Peter Horvath Quartet

A native of Budapest, Horvath arrived in the U.S. in 1983 for studies at Boston’s Berklee College of Music and has been a first-call session player since his arrival, touring with R&B and fusion artists including Victor Bailey and Lalah Hathaway as well as working as a straight-ahead jazz pianist with Joe Henderson, Bobby Hutcherson, Bob Mintzer, Charles McPherson, and Eddie Henderson. He built a reputation as a major pianist in the Bay Area straight ahead, contemporary jazz, and Latin jazz scenes, and is a respected educator, teaching at California Jazz Conservatory and Saint Mary’s College.

He’s released two solo albums including his 1995 debut Foreign Matter and his most recent session, Absolute Reality — his first release as a leader in 20 years, featuring appearances by saxophonist Bob Mintzer, trumpeter Randy Brecker, and drummer Lenny White. Horvath has appeared at SFJAZZ numerous times, including a pair of Hotplate performances devoted to the electric jazz of Herbie Hancock.