Born in Miskolc (Hungary) September 28, 1958. Died November 17, 2014. Gyula Csepregi, Miskolc Hungary, began his studies at Bela Bartok Academy of Music, 1980. He made his debut as a soloist with Gyula Kovacs, the legendary Hungarian drummer. He was a highly-respected saxophone soloist quickly and joined the top-ranking Hungarian jazz bandmen. He played with Aladar Pege and Imre Koszegi as well as Gyula Babos, Szakcsi, and Gyula Boszegi. He was also credited with playing music with many Hungarian pop/rock artists. He also achieved significant international success in jazz. He toured the entire Scandinavia with many American and local musicians. His brilliant performing art attracted European attention. He was invited to perform with international jazz bands as a guest artist. He was a permanent member of Band from 1982 to 1984. Aladar Pege and he travelled throughout Europe together. Gyula founded the Hungarian Jazz Quartett in 1984 with Pal Vasvari and Vilmos Javori. They were the most successful Hungarian jazz group ever. Their album, New Age, was probably the most popular Hungarian jazz album. The band was also a huge success internationally. It was one of Europe’s most loved bands in the 1980s. Gyula was awarded his first eMeRTon Award at that time. Since 1988, he has been the sole vocalist of the Broadcasting Band of the Hungarian Radio/ Studio11/. Since 2004, he is the band’s artistic leader. He co-founded In Line one year later with Pal Vasvari. They were quickly acclaimed as the best-selling Hungarian jazz group. They recorded fifteen albums together, including two with Dave Samuels, and three with Krzesimir Debski (a Polish violin player and composer). They gave a higher status to the In Line, which allowed many young Hungarian musicians the chance to perform with them. Since 1997, he has been part of the international “All Stars Band”. He performed with Mike Stern, the guitar wizard and vibraphone wizard Dave Samuels (Spyro Gyra), Pal Vasvari, the bassist, and Alex Acuna, the legendary Weather Report drummer. The band was called Twin Lines Project. They recorded a double CD, One from the studio and One from the stage. Gyula is the most passionate Hungarian saxophone player. His brilliant technique and his amazing playing encompass the entire range of emotions. Friends keep repeating it, talent is not the only thing that is important when playing the saxophone. He has been a soloist and an experimenter musician. Although he has “adventures” in the world of symphonic orchestral music, he is equally at home in pop/rock music. His musician life is full of jazz. http://csepregigyula.hu
