Mike and Jerome must be two of the hardest working and professional musicians in Budapest. Besides being in about 10 bands each, Jerome is now becoming a lead singer and a budding song-writer. His violin playing has really strengthened and complemented so many of the bands in town. I particularly liked the harmonies on "Gone" (JLTT) and "Trouble" (Ray LaMontagne), and the violin bits Jerome worked out for Mike's new signiature song "Treading Water" (MK). Still waiting to hear the finished recording of "Treading Water" with Sugar Rae Hammond! Other highlights included "Pure" (MK), "Gravel" (MK), "Gift Exchange" (MK), "So Much More" (MK), and what must have been a difficult to sing contrapuntal "Hyperballad" (Björk). It is also a bow to Mike's songwriting talents that the place was packed with other local musicians checking out what he has been up to lately.

You can catch these guys playing with alt.country rockers Mookie Brando and the Second Cousins tonight at the Trafik (former Frank Zappa) and Mike is playing with my favorite band The Random Chocolates  on Saturday night at Smiley's.

Jérôme Li-Thiao-Te drags his violin everywhere he can find people enjoying Music. In Budapest since 2008, he happily joined the Last Drops, Home Sessions, One More Round, The Poosta Ramblers, Madame Yeti Woman and enjoys playing with Zöldhullam and friends. From classical to contemporary music (taking part in Grecsó Zoltán’s Willany Leó Improvizációs Táncszínház), spoken word, barn rock, bluegrass and pop music, he likes to jump from one world to another.


Michael Kentish recently signed a publishing deal and is now working on a new album of heartfelt acoustic songs.The list of bands he's been with shows startling diversity, from the strutting britpop of Fabulon to the Latin crossover of caracasUnderpop. In the same vein he's now with alt. country Mookie Brando & the Second Cousins  as well as making his own crowd-pleasing anthems with The Random Chocolates.

Set List

1. Home Wherever (MK)
2. So Much More (MK)
3. Hyperballad (Björk)
4. Lost in Time (MK)
5. Tie Our Hearts (JLTT)
6. Cartagena (MK)
7. Gift Exchange (MK)
8. Don't Think Twice, It's All Right (Bob Dylan)

interval

9. Gravel (MK)
10. Nobody's Fault But My Own (Beck)
11. All of My Days (Alexi Murdoch)
12. Pure (MK)
13. Treading Water (MK)
14. Gone (JLTT)
15. Trouble (Ray LaMontagne)
16. Victoria Amazonica (MK)

Encore:
17. Wrong (MK)
18. Airbag (Radiohead)