The sounds of Hungarian cafe life and gypsy campfires to ring out at the Apex

The Budapest Café Orchestra, led by jazz violin Christian Garrick, is set to make an appearance at the Apex, in Bury St Edmunds, next month.

Their show evokes images of fiddle maestros, Hungarian café life and gypsy campfires as the band whirl their way through traditional folk and gypsy flavoured music from across the Balkans and Russia, with immense skill and profound musicianship.

This aural alchemy comes from a small but impeccably formed orchestra of just four musicians, playing violin, guitar, accordion, double bass, saz and balalaika.

The set list features mournful Klezmer melodies, raucous Romanian Doinas, Hungarian Czadas and beautiful ballads, including the theme to Schindler’s List.

Accordionist Eddie Hession has accompanied Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras and Chris Rea.

Christian Garrick has played with the likes of Dame Cleo Laine and Sir John Dankworth, Nigel Kennedy and Caro Emerald.

Adrian Zolotuhin is a master of the strummed strings of domra, balalaika, guitar and saz and veteran bass-man Kelly Cantlon found fame in the late 1960s with northern soul sensations Jimmy James and the Vagabonds.

The Budapest Café Orchestra will be at the Apex on Thursday, February 3, at 7.30pm, seewww.theapex.co.uk or ring 01284 758000 for more information or to book tickets.