Aurel Richter was born in Budapest, on June 3^rd, 1870. He studied under Karl Lotz, a Hungarian, and a member of the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna.

His early commissions were as a painter and illustrator in Budapest. Richter's story was not that of a struggling artist. Born to a wealthy family, he had little motivation to exhibit and sell his paintings. In spite of this, he produced a large body of work during his lifetime.

The Jazz Band is a fine example of Richter's selective use of Cubist techniques within a representational composition. His fractured instrument conveys the motion of his performance.

The rich spectrum of Richter's palette, colors both strong and subdued, enabled him to control the mood and emotional impact of his paintings.