Vladimíra Krčková - The Rich Man Has Gone

Vladimíra Krčková Quartet - "Go For A Rich Man"
Jazz Dock
30.05.2013

Vladimíra Krčková is not your typical young female jazz singer with a band. For a start, her voice is far better than that of a typical singer. You don't get a Berklee scholarship because you're about up to banging out "The Girl from Ipanema" in a hotel bar. The strength and versatility of her voice frees her up to use some of the best musicians on the local scene and let them really play, rather than be backed by blandness in cheap suits. She is also willing to take risks and follow her creative instincts, both in her compositions and the presentation of her shows.

Krčková made her name singing standards, but in 2012 she unveiled her new project, Go For a Rich Man, an album of original songs and associated tour. Rather than play it safe as many artists do, shyly throwing a couple of recent songs into a tried and tested live set then getting back to familiar ground as quickly as possible, she presented the album as a whole and in sequence. This gave the show a strong thematic identity, but may also be the reason why Thursday was the final outing for the Rich Man show. Like a less mental, more jazzy Ziggy Stardust, she has felt the call of a new direction and is terminating her current incarnation.

The live Rich Man band is the same one as on the album: Adam Tvrdý on guitar, the seemingly omnipresent Petr Dvorský on acoustic bass and Jan Linhart on drums. As is so often the case the live versions, stripped of the studio as an instrument, had a simpler sound but packed more of a punch. Opener "Five Forty Two" sounded better without the double tracked vocals; there is a lot going on musically as the band plays at full throttle and maximum jazz, and the purer sound of her untampered voice cut through cleanly. The more ethereal effects of the album sound great through headphones, but would get lost in a venue offering anything less than perfectly balanced acoustics. "Go For A Rich Man", the title track, sounded better too. Built over some monster riffs from Dvorský that are too quiet on the album but pleasingly robust live, it has a cheeky chorus that could easily emerge from your radio and let the jazz diva flirt with being a rock chick.

Krčková is not afraid to try out different styles. There was some straight-down-the-line jazz: "Why the Nights Are So Bright" is a great strum'n'brushes ballad. Other songs retain the improvisation and jazz sensibilities (this band can turn on a penny and will do so at the slightest opportunity - no hotel bar complacency here) but have a more modern and mainstream flavour. "Inner Flights" could sell to the general public if it was marketed well, and "Tattoo Girl" again veered towards a rock sound, this time with Tvrdý's guitar slipping into a harsher mode.

We got a snapshot of the future at the end of the concert, with two new songs from the upcoming project. Both were at the more accessible end of the spectrum, but the guitar - vocal duet of "I'm So Afraid To Love" brought absolute silence to the Jazz Dock audience for the first time I can remember. Ah yes... the Jazz Dock talkers. What is the serious music enthusiast to do? You can't pretend they don't exist, and you can't hit them in the face with a flaming shovel until they die. Or so I'm told.

If Vladimíra Krčková pursues her next project with the same thoroughness that she did Rich Man it is unlikely that most of these songs will get much of an airing in the near future. The show is over but the album remains, and if you want to to hear an interesting take on modern vocal jazz it is highly recommended. Her lyrics are as beautiful as they are poetic (very little "boy meets girl", lots of goings on behind closed hotel doors and being sleazed up by slimeballs) and her work is yet further evidence that the jazz scene in Prague is still real and still producing good young acts to follow in the footsteps of the established greats.

The album is easily found on Spotify or can be bought from Amazon.

Jazz After The Castle

Lew Tabackin and the Emil Viklický Trio
Autoklub České Republiky
23.05.13

As President of the Czech Republic, Václav Klaus may have irritated the environmentalists but he delighted his fellow jazz lovers by hosting monthly concerts at Prague Castle. There were 90 Jazz na Hradě concerts in all, performed in the Castle state rooms and gardens, where some of the biggest names in world jazz performed alongside the cream of the Czech scene. While lacking the closeness and informality of club gigs, these prestigious showcases demonstrated Klaus's personal commitment to the music, and the associated sponsorship allowed a Prague audience to see players who would otherwise be unlikely to drop by. They also had the advantage that even the densest of tourists understood that this was a concert, not an opportunity to talk loudly and eat crisps, and so music could occur against a blank sonic canvas, not a symphony of morons.

New President Miloš Zeman has not continued with Jazz na Hradě but the concept, the logo, some of the organisers and the man himself have relocated. Under the title of Jazzová KLAUSura, the new concert series kicked off at the Autoklub České Republiky with American flute and tenor sax maestro Lew Tabackin. He needed a band to play with, and when the Czech Republic needs a pianist you know that Emil Viklický will probably get a phone call. With Petr Dvorský on acoustic bass and Tomáš Hobzek on drums, Tabackin had a band with which he could speak the language of music even if he couldn't pronounce their surnames.

It worked. This Czech trio were able to keep up with Tabackin through his own compositions as well as the standard songbook, and while he was the star of the show he also had star quality behind him too. The originals included "Desert Lady", the title track of his 1990 album held together with evocative flute work, and the hard swinging and smile-inducing "B flat". There were a couple of superb Duke Ellington interpretations, "Self Portrait (of the Bean)" and "Sunset and the Mocking Bird", which were performed with exuberance and panache, his virtuoso improvisations stretching out far beyond the recorded originals. Stalking around, stamping the stage and generally being cool, this was ninety minutes of music that started well and got even better as the band played itself in.

Everybody got some time in the solo spotlight and nobody abused it. Hobzek is maturing into an excellent drummer, making good on the potential he showed when he was with the Organic Quartet, Dvorský is one of the must-have bass names working in the country at the moment, and Emil is Emil. As much as we love his usual concerts it is always interesting to see a musician you know well doing something completely different, and it is unusual to see him in the role of sideman. He provided sophisticated but unselfish accompaniment, listening and responding to Tabackin, and that connection made the show so much more than just a star and some hired hands.

The Autoklub is smaller than the halls of Prague Castle, but what is lost in swank is gained in intimacy. Klaus had a smaller entourage and he was happily talking to people before and after the music. The lone protection officer stayed out of the way, enjoying his earpiece and radio, and while there were still some VIPs they were there for the music rather than to be seen and photographed. The machinery around Jazzová KLAUSura is just starting up. Hopefully there will be a web page soon, and a bit more promotion. It would have been easy for Klaus and the organisers to look back at almost a hundred Castle gigs and decide that it was time for the music to stop. Jazz enthusiasts in Prague should be happy that this did not happen, and although the new setting is less glamorous it may well turn out to provide an even better experience for the true music fan.

Infinite Quintet on YouTube

Given that their album was reviewed on Prague Jazz last month, and that they are playing in Prague in January (see the last GigTips for details), here are a few video clips of the very promising Infinite Quintet.

On Czech television:


At Reduta:


In Berlin:

CD Review: Speak Slowly

Infinite Quintet
Animal Music / ANI 014-2, 2009


Speak Slowly is the first album to be released by Infinite Quintet, but flicking through the liner notes you could be forgiven for thinking otherwise. Their names and faces are nothing if not familiar to anyone who frequently attends jazz gigs in Prague. Miroslav Hloucal leads the outfit on trumpet and flugelhorn, with Petr Kalfus (saxophones) and Viliam Béreš (piano) also featuring prominently. The rhythm section consists of the excellent bassist Petr Dvorský and drummer Martin Novák. A ubiquitous bunch who, if a supergroup of young Czech jazzers was to be assembled, would all be strong candidates for inclusion.

Although Hloucal wrote the majority of the compositions he does not unduly dominate proceedings. This album has a strong feeling of collaboration and the combination of talents. Hloucal plays sweetly and often with an edge of melancholy, also echoed by Kalfus. While not an especially slow recording it does have an atmosphere of contemplation that makes it seem to belong to the small hours of the morning, regardless of the time of day that it is actually played.

The first track, "Ghost Town" (V. Béreš), opens with a twangy bass rhythm and delicate drum pattern before Hloucal and Kalfus come in with a lilting melody that endures. They spend a lot of time on this album working together, two intertwining strands of sound. It works well, with the different tones of woodwind and brass contrasting nicely. There is no rush. Plenty of space is left. Béreš's solo is unhurried, even when nudged along from behind. The saxophone solo is high and nimble, the ensemble playing has depth.

"Night Callin´" (M. Hloucal) is one of the more interesting pieces on Speak Slowly. It features some delicate interplay between Béreš and Kalfus before the former teams up with Dvorský at the bottom end, providing a broken pattern over which a legato melody is layered. It is another spacey composition with all five members managing not to trip up over each other.

There are some lighter shades on this recording. "Cup of Bb" (M. Hloucal) has whimsical moments, fed by a playful piano line. "Song For P.K." (M. Hloucal) has periods that are almost strident and chaotic (in an understated sort of way), with Kalfus getting a good workout. "Gaza" (V. Béreš) swirls enjoyably, bubbling with pacey staccato attacks.

"Gone So Fast" (Petr Kalfus) is not one of the lighter shades. Dedicated by the writer to his father, it starts with ambient effects and haunting piano. Novák goes for the brushes. Emphatic and grandiose chords give way to an expressive saxophone solo. Dvorský pitches it just right when it is his chance to go alone. While the musicianship on this album is of a generally high standard it is his consistent contributions that so often stand out as worthy of note.

Hloucal steps out into the spotlight on the title track, "Speak Slowly" (M. Hloucal), stretching himself on what is ironically one of the quicker pieces. It is also ironic that it is this playing that shows up the album's weak point most clearly: it never really lets rip. It never goes balls-to-the-wall fury. There's never a point where the listener utters an involuntary curse of amazement and rewinds to listen again. The music is introspective and thoughtful and often beautiful, but there's always a feeling that it is never quite in top gear. It isn't that sort of recording.

Speak Slowly is therefore not the most exciting album in the world, but it is a satisfying début with plenty of moments to grab the attention. What it does it does well, and it will be worth following this outfit to see where it goes from here. It will also be interesting to see how their live shows develop, and what music they choose to compliment the material from the album. There is a lot of talent in this band. It is worth taking seriously.