ROBERT RATONYI Jazz pianist,arranger, composer Website: http://www.ratonyirobert.hu/
BIOGRAPHY
He was born on 13 December, 1953, Budapest. At the age of 6, he started to learn solfeggio at Mrs Jeno Szervanszky, Valika, and then he started to play the piano. Later he became the student of Klara Geczy Fazekas. Following his art studies and the grammar school graduation, he attended the Bartók Béla Music Conservatory, specializing in jazz, where he was the student of János Gonda.
Since 1975, he has played together with all leading Hungarian jazz musicians at concerts, at festivals at home and abroad, and at studio recordings. His style of playing the piano has had a great influence on Bill Evans, Ahmad Jamal, Bob James, Kenny Barron, Andy Laverne and Herbie Hancock.
Besides jazz, he is one of the most frequently engaged studio musicians. He has written and instrumented the music of a great number of films, theatre, shows and advertisements.
BANDS:
1977 - Dimenzio (Laszlo Des, Gabor Becze, István Balo, founder- denominator) 1983 - Extra Dry (orchestra leader) 1989 -Slang (Ferenc Muck, Tamás Toth, Janos Solti) 1984 - Ratonyi-Gado Duo, Bontovics Band, Pege Band, Deseo Band, Friedrich Band, Things, (Tony Lakatos, Attila Laszlo, Bela Lattman, Kornel Horvath, Janos Solti). From 1991 Joy (G. Gado, E. Balazs, P. Vasvari), Jazz GT (Ferenc Muck, Ferenc Szabo, “Samu” Tibor Fekete). Ratonyi Trio and Quartet with former and now playing partners: Mihaly Dresch, Gyula Csepregi, Peter Csiszar, Tamas Toth, Bela Lattman. Attila Darvas, Balazs Berkes, “Pecek” Geza Lakatos, Gyula Toth and Peter Szendoffi. Csepregi- Ratonyi Duo.
He has been the member of the Hungarian Radio Studio 11 orchestra since 1994. He regularly works for the Hungarian Radio (Radiocabaret, radio productions and live concerts).
Between 1988 and 1991 he took part in the recordings of 12 jazz records, including his own (Slang) record called “Ab Ovo”.
In 1991, he was invited with guitarist Gabor Gado to the Pori Jazz Festival, where EBU made a recording of their concert. Their concert performed at the Debrecen Jazz Festival was broadcast several times by the Washington VOA station in the radio programme called Jazz Hour.
Since 2001, Ratonyi Trio and Quartet, the Muckshow Band, the Diva Super Show, Orosz Zoltan Orchestra and the Csepregi Band.
The Csepregi-Ratonyi duo has been performing at concerts since 2002.Their latest CD (2008) Private Conversation.
MEDIA, TELEVISIONS:
He has composed, arranged and even played music at all kinds of productions for MTV1, TV2 and RTL-Klub. Some of the most important ones:
GALVOLGYI SHOW, NEVSHOWR, ELJEN A MOZI, CSIIZ, EUROSHOW, METROPOLIS, SZERENCSEKEREK, ZSAKBAMACSKA, NAGYVIZIT, KEPJATEK, TIPP-HOPP, BALAZS PETER SHOW, A FERFI, AKI TETSZIK..., OPERAKARACSONY, FRIDERIKUSZ SHOW, BUDAPEST-PARIZS SANZONOK, MEG ILYET...!, JATEK HATAROK NELKUL, TATIKA, HANGSZALL, OPERETT.HU, etc.
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In 1998-1999, he and his orchestra with Robert Szikora accompanies for the Hungarian music quiz show “Hangszall”, which was the version of the American show “Name That Tune”.
He wasa the music leader and participator of the grand music history programme “Operett.hu” on MTV1.
CONCERTS, RECORDS
Since 1980, he has played at special classical/jazz concerts at Zeneakadémia (Academy of Music) with the Gusztav Hona 12-trombone band + jazz trio, and trombone-tubaband + jazz trio. In addition to the concerts, he has made a record with the Quadrombone band, as well. He tours with such pop starts like Zoran, L. Tolcsvay (Mise), and participated at events with Akos, Feco Balazs (live unplugged record concert) and Robert Szikora (concert and recording).
He has had a long working relationship with Laszlo Des, Attila Laszlo, Janos Novak, Gabor Heilig, Zsolt Dome and Peter Huzella composers in the course of many concerts and orchestrating works.
He played and arranged on the records of Feco Balazs, Gyula Csepregi, Viktoria Eszmenyi, Gabor Heilig, Judit Hernadi, Andras Kern, Miklos Galla, Daniel Benko, Laszlo Dés, Magdi Bodi, Attila Bardoczi, Peter Huzella, Peter Mikola, Gyorgy Nadas, Natalia Nagy, Robert Szikora, Klari Balazs, Monika Ullmann, Pa-do-do, L. Boross- G. Bochkor Duet, Gábor Harsanyi, Andrea Szulak, Agi Voith, Gyula Bodrogi, Juli Basti, Gyorgy Cserhalmi, Kati Rak,
In 1985 he founded the “Agi van...” production and band with Agi Voith, Zsolt Dome and “Pinyo” Milos Koves, and they toured in Slovekia.
He worked with the Philharmonics of Gyor and Szeged at the Hungarian premier of Andrew L. Webber’s Requiem.
THEATRICAL WORKS AND MUSIC PLAYS:
He accompanied several successful theatrical productions: Tyll Eulenspiegel (Korszinhaz), Edit és Marlene (Pesti Szinhaz), Csaladi Agy (Family Bed -Thalia Szinhaz), Jobol is megart a keves (Thalia), Doktor Ur (Thalia), Zsakba Macska (Fovarosi Operett Szinhaz), Kiralytortenet (Ujpesti Szinhaz).
A Három Sarkany (The Three Dragons - composer), Gyertyafenykeringo (Candlelight waltz - instr.), Csok (Kiss - instr.), Oz a varázslo (Oz, the Wizard - instr.), Megyeri Gyalog Galopp (instr.), Gulliver Lilliputban (Gulliver in Lilliput - instr), Ki lopta el a népet (Who stole the people - instr.), Ady-dalok (Ady-songs - instr.), Csokozon (instr.), Kerek Erdo (instr), Pan Peter (instr.), Az Ejszaka Fantomjai (The Phantoms of the Night - instr), Marilyn az Isteni No (Marilyn, the Godly Woman - instr.), Királytortenet (King’s Story - instr.)
He composed music for the Gyori Balett Company (Eurobalett).
TOURS ABROAD, SHOWS:
In 1987-1988 he played in one of the best Kur Orchestras in Germany, in Bad Nauheim, for several months.
Between 1983 and 1991, he toured as a pianist with his father’s, Robert Ratonyi, two-hour “One-Man Show” in the USA,Canada, Israel, England, Sweden and Russia.
In 1990, he accompanied the “Edit és Marlene” performance (E. Kutvolgyi, A. Vitai and l. Mikes) in Palma de Mallorca, in the world famous Teatre Principal.
On several occasions he accompanied with his own orchestra the traditional New Year’s Eve Gala Show in the Vig Theatre, and in the Fovarosi Operett Theatre.
Since 1991, he has accompanied the show of two excellent artists, Ildikó Hüvösvölgyi and Peter Cseke, in their performance “Ketszemelyes Bolondsagok”, which had a television recording, too. In 2000, they were guest performers in Basel and Bern.
In 1992, he accompanied with his orchestra the traditional Song and Dance Festival.
He was the music leader of the highly successful international Euroshow and Showszoro productions at the Conference Centre.
Between 1999 and 2000, he gave three highly successful super concerts at the Vigado, and the Budai Parkszinpad, where he was music leader, instrumentalist and accompanied with his orchestra the “Divak Ejszakaja” (The Night of the Divas) concert ( Erika Miklosa, Andrea Malek, Andrea Szulak, Ildiko Keresztes, Angela Poka, Piroska Pandy, Linda Kiraly) and of the “Trubadurok ejszakaja” (The Night of the Trubadours) concert (Tamás Somló, Ferenc Demjen, Roy and Adam, Sandor Sasvari, Laszló Domahidy, Gabriel).
He has been traditionally the music leader and company with Zoltan Orosz accordion artist of the Chanson Competition of the French Institute, and the National Holiday Programmes of the French Republic.
INTERNATIONAL PRODUCTIONS:
From 1991 in the course of two years, he played the piano in the Viannese Theater Auersperg in the “Zarah Die Legende Armand Die Show” (Austrian tour), and in the productions “The Max Brothers Parade” and the “Szomoru Vasárnap” (Gloomy Sunday).
In 1997, he played with his own trio with the world famous French accordion artist, Marcel Azzola (Yves Montand, E. Piaf, G. Becaud, J. Brel) at his concert ‘La Tournée Triomphale“ in Budapest, together with Anne Baquet and Attila Bardoczi.
In 1998, he played the piano with the popular German Diva singer, Angelika Milster, with whom he gave to very successful concerts on the “Metropolen der Ostsee” cruise of the ocean liner, MS Europa.
He is frequently invited as guest pianist to the Stage Four Orchestra in Basel.
FILM MUSIC
He composed music and respectively took part in the process in the films of Márta Mészáros, Peter Gardos, Andras Kovacs, Miklos Jancso, Janos Domolky, Gyorgy Dobray and Arnold Schmidt.
He composed music to the film Stationary, which won the first prize in the category of short films at the Film Parade in 1996.
He played at the film music recording of several American super productions (Jerry Goldsmith, Charles Fox, Armando Trovajoli) and in Hungarian films, such as the “Szamarkohoges”, “Uramisten”, “Alommenedzser”, “Kek Duna Keringo”, “Stationary”.
SOMETHING DIFFERENT…
He played with the Philharmonics of Gyor and Szeged at the Hungarian Premier Of Webber’s Requiem.
In 1997, he instrumented and participated in the production of the “Az Éjszaka Fantomjai” (The Phantoms of the Night) at the Barlangszinhaz (Cave Theatre) in Fertorakos.
He composed music to the Hungarian production for the Alternative Hair Show, in the Royal Albert Hall, in London. His music was recorded on the video prepared about the show.
His music composed for the advertisement of Elektrolux won first prize at the Debrecen Advertisement Festival.
He composed music for Moulin Rouge and for the fashion show of Tamas Naray.
TEACHING He has taught jazz-piano since 1977 at the Erkel Ferenc Music School. From 1990, he taught electronic instrument for four years at the Liszt Ferenc College of Music. He has been writing the keyboard column for “Zeneszmagazin” (Musicians’ Magazine).
CONTACTS:
Mobile phone: +36 30 9 51 54 53
E-mail:[email protected] Show less
