Christian Garrick & the
Budapest Café Orchestra
are:
CHRISTIAN GARRICK – violin, darbuka
MURRAY GRAINGER – accordion
KELLY CANTLON – double bass
ADRIAN ZOLOTUHIN – guitar, saz, balalaika, domra
Biography
In 2009 Christian Garrick established the refreshingly unconventional and snappily attired Budapest Café Orchestra with the intention to present a
broad range of music from all over the world in the most entertaining and fun way.
BCO perform all their music from memory. Combined their
trademark wit and charm, audiences are left tingling with warmth, delight and amazement.
BCO are one of the very busiest acoustic groups for me today playing an average of 75 shows per annum. Since their inception they have recorded
one album every year and in January 2025 made their 16th waxing Goulash Supernova.
BCO are frequent guests to BBC Radio 3’s In Tune.
Each member of the orchestra is a freelance musician in their own right. Adrian teaches school-age musicians of all standards and is curator of the
fabled Imperial Balalaika Orchestra of Overton. Christian is a professor of jazz violin at Guildhall School of Music, Royal Academy of Music, and Royal
College of Music in London. Murray is one of UK’s most in-demand accordionistas often working with Opera North and The Haar. Kelly is a veteran
bassist who was once a Vagabond of Northern Soul icons Jimmy James & The Vagabonds.
From a musical family with jazz and classical learnings Christian Garrick is musical director of BCO and his influences run far and wide. He first
discovered Hungarian and Romanian folk and gypsy music listening to Sandor Lakatos and Taraf du Haidouks.
Christian’s arrangements for BCO of
Rachmaninoff, Tchaikovsky and Greig - the so called ‘squeezebox concertos’ - are rooted in BCO folklore. His arrangements of traditional Gaelic tunes
on the album The Gaelic Chronicles was met with critical acclaim with the likes of Cerys Matthews and Mark Radcliffe both championing the disc on
their respective radio shows. Christian is influenced by a range of fiddlers from Grappelli to Stuff Smith to Indian virtuosos L Shankar and L
Subramaniam. Nigel Kennedy, a sometimes collaborator with Christian on stage, described him as “one of my favourite violinists. Christian’s own
unique hybrid playing style, sheer emotional passion and extraordinary improvisational abilities thrills audiences everywhere.
"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
“Back by popular demand, 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 Cafe 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
"THEIR VIRTUOSIC SKILL, HILARIOUS SENSE OF HUMOUR AND UNDOUBTED SENSITIVITY
KEPT THE PACKED AUDIENCE SPELLBOUND. AMAZING ....UNLIKE ANY OTHER BAND THAT I
HAVE EVER HEARD." Ely Standard
Mascara rearrangers.” Fran Riley
“They make the world a better place.“ Bob Misto, Nevada, U.S.
“BCO are a tonic to the eardrums and boost to the soul.” NME
ONLINE
For more information please visit there website here
Event Information
Accessible Seating is available from the box office in person, or by calling 01404 384050, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
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