In 2004, he won the eMeRTon Award with Jazzpression as the "Jazz band of the year".
In 2005, they were chosen as the "Best foreign Band" at the International Jazz Festival in Bucharest.

They have toured all over Europe and have performed along with world famous artists, like Dave Brubeck, Victor Bailey, Diane Schuur, or Tuck and Patti. In 2007, he won the "Best Solist" title at the Hungarian Radio Jazzy jazz competition.

As a composer, he has had huge international success:
In 2004 and 2006, his compositions "Ways" and "Stream" were chosen as a finalist, one of the best 15 out of more than 15.000 songs, at the International Songwriting Competition (USA). Jury included John Scofield, Branford Marsalis, Cassandra Wilson, Chaka Khan and Tom Waits among others. In 2005, his composition "In the street" was a finalist of the UK Songwriting Competition, also in this year, "Ways" was a finalist again in the USA Songwriting Competition.

In 2008, his composition "I'll catch you" has got the 3rd place in the jazz cathegory and also the 3rd place in the "Peoples voice" cathegory too, again at the International Songwriting Competition (USA).


1. Where did you grow up?
In Cegléd. This is a small but lovely town 70 km far from Budapest. This is the city from where my career started and I am really faithful for it.

2. What Hungarian traditions bring back fond memories of your childhood?
There were a lot of customs I loved so much when I was really young. For example Easter, when we sprinkled the girls with water and enjoied how they screamed. Of course we got gifts for this, painted eggs, and later money. Unfortunately, these days are gone, and I don't celebrate Easter this way.

3. What would you miss most if you moved away from Hungary?
There are a lot of places of my childhood I would miss very much. Personal relationships are very important to me. I love my family and friends as well. I know that you can start a new life anywhere, anytime, but the roots are very important. It determines your life and how you see things in your life in general.

4. Friends are in Budapest for a weekend - what must they absolutely see and do?
If I were a guide, I would show them not only the well known places, like the castle, the parliament, the Chain Bridge, or the Heroe Square, but the cute, lovely bars as well, the music of the small clubs where you can feel the real heartbeat of the city. Of course, nothing would be real without drinking the famous palinka. After an amusing night nothing is better than going to a traditional bath or walking on Gellert Hill.

5. What is your favourite Hungarian food?
Hungarian fish soup. I suggest all people who visit Hungary one time to taste it. Without pasta, Szeged art.

6. What is never missing from your kitchen?
Chili, pepper, olive-oil.

7. What is your favourite place in Hungary?
Balaton, Pécs, Budapest-Gellért hegy. It is really nice to see the town from above, especially at night.

8. What career other than yours would you love to pursue?
Help for people or animals. It is similar to music- you help people feeling better, even if it will be only some minutes in their lives.

9. What’s a job you would definitely never want?
Jailer, soldier, tax collector.

10. Where did you spend your last vacation?
In London and after in Transilvania. We love to go to the big, old mountains covered with forest. You can feel how small you are, and you can find yourself there. It was very interesting, first the huge, pulsating, exciting metropolis, and after the magical and beautiful land, with mountains, forests and deep relax.

11. Where do you hope to spend your next one?
Somewhere on a hot see shore.

12. What was your favourite band, film, or hobby as a teen?
Motorhead (well, sometimes when I speak about it peole really wonder how long way it took me to end up with jazz - but telling the thruth, the difference is not essential between the different styles. The only thing that counts it that it shall come from your heart, and people would just belive you). I really loved the story of Starwars, and I did Kyokushinkai karate.

13. What can’t you resist?
I can resist. :-)

14. Red wine or white?
Red, dry.

15. Kolbász or szalámi?
Both at the same time is the best.

16. Book or movie?
Both. I like reading, but a good movie also can catch my attention.

17. Morning person or night person?
Absolutely night. Sometimes I can see the rising sun, before I go to sleep. :-)

18. Which social issue do you feel most strongly about?
In my oppinion the most important thing would be to make people understand that they can be more and more happy, more and more efficient and productive if they would see the world through positive glasses, if they would concentrate on positive things. People should look for the good and beauty in anything or anybody, they should trust themselves, would stand and fight for their dreams, and they should belive that they can reach them. Thinking this way, people would have less and less troubles in their lives.

19. Buda side or Pest side?
To live in Buda (I live in Pest :-), to go out in Pest.

20. What would you say is your personal motto?
Love yourself and accept yourself as you are, you will feel peace inside and people will love you and will accept you.