Istvan Grencso, a saxophonist/flautist from Hungary (b. 1956) is a prominent figure in Hungarian avantgarde jazz. His career began in 1979 with the founding the Masina Jazz Group. However, he became well-known in the 1980s as Gyorgy Zzabados’s partner. Collective was his main vehicle since 1984. He has released ten albums with this constantly changing lineup, including Plays Monk (1996) and Villa Negra (1997). Grencso is a prolific composer with a wide repertoire. Grencso says, “I always like searching for something exciting.” He has also arranged many jazz standards and, regardless of current fashions, has performed pop, rock and ethno music. He also interpreted Hungarian dance music from the sixties, chansons and created a suite that veers toward classical music. Kampec Dolores is his permanent member of the MAKUZ, Gyorgy Szabados’s electronic-inclined Budbudas. He has performed with the Gnawa Trio from Morocco, his own neobeat band AMA, as well as with Pozvakowski, a noise rock band. He has recorded and performed in concerts with Peter Kowald, Tobias Delius and Peter Brotzmann, as well as the Noise Orchestra of Russia. Duna TV’s portrait film Szabad vagyok (I Am Free) demonstrates his ars poetica, which is to think without convention. from http://www.bmcrecords.hu
