Vasilis Nalbantis
Vasilis has been performing the traditional music of Greece and the Balkans since he was 12 years old. Adding to that, he has played recorded and toured extensively with many groups and artists of many different genres, such as: Stafford James, Oghene Kologbo, Ionian Brass Ensemble, Orchestra Sonora, Mora sti Fotia(a historic Greek punk-rock band) Koza Mostra,(with whom they got the 6th place in 2013 Eurovision). In 2010 he graduated from the Jazz Dept. of the Ionian Uni and moved to Thessaloniki to pursue a musical career. In 2016, one year after he moved to Graz, Austria, he formed the Ellipsis Quintet playing concerts locally and internationally. In 2018 he Graduated from the Jazz department of the Kunst Uni Graz The same year he Joined the World - Fusion Band ''HaydeTanz'' as a trumpet player, composer and arranger. He also mixed and mastered their first full album, as well as their two singles. He continues living, teaching and working in Graz, Austria.
Balázs Balogh
Balázs started playing drums and percussion at the age of 7 in the Liszt Ferenc Music School of Pécs (HU) with his father, JenÅ‘ Balogh. He soon started becoming aquinted with the drumset and jazz as well, and studied with Károly Nagy and András Mohay (†) for some time. Since an early age he had the chance to participate in various musical projects in different genres from percussion ensemble and brass band to rock and metal bands, from big band to different small jazz combos and world music projects, and to be on stage in numerous countries of Europe from Spain to Bosnia, from Poland to Italy.
In 2010 he was admitted to the University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz (AT) to study with Howard Curtis, during his studies he also spent a semester at the Conservatoire National Superieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris (FR). He had the privilege to attend several masterclasses of great musicians, such as Jimmy Cobb, Billy Hart, John Hollenbeck, Carl Allen, Jeff Ballard, Greg Hutchinson, Ari Hoenig, Curtis Fuller, Larry Grenadier, etc…; and to be on stage with Randy Brecker, Stafford James, André Hayward, Zoltán Lantos, and many others.
Lajos Tóth
Lajos was born in Szolnok, Hungary , in 1990. Music caught his attention early, he started to study classical piano at the age of 9. He continued his studies throught high school, meanwhile he got involved in numerous rock, reggae and blues bands. After graduation he turned to jazz, becoming a student of Viktor Bori and János Nagy. He was admitted to the University of Music in Graz, Austria in 2011. He has been studying with Olaf Polziehn. He established his trio in 2012, which participated in the final of Tarnów International Jazz Contest (PL) the same year. He won the best band and the best soloist prize on the jazz contest in Tirgu Mures, Romania (2013). In 2016, the trio won the Big Sky Jazz Competition in Moscow (RU). They have toured in Austria, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, and Spain, playing in 23Robadors (Barcelona), Zoo (Ljubljana), Opus Jazz Club (Budapest), Green Hours (Bucharest), Piec Art Jazz Club (Kraków), among many others. One of his compositions, „Strong River”, have won the Downbeat Magazine’s Student Jazz Award Prize. In 2016 he won the 1st Prize on the 5. International Jazzhaus Piano Competition in Freiburg. Since he finished his studies in Graz in 2018 he started to work as a freelance musician and music teacher. The same year with a new project he won first prize on the interational Jazzcompetiton in Zilina Slovakia. The quartet got invited to the Zilina Jazzfestival and had a chance to share the stage with a famous american Jazzband called „The Yellowjackets”. In 2019 he won the 2nd prize on the Riga Jazz Stage Piano Competition. He had a chance to work with Howard Curtis, Vladimir Kostadinovic, Klemens Marktl, Morten Ramsbol, Michael Abene, Ed Partyka, Zsolt Bende, Wayne Thomas Brasel, Emilia Martenson, Martina Martenson, Márton Fenyvesi, Lucas Martinez Membrilla
Tomas Lukac
Currently Based in Munich, Germany, born in Bratislava, Slovakia, Tomas grew up in an artistic environment. His musical development oscillated between a variety of music genres and styles (rock, blues, funk, jazz..), which helped him to achieve a strong instrumental flexibility in his professional career later on. Tomas finished his Bachelor’s degree in jazz guitar performance at the high-profile University of Performing Arts in Graz, Austria, and his Master’s degree at the University for Music and Theater in Munich, Germany, with professor Peter O’Mara. He has successfully attended a number of international competitions, such as Jazz Start Up (2017, with Tomas Lukac Group), New Faces of Slovak Jazz (2017, with Tomas Lukac Group), or Kurt Maas Jazz Award (2019, Tomas Lukac Trio). As leader, composer, arranger, or sideman, he has worked on multiple international projects, including: Tomas Lukac Group , Annamerika Quintet, Ellipsis Quintet, and many more.. Has has played/recorded with: Robben Ford, Jim Rotondi, Ed Partyka, and more. In February 2021. Tomas has released his debut album ‘Heart-Shaped - Music of Kurt Cobain’. Recorded in Germany and Austria, and released by Music Fond Slovakia, it features musicians from Slovakia, Germany, Austria, China, USA, and Greece. His current project ‘Minga Sessions’ with his quartet Tomas Lukac Group is available from February 2022.
Markus Oberleitner
Born in 1990 in Austria, he started his musical journey on the diatonic and chromatic accordion, which he studied in the University of Graz (KUG). At the age of 17 he started gaining interest in electric bass and music production, which is the main focus of his musical work nowadays. He also began to study Jazzbass in Graz but never finished.After the university he worked as sideman for Pop and Hip Hop Artists and had his own Soul/Funkband which served as foundation for his groove-oriented playing. Following this period, an interest in odd meters and folk music consisting of odd meters began to sparkle which he is currently exploring with ethno and stoner rock bands. In his free time, the recording and mixing of other bands' songs makes his enthusiasm for music a round trip.
