Gábor Gadó's music is borderland in every sense. Balancing on the border between contemporary music and jazz, his compositions seem as if he invented them in the moment, and his improvisations feel composed. In his compositions, which switch over into free playing, there is a pure and sublime beauty inspired by the classical music tradition, as well as a visceral, vibrant power of spontaneity. His meandering melodies are set in a multidimensional space by mysterious and intricate harmonies, interpreted in terms of modality and tonality. His pieces can come to life in any instrumentation, from solo to symphony orchestra; this evening they take on sonic form as a trio, also evoking the musical world of Gadó’s legendary recordings with Gábor Winand.

Gadó has been working with Belgian trumpeter Laurent Blondiau for almost two decades, and the duo released their 2018 album Veil and Quintessence on BMC Records. When Blondiau suggested that he would like to work with the young Belgian singer Sarah Klenes, Gadó came up with twenty previously unheard compositions that had never been performed in concert, and Blondiau was unaware of their existence. The trio premiered the newly unfolded repertoire in Belgium in June, and now it’s time for the Budapest audience to hear it.