“The Greatest Risk Is to Repeat Yourself” – Erik Truffaz on Reinvention, Miles Davis, and Returning to A38

Erik Truffaz returns to Budapest for a special night at A38 Ship on May 26, joining forces with Barabás Lőrinc in a concert paying tribute to the legacy of Miles Davis. Ahead of the show, the iconic French trumpeter reflects on the unique energy of A38, his lifelong pursuit of musical freshness, and why, after more than three decades, the greatest risk is still to stand still.

Your last performance at A38 was in 2016, but you had already played here several times before that. What does this venue mean to you? Is there a particular memory that has stayed with you?
I love A38 because of the boat itself, the sound, and the audience. 

Many artists say A38 has a very unique atmosphere. How do you experience this space from the stage?
Some of my best videos were recorded at A38. There is a strong rock energy that you can really feel there, which works perfectly for a rock-jazz concert. 

You started playing very young, even performing with your father’s band as a child. When you think back to those early experiences, do you still recognize something of that first musical instinct in what you do today?
I can still recognize my sense of melody, which I developed at a very young age. The piece Szerelem, dedicated to Anett Hadhazy – a princess of Budapest – is a good example of this. 

Looking back at your journey – from post-bop roots to incorporating drum’n’bass, hip-hop, and global influences – it never feels as if you were simply following trends, but rather building a language of your own. Was there ever a moment when taking these directions felt like a risk?
The greatest risk in music is to repeat yourself and disappear. 

Over the course of a career spanning more than three decades, you’ve continuously redefined what the trumpet can express in a contemporary context. Has your relationship with the instrument changed over time? Do you still feel like you’re discovering new possibilities within it?
I work more and more on the trumpet. There are so many things to learn that my life will never be long enough. 

What still keeps you curious as an artist today? Is there something you’re still searching for, or perhaps something you refuse to settle for?
To renew myself, to keep a sense of freshness, to dive into both the past and the present in order to move forward into the future – this is my daily work. 

Now you’re returning to A38 for a special evening marking what would have been Miles Davis’ 100th birthday as a live reflection on his legacy. As someone whose musical path has often intersected with his spirit of experimentation, what does Miles Davis mean to you today?
Miles is a master who inspires me through his pursuit of perfection. He managed to transcend time, starting with Charlie Parker and later even engaging with Michael Jackson. He always had a sense of freshness, and for all of this, I respect and admire him.

You’ll be joining Barabás Lőrinc Quartet on stage, but your musical connection with Lőrinc goes back further. Do you remember how you first found each other musically? Was there a moment when it became clear that you shared a common language?
I met Lőrinc several years ago after a concert at A38, and he joined me on stage at the Balaton Festival two years ago; we move naturally between acoustic and pop jazz, so collaboration is easy. 

Outside of music, what feeds your imagination today? Is there something completely unrelated to jazz that has recently influenced how you think or create?
Books and movies are important, and politics as well – art is also political, and I am very happy about your last elections.