GigTips: October 2008

October is here and it is going to get cold soon: time to pull out the winter clothes and try to remember where you put the electric blanket! While it may mean the end of the outdoor concert season we have had some great ones this year, and the snug warmth of underground jazz clubs is a good place to be when darkness falls. It is also a lull in the tourist season, and as such a time for Prague's resident jazz fans to reclaim the clubs as their own. While of course the tourist throngs do bring in genuine enthusiasts and lots of revenue, they also bring in yammering fools who only stop talking in order to fire a flashgun into the face of the singer. Prague is one of the few cities in the world with a thriving indigenous jazz scene, and the best way that local music fans can support this is by going to lots of gigs, buying lots of records, and showing their love by listening intently and applauding appreciatively.

There are some very special gigs this month, with Jazz v Rudolfinu (8/10) and Chick Willis appearing with the Rene Trossman Band at USP Jazz Lounge (16/10). Further details of both gigs can be found in recent postings on Prague Jazz. Meanwhile at the Lucerna Music Bar, under the aegis of the AghaRTA autumn jazz festival, master guitarist Luboš Andršt celebrates both turning 60 earlier this year and releasing his new Moment In Time album with a guest-studded concert (14/10).

We at Prague Jazz seldom recommend going to Reduta. It may have been the home of the Clinton/Havel jam (with Robert Balzar on bass), but 300CZK is a bit steep as an entry cost and 80CZK for a beer is just damn silly. However, occasionally, there is someone performing there for whom it is worth enduring the tourist treatment, and this certainly includes Eva Svobodová (5/10). Forget the wallet-hoovering and just enjoy her alluring smokey velvet voice. It is also worth checking out the record shop that does have a very good collection of local music, including Eva's superb Fine and Mellow.

Two other female vocalists to see this month are Miriam Bayle (29/10) at USP Jazz Lounge, and folk/jazz queen Pavla Milcová (1/10) at AghaRTA Jazz Centrum.

Please remember to book ahead if you want to be sure of getting a seat. And please do tell the venue that you saw the gig recommended here.