The Budapest Café Orchestra
The Budapest Café Orchestra
Refreshingly unconventional and snappily attired, the Budapest Café Orchestra plays gypsy and folk-flavoured music in their unique and surprising way. From Balkan and Russian traditional music to their artful distillations of Romantic masterworks to soaring Gaelic folk anthems, the Budapest Café Orchestra is an infectious musical experience like none other.
Fifteen albums to their name, the Budapest Café Orchestra was established by British composer and violinist Christian Garrick in 2009. A diminutive ensemble of just four players, the BCO creates an astonishing soundscape and aural alchemy characteristic of larger ensembles, combining violin, guitar, accordion, double bass, saz, balalaika, domra and percussion to dazzling effect.
Evoking vivid images of Tzigane fiddle maestros, Budapest café life and gypsy campfires (plus a few surprises along the way) this is a display of hugely entertaining, immense skill, and profound musicianship.
“Not so much a band name as a whole genre of its own, Budapest Café Orchestra embraces an encyclopaedia of music and mischief.” SCOTSMAN
“Your music is really great.” – Helena Bonham Carter
“Their arrangements are brilliant, their improvisations inspired. Their humour and, on occasion, sheer silliness hides a real brilliance of execution. In every bit of the material the charming irony hides really serious and focussed music-making. This is entertainment of a high order.” – Sir Roger Norrington
“The music is magic in their hands.” – Sean Rafferty, BBC Radio 3
“Absolutely acoustically electrifying!” – Time Out
“The fiery vivacity and awe-inspiring musicianship of the finest purveyors of Eastern European gypsy music this side of a Lada scrap heap will leave you with a grin on your face and rhythm in your feet…” – Times
“The Budapest Café Orchestra play a blistering barrage of Czardas, East European and Russian folk tunes that might have come from the Hot Club of Paris via the Orient Express!” – Brighton Argus
“Mascara rearrangers.” – Fran Riley