Christopher Robin Cox Sound Sample

On a very hot afternoon in Budapest, three musicians got together for an impromptu session. With the hope that some nice moments might get caught, they recorded the session with a very simple handheld stereo recorder. What you hear on this recording is that pure, unadulterated sound. The only alterations made are those to prevent audio peaking. Everything else is just the raw sound of the instruments and the wonderful sound of the small black box theater room run by Lumen Kávézó. The musicians thank the owners and employees at Lumen for allowing them to use the room.
credits
released July 31, 2023

Christopher Robin Cox (trombone)
Péter Ajtai (bass)
Gyárfás Attila (drums)

Cox/Ajtai/Gyárfás Trio

These are two teaser tracks from a full-length live recording we did on a recent tour in April of 2025. This show was recorded by Roland Heidrich at Ben Utca, a beautiful house venue in the village of Kápolnásnyék in Hungary, about 30 minutes outside of Budapest. 

We are currently speaking with several different outlets about releasing this record. Please contact Christopher Cox if you are interested in having this group potentially on your roster. 

The Sürgős Quartet will be planning a lengthy tour in the late Fall of 2025, so please reach out if you are interested in booking us for a show. 

Quartet Sürgős: Live in Hungary

The second of two tracks recorded with Graham O'Brien under the name the Ultra-Violet Light Catastrophe. 

All sounds are made live in the studio by me on trombone and zurna, and by Graham O'Brien on drums.

Song Two

One of a few improvisations I did for a project. This is one of the outtakes.

Midnight in the Alleyway

Cox/Ajtai/Gyárfás Trio - Part I

Cox/Ajtai/Gyárfás Trio - Part III

Cox/Ajtai/Gyárfás Trio - Part II

On October 18, 2023, this trio played together for the first time ever. Robert Benkő, a true master on both contrabass and cello (though he only plays bass on this recording) was a last-minute substitution for bassist Péter Ajtaj. The combination of empathetic ears, deep dedication to sound exploration, and the intimate warmth of the living room listening space that Ben Glass has created in the little village of Kapolnásnyék all made for an exceptional night.

The depth of experience these three players bring to the music is another reason the night was so special. Christopher Robin Cox has played for decades, off and on, beginning with the musicians of the creative improvised music scene in San Francisco and Oakland during the fervent period of the mid-1990s, frequently working with the late Marco Eneidi, Glenn Spearman, and George Cremaschi. He also worked with musicians in New Orleans, New York City, and Minnesota. He now lives full time in Budapest, Hungary, where he is active on the buzzing underground scene.

Robert Benkő is nothing short of a legend among free improvisers, who has played with just about anyone you can name in the world of free jazz. He is revered not only for his bass playing, but his phenomenal bowing technique.

Gyárfás Attila brings a fresh, yet truly seasoned sound to the group. having grown up in a revered musical family in Hungary, he brings very solid set of ears. He is currently one of the most in-demand improvising drummers in Hungary, and increasingly around Europe.

What you are hearing on this recording is the pure, unadulterated live concert of the evening by the great guitarist and sound engineer Roland Heinrich, utilizing two very well-placed mics.

Part Two

Cosmic Cluster - Live 1

The train has left the station! The Skopje-Budapest trans-Balkan free-jazz railroad is in operation. First stop - ‘URGENT’.

Budapest based-American trombonist Christopher Cox, fronts this outstanding trio, featuring two of the mainstays of Hungarian creative jazz - Péter Ajtai and Attila Gyárfás - both accomplished "first call" improvisers. Meeting for an inaugural session on a dreadfully hot day in July 2023, at the popular venue Lumen Kávéző (where they could jam relatively undisturbed in the small theatre) the result was stunning! It sounded like they had played together for years. It felt that way too.
Recorded with nothing but a Zoom H5 handheld recorder, Cox independently released this spontaneous session, calling it Black Box.
This exiting trio's first PMGJazz release (and established label debut) is different. Whereas the first recording of this trio was a kind of happy accident, this one is not. They consciously decided to make another DIY recording. Approaching the session without much deliberation, they pierce the wall of silence with spontaneous angular attacks, filling the room with a natural sonic picture beautifully captured with just a pair of stereo microphones.

Hunting for Winners

Dragon Flies from a Dead Sky

Sürgős Sample 2 - Live in Hungary

Sürgős Sample 1 - Live in Hungary

Doom Bone 1

One track from a live recording of a show at Szimpla Kert in Budapest, Hungary.
Christopher Robin Cox (trombone and effects)
Roland Heidrich (guitar and effects)
Zoltán Kováts (electric bass)
Attila Gyárfás (drums)
Vocal sample is from a speech by Alan Watts

You Better be Democratic, or We'll Shoot You!

Trombone played through a few effects pedals, with added extended techniques, and then looped.

Bone of Doom

Hi G Man

Christopher Cox - Trombone
Chris Webb - Guitar
Benjamin Pfeiffer - Bass
Paul Spina - Drums
Recording Engineer - David Molina
Recorded at Sonoma State University 1997

Mangled (1997)

This was recorded when I was in my late 20s with one of my first - and best - bands, called the Fifty-first Monkey. 
Krisztofer Cox - Trombone/Composer
Chris Webb (RIP) - Guitar
Ben Pfeiffer - Acoustic Bass
Paul Spina - Drums

Reconstruction (1997)

Recorded in 1997 at Sonoma State University
w/ Chris Webb (guitar)
Benjamin Pfeiffer (bass)
Paul Spina (drums)
Produced by David R. Molina

Reconstruction

From a live show at Cafe Maude in Minneapolis, MN in 2011.  
Christopher Robin Cox (trombone)
Chris Bates (bass)
Pete Hennig (drums)

Sonny Moon For Two

Christopher Robin Cox is a trombonist, composer and free improviser, heavily active on the Budapest underground music scene, and increasingly traveling to other parts of Europe. He often performs solo, utilizing electronics, but also with many artists playing acoustic. 
In the last year he has played numerous shows in France, Austria, Czechia, and Croatia, with such artists as George Cremasci, Jakub Svenar, Zeynep Sarikartal, Franz Hautzinger, Jason Robinson, Denman Maroney, Denis Fournier, and many others. 
Planned Releases for the coming year:
URGENT by the Cox/Ajtai/Gyarfas Trio :: late Winter release 
PUNK SOLO by Christopher Robin Cox :: Due out in early Spring

Christopher Robin Cox

Pinned to spotlight

Popular tracks