About

As well as composing and playing original music and world music, Cobra Café also works on arts and educational projects in partnership with Portland Sculpture and Quarry Trust.

ESZTER LOVAS – flute

Composer and co-founder of Cobra Café

Eszter trained classically in Budapest, lived in Paris and Amsterdam before moving to the UK. She played with orchestras, with theatre and dance companies, and also formed her own trio and quartet.
She has been influenced by the music of various cultures, including Arabic jazz, Armenian and Latin American music, and later diverged towards forms of music where improvisation is involved. She performed with David Yengibarian, Hungary’s premier accordionist.
Eszter then took a break of several years to raise her children and to complete a PhD. Since moving to Dorset, she has performed and recorded with different musicians and bands before forming Cobra Café.

STEVE GARDEN – guitar

Steve has been working as a guitar player for over 40 year and has been involved in a variety of projects and musical styles. In the late 80s Steve joined an originals band, LGM, and enjoyed 5 years touring around Britain and Europe.

Since that time Steve has played in several tribute bands celebrating the music of, Steely Dan, Pink Floyd and The Police; again spending a lot of time playing in venues throughout Britain and Europe. Steve has always had a passion for jazz guitar and is now also playing with his instrumental guitar duo ‘Trip’ who have performed ten times at the Chelsea Flower Show, and currently play jazz standards and gypsy style jazz in a residency at Chaplin’s music venue in Boscombe.

ROLAND SMITH
Composer and co-funder

Roland has been a blues guitarist for several decades. He toured the UK, Germany, Norway and Ireland for twelve years appearing at venues such as Ronnie Scott’s in London and Birmingham and the 100 Club. He also had a live appearance on Ned Sherrin’s Loose Ends on Radio 4 and in other BBC shows. Later he toured for five years with American bluesman Big Bill Morganfield. He also toured and performed with American harmonica player Rock Bottom, then Dana Gillespie, Taka Boom, Screaming Lord Sutch, Duffy Power and Colin John.