On New Year's Eve Budapest Jazz Orchestra (BJO) is giving a concert in Pesti Vigadó's Ceremonial Hall. On this occasion the Orchestra will feature two star guests: jazz singers Erika Náray and Orsi Urbán. The two singers were interviewed about how the idea of a joint concert was envisaged. Apart from this, the two artists also talked about jazz and inspiration, and briefly revealed what their last concert in the year 2018 will be like.

How did your cooperation with BJO start?

Orsi Urbán: I have been following BJO's career since the very beginnings. I like the music harmony a big band is capable of producing and this harmony is close to my heart both as far as classical and more modern periods of music are concerned. I started my career as a jazz singer roughly at the same time as the band became better known, and so I performed with BJO from the beginning in various performances. Fortunately, this lucky cooperation has been going on ever since. In the past 20 years, the band staged a vast number of music performances, they recorded a lot of CDs, and performed with foreign and Hungarian guests: for this reason I feel honoured to be contributing to this concert.

To Erika Náray: You formerly said that jazz is often referred to as a less liked musical genre. What exactly do you mean by this? What can the audience do so that they feel closer to and more familiar with jazz?

Erika Náray: Many people think that jazz is an abstract thing: they believe it is a genre meant only for music professionals and experts, they feel it is something that the audience cannot enjoy. I cannot agree with this and I must say that this genre should not be introduced to the audience through music by Miles Davis, for instance. Instead, the audience should be exposed to jazz gradually, for example through listening to music performed by a big band. If people get to like Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Duke Ellington or the currently so popular Michael Bublé, there is no music they cannot enjoy. Once this happens, everything is possible.

To Orsi Urbán: How do you think people relate to jazz?

Orsi Urbán: I think that – theoretically speaking – people are generally afraid to listen to jazz and they have unfounded prejudices about this style. But when it comes to listening to jazz, they are very tolerant and this musical genre is actually becoming popular again these days. Also, the audience seems to be more and more open about this style. Probably people listen to more jazz than they imagine or more often than they are aware of. If somebody listens to a good jazz concert, it provides them with good entertainment and helps them to be creative. I likewise hope that the future will also hold experiences like this for the audiences of jazz concerts. We jazz musicians are trying our best to establish a closer relationship between this musical style and the audience, and we aim to create a more experiential atmosphere at our concerts.

Erika: you act in films and also on stage. In addition, you also work as a dubbing artist and a singer. Orsi: you teach at Liszt Academy's Bartók Music Secondary School and at Franz Liszt Academy of Music's Jazz Department. You both have performances to give, you record CDs, you give interviews and you are guests at TV shows. On top of all this, programmes with your families and friends also await you. Having listed all your commitments (and remind me if I have left something out), let me ask: ideally, how many hours should a day contain so that you can squeeze everything in?

Erika Náray: That depends... Sometimes it would be good if a day had 48 hours and if there was enough time for all this. Concerning this, I mostly have my relatives, relationships, my family and also myself in mind. I am trying hard – even if I am extremely busy – not to neglect anybody I love.

Orsi Urbán: Probably, I should also add here to our list of commitments that both of us are also mothers. To be honest, I do not know how many hours a day should have so that I can do everything I want... But personally I feel that, even if I often get tired, what I love most about my work is that it is versatile and full of music. For me, this job is both my duty and hobby. I believe that these days many working women and mothers juggle in situations like ours and all of us are trying to fit everything in within the 24 hours afforded by a day.

I am always puzzled by the question of how extensively those who are professionally engaged in music listen to music, and what musical inspiration they draw from music. What music which you usually listen to or have recently listened to has had an impact on you? Who are your favourite performers and which albums do your treasure the most?

Erika Náray: In a lucky and usual scenario, I listen to a lot of music and I prefer a wide variety including jazz, pop and classical music, and in fact anything that touches me or has an impact on me. I cannot even list how many performers have influenced me professionally. But, if I could take only 10 CDs to an island with me, I am sure I would include one by Sting, one by Steve Wonder, one by Ella, another one by Miles Davis, and one by Weather Report... Well, adding up all this 10 CDs would probably be too few.

Orsi Urbán: I listen to a lot of music, even while teaching and during concerts. These pieces of music also inspire me as the genre of jazz is really improvisative, so I never hear any musical piece twice performed in exactly the same way. In addition, I listen to my favourites every now and then again and again as these pieces also spark me. Apart from this, I also listen to new songs: songs that I did not know before or songs that have just been born. I can learn from these, too. I actually listen to any music including jazz, soul and classical music. But there are days when I cannot take any more music. I listen to as much music as I find convenient or befitting.

I have a lot of favourite performers, mostly in the field of vocal music including Will Downing, Chaka Khan, Kurt Elling, Djavan, Natalie Cole – just to list only a few of them. Recently, I have been repeatedly listening to music by Gretchen Parlato and Rachmaninov, to motettas by Bach or music by Roberta Gambarini.

Getting back to your New Year's Eve show, what can the audience expect at this concert?

Erika Náray: A great party, many captivating hits, and all this will be performed in the company of Hungary's best big band. Actually, this show will be performed only once: only in Pesti Vigadó and only on New Year's Eve! If I was not going to perform, I would definitely be there as a member of the audience.

Orsi Urbán: I guess the audience can expect a fantastic band, whose live performance is incredible in itself. And our show contains music pieces ranging from the gems of the swing era to songs with more modern instrumentation, mainly including evergreens and classical songs.

Do you ever make new year's resolutions?  If you have already made one, could tell us about that?

Erika Náray: I do make vows, yes. And I hardly ever keep them! 😊 Doing sports, going on a diet, learning languages... Shall I list some more???

Orsi Urbán: I always ask for more time: time to be spent with my family and to be able to be more attentive to them. Another thing is doing more physical activity. This list also shows the order in which these vows are realised...

PROGRAM GUIDE

BUDAPEST JAZZ ORCHESTRA | SPECIAL GUESTS: ERIKA NÁRAY & ORSOLYA URBÁN | 2018.12.31. 19:30 | Pesti Vigadó | Ceremonial Hall |  TICKETS

Connect you concert experience with exploring Pesti Vigadó's unrivalled and unique building. Tickets are available for guided tours in Hungarian (the tour starts at 18:00) and in English (the tour starts at 17:00). You must purchase separate tickets for the concert and for the guided tour.