Highlights Budapest 20/21

Highlights Budapest 20/21 was created with the purpose to provide insight into those emblematic clubs of the Hungarian capital where the city’s jazz life is normally concentrated but whose doors are now closed due to the pandemic. The online concert tour doesn’t only fill the rooms of these iconic clubs with music again, but also brings clubs, owners and managers closer to the audience as each episode includes interviews and behind-the-scenes footage with the personnel of each venue.

Modern Art Orchestra occupies these legendary stages with the big band formation and plays contemporary jazz compositions that were created during the previous year of the pandemic.

Each concert is a premiere too, as MAO musicians present melodies and compositions never heard before. During the concert movie, the audience has the chance to spectate beautiful cutscenes shot between the walls of these iconic Budapest jazz clubs. In-between interviews make the concert streams even more interesting – club owners, artistic directors, managers and technicians tell us about their experiences during the pandemic and reflect on how they lived through these extreme circumstances.

The following legendary jazz clubs will be presented in Highlights Budapest 20/21, each with a contemporary jazz concert:

Budapest Jazz Club, Opus Jazz Club, If Cafe, Nyitott Műhely, Patyolat Próbaüzem, Jedermann Jazz Club.

The series airs once a month on the Modern Art Orchestra YouTube channel.