever since. After 9 years of studying, travelling, teaching and performing he returned to Europe. In 1994, while developing his own unique way of improvising on the violin, he started rediscovering his musical roots and blending them with his knowledge of Eastern music with the fresh breeze of contemporary European jazz. This is an ever evolving voyage up to the present day that brought him together on stage and in the studio with many great artists (like Charlie Mariano, Dhafer Youssef, Didier Lockwood, Renaud Garcia-Fons, Rabih Abou-Khalil, Steve Coleman and others). But equally important were the numerous meetings with lesser known folk and ritual musicians, whether in the Gypsy caves of Granada, the deserts of Rajasthan, the age-old Buddhist monasteries up in the Himalayas or with the Bulgarian voice and wedding band soloists. It would be hard to put Zoltan's music into any particular category although the concept of similar projects is internationally recognized as World jazz. Even so, his playing and musicality is strongly rooted in the traditions of his native Hungary with its thoughtful, sometimes contemplative, sometimes fiery and dance-like qualities. On the other hand, the deep connections with oriental and Indian classical music, African traditions, European contemporary music and free jazz are equally important resources that form the compositions and determine the atmosphere of his improvisation language. Zoltan plays a 5 string violin, a custom made 5 main- +16 string sympathetic string violin and an N.S.Design electric violin, using electronic effects and live sampling. Album: Tiptoe Ceremony Artist: Zoltan Lantos Release Date: 1/1/2003 Genre: Jazz Zoltan Lantos is a virtuoso violinist who combines together Indian music, classical, and jazz in his performances. He blends in well with the reeds of Mihaly Dresch on the complex originals of Tiptoe Ceremony, most of which are played by a quartet with percussionist Kornel Horvath. Zoltan Lantos is a virtuoso violinist who combines together Indian music, classical, and jazz in his performances. He blends in well with the reeds of Mihaly Dresch on the complex originals of Tiptoe Ceremony, most of which are played by a quartet with percussionist Kornel Horvath and Gabor Juhasz on guitar or oud. Three songs add the tabla of Peter Szalal and two have the eerie vocalizing of Gabor Winand. Fans of Shakti will find this music to be in a similar vein although Lantos' group has its own identity. It grows in interest with each listen. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide. ZOLTAN LANTOS I KORNEL HORVATH Duo is well known in the Hungarian and European contemporary jazz scene. Zoltan Lantos received his degree in classical violin from the Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest. Being drawn towards experimental and eastern music he travelled to India on a scholarship to study classical Indian Music in 1985. After returning to Budapest in 1994 he went on developing his own unique way of improvising on the violin blending his musical roots with Eastern music and contemporary European jazz. Since then he has been performing and recording with various musicians such as Marta Sebestyen, Laszla Das, Mihaly Dresch, Gabor Juhasz and Kornel Horvath from his native Hungary as well as Charlie Mariano, Dave Liebman, Ramesh Shotham, Renaud Garcia-Fons, Lars Danielsson, Dhafer Youssef, Markus Stockhausen, Achim Tang, Patrice Heral and others. Aside his main project called "Mirrorworld" he also plays solo violin performances using electronic devices. During the last few years he has been invited to several international jazz- and world music festivals with his own group and also as a guest artist of other projects. Zoltan Lantos and Kornel Horvath, a percussionist famous in Hungary as well as all over Europe, have been working with each other in various formations during the last few years. Kornel Horvath has a number of recordings additionally to his own solo projects. He is mostly known for his work with Trio Stendhal and has worked with many international jazz musicians such as David Friedmann, Randy Brecker or the virtuoso Munir Bashir. The present Zoltan Lantos Kornel Horvath Duo was created in the middle of 2000.Their music is hard to put into any particular category although the musical concept of similar projects in internationally recognized as World Jazz. "Sources and Inspiration" International Festival of Percussion Music May 8th 2005. The Lantos-Horvath duo was formed in mid-2000 and is now a firm fixture on both the Hungarian and European contemporary jazz scenes. It is difficult to categorise their musical style: similar projects are promoted internationally as "world jazz". Despite this worldliness, the musicians have remained true to their traditional roots, combining these with influences from other musical cultures. Influences from oriental music and classical Indian music, as well as contemporary strains of jazz and free jazz, permeate their work and form the building blocks of their compositions and improvisations. Zoltán Lantos trained in Budapest as a classical violinist and studied classical Indian music for nine years in India. In 1994 he returned to Budapest and combined these influences with traditional Hungarian music and contemporary jazz, working and recording with, among others, Marta Sebestyen, Laszlo Des, Mihaly Dresch, Gabor Juhasz, Kornal Horvath, Charlie Mariano, Dave Liebman, Ramesh Shotham, Renaud Garcia-Fons, Lars Danielsson, Dhafer Youssef, Markus Stockhausen, Achim Tang and Patrice Heral. Kornel Horvath is one of the world’s greatest percussionists, partly as a result of his special finger technique, which he developed early on in his career and has used in his many solo projects and collaborations with other musicians. He is perhaps best known for his work with the Stendhal trio, but he has also appeared with jazz greats such as David Friedmann, Randy Brecker und Munir Bashir. Cultural Days of the European Central Bank 2005: Hungary Ethno Jazz DUO * Zoltan Lantos (Violin) * Kornel Horvath (Percussion) JAZZ: Bray Jazz: Main Stage at Mermaid Zoltan Lantos (Hungary) and Khanda (Ireland) A virtuoso performer who uses the rich musical traditions of his native Hungary and an enduring interest in eastern music as the base for an imaginative repertoire of jazz improvisation, Zoltan Lantos is widely regarded to be one of the world's greatest living violinists. Drawn to experimentation from early in his career, he studied classical Indian music on the sub-continent for a number of years before returning to Budapest in 1994 – to compose unique and exciting music which sought to blend his knowledge of Eastern music with his own rich Hungarian musical heritage. Zoltan Lantos comes together for this once-off Irish performance with Khanda, a group who have never been slow to absorb richly diverse ethnic elements into their unique musical tapestry. Khanda draw their inspirations from far and wide – with Irish, Spanish, North African, Indian and the musics of the Baltic all presented to magical effect within their repertoire. A collaboration made in heaven awaits those who love the worlds of music. For Zoltan Lantos: 'Vital and independent world music production from a true violin virtuoso' - Frankfurter Allegemeine Best of both worlds - Percussionist Ramesh Shotham talks about his latest album and more. Practically all the western artistes who are now playing fusion successfully have taken time to learn and understand Indian music. Zoltan Lantos the violinist, for instance, who has worked with Shotham on his latest CD, Ramesh Shotham and Madras Special: Urban Folklore studied music in India. "He was born in Hungary, but lived in India for several years," says Shotham, adding, "so he contributes a great deal of experience from both music worlds."