Intuition: Libor Šmoldas Quartet & Bobby Watson

The Czech jazz scene is a marvellous place. If it wasn't you probably wouldn't be reading this website and I certainly would not be writing it. But scenes, bands and individual musicians need external influences if they are going to grow and develop. Without fresh ideas and fresh perspectives there is staleness and stagnation rather than excitement and innovation. Sometimes that fresh perspective is found by going abroad, whether for an extended stay or for shorter tours or scholarships, and sometimes it is found by bringing in players from around the world and integrating them into existing outfits. The Libor Šmoldas Quartet have plenty of miles on the tour clock, but by hooking up with Bobby Watson for a tour and studio album they've propelled themselves to the next level. Both the band and the recording are deserving of global attention.

Bobby Watson, a wizard of the alto sax who honed his craft in the demanding school of excellence that was Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, first encountered the Czech band at a party at a North Carolina jazz festival. The fit was right, and after a tour back in Europe the band, now as much a true Quintet as a Quartet plus guest, went into the studio to record Intuition. That was in 2012, and on July 1st 2013 the album was officially "christened" with ritual champagne at the Prague Proms, mid-way through a concert that brought joy and the "wow factor" in equal amounts to the prestigious Hybernia theatre.

Focusing on their new album they also provided continuity by including the Bobby Timmons piece "Moanin'", which had appeared as a bonus track on Libor's recent live album 18 days 2000 miles. There is no point trying to describe Watson's playing other than to say it was as good as you would expect it to be from one of the great living jazzmen. Every note was perfectly formed, every note told a story. He played like the devil when it was the right thing to do, before sitting down to add subtle ornamentation or take a few seconds of silent contemplation. His attention to detail was the hallmark of a true master, and some of his interactions with Šmoldas's were sublime. It was also clear how much he was enjoying the experience, especially towards the end of the set when he revisited the champagne table at the side of the stage to get some of the surplus left over from the album celebration, and frequently interacted with the members of the band as friends, not sidemen.

Of the new material, both on the CD and on the night, the delicate "Letter Home" (Šmoldas) is perhaps the most beautiful. Dedicated to his wife and children when he is away, this is where the connection between guitar and sax sounds at its most telepathically sensitive. Never mind the tempo, feel the quality. This is no collection of ballads though. "Side Steps" is a Watson piece, adapting elements of the similarly named Coltrane masterpiece, and "Off the Playground" (Šmoldas) is a fun slice of groove. "Twists and Turns" (Šmoldas) hints at jazz-rock, but thankfully stops short of full fusion silliness, and "Ferry Tale" (Šmoldas) is an unabashed tip of the hat to Art Blakey's legendary outfit. Drummer Tomáš Hobzek is up to the task here as elsewhere, with a light, busy touch that places interest and invention over raw power. Underpinning the lot is the acoustic bass of Josef Fečo, whose live performances seem to get more exuberant on a weekly basis. His solos are whole body events that would keep a demanding rock crowd amused, never mind jazz fans who do not expect much in the way of spectacle, and they always go down a storm. These are no cheap tricks though, and he is a bassist of quality who is very much one of the stars of his generation.

Pianist Petr Beneš sometimes got lost in the live mix, but can be heard clearly on the album. His own composition, "5:15 In The Morning" is a wistful little tune and gives Watson the backdrop for an especially soaring improvisation. Not everyone in the band can fit under the spotlight at the same time, but if you listen to what he is playing under the others he is important in the overall texture of the sound.

There were few, if any, left unmoved in the Prague Proms audience by the time the band were through. Some overwhelming names can be underwhelming in their presence, but Watson had the unmistakable aura of legend about him and it emanated from his playing, not an ego. The most satisfying thing for anyone who cares about the local branch of the jazz world was that his presence was bringing the best out of the rest of the band, bringing them into his light rather than overshadowing them. His respect and fondness for these young men from a country a long way from Kansas makes the music feel good. I hope the promo guys in the States and the UK are going to run with this one, and that Watson continues to mentor the band from within. The potential is huge.

Intuition was released on NEW PORT LINE (NPL 0013-04) and more information can be found here.

Recent Releases (Part 1)

This blog may have been in hibernation over the last few months but the Czech jazz and blues world didn't stop turning, and some noteworthy albums were released by some of the biggest names on the local scene. Here then is the first part of our roundup of the best recent albums and re-releases. 


Prague's very own Chicago bluesman, Rene Trossman, returned to the studio to produce the upbeat I'm On a Roll. This is a full-blown, lush-sounding Chicago blues experience, featuring the swirling Hammond of long-time collaborator Jan Kořínek, the funky, clipped bass of Jan Tengler, and a horn section with enough punch to win a barroom fight. Rene is sounding happy here, with the title track an exuberant celebration of winning at life and "Down at Rosa's" paying tribute to one of Chicago's most famous blues venues.


Even the love songs, and this being the blues they aren't songs of happy ever after, are free of bitterness. "I Still Think About You", sung as a duet with Lenka Novotná, is a fusion of joyful playing and heartbreaking lyrics. "You Sure Left In A Hurry" is exactly the story you'd expect it to be, but Rene sings as the affected but worldly-wise and accepting participant rather than the pathetic struggling victim.


This album makes you feel good. The musicianship is as excellent as you would expect it to be, with Rene's Strat coming through loud and clear.  Nine of the eleven songs are originals, and creativity was clearly high when they were written. No fillers, and all good stuff. There's always an edge to Trossman's work, the edge of a man who has lived a lot and got hurt along the way but is still standing. If there is an overall message to this album it is that love is not easy and the world is not right, but that's not going to keep a good man (or a good guitarist) down for long.


More information about Rene and I'm On a Roll can be found here.


Jan Kořínek also appears on Daily Specials, an instrumental album by American guitarist and producer Steve Walsh. Joined this time by Tomáš Liška on bass and Daniel Šoltis on drums, this is a recording blending jazz, blues, rock and a little bit of country (see the delicate "A Little Piece of Tennessee" for proof).


Highlights include an absolutely storming version of Duke Ellington's "Blue Pepper" and the aggressive "Conjunction Mars" (Melvin Sparks).  Walsh plays with a dirty, fuzzy tone that takes up a lot of space. Liška is the unsung hero, holding his own with an acoustic bass in an electric band.


There's nothing on Daily Specials that is going to change your life, but it is interesting enough to make it worth a listen. International collaborations are good things, and we're in favour of anything that spreads the word and shows musicians around the world just how good the Czech players are. It would have been a better album if they'd taken a few more risks and let things hang out a bit more, but there are plenty of moments to make you smile. 

More information on Daily Specials here.


Continuing with the transatlantic theme, but this time with Czechs in America rather than the other way round, we have 18 Days, 2000 Miles by the Libor Šmoldas Quartet. This album was recorded during a studio break on their 2011 USA tour, a tour that lasted and covered... well.. you can guess. Although it is a studio album the Quartet were in full live performance mode,and so it does feel like a live recording with the audience silenced.


Libor has blossomed as a guitarist over recent years, and here he is heard with his fellow ex-Organic Quartet bandmate Tomáš Hobzek on drums, Petr Beneš on piano and Josef Fečo on acoustic bass. It is very much a no-nonsense modern jazz album, with cohesive ensemble playing and skillful solos. The standout piece is the absolutely gorgeous "Lenka", written by Fečo, a sophisticated ballad that opens with a melodic and perfectly judged bass solo.  There is no trickery here, no attempts at being overly clever, just a reminder that there are still good things for musicians to say when they open their hearts.


There is a joyfulness about Libor's guitar playing that is conveyed well on this record, and he can swing and bop with the best of them. One moment paying tribute to Wes Montgomery with his own composition, the next performing a credible interpretation of John Carisi's "Israel", this is a cool album to listen to on a hot summer's day.


A taste of the band's genuinely live sound is provided by the bonus track, "Moanin'" (Bobby Timmons) with special guest and ex-Jazz Messenger Bobby Watson on sax. They do the event justice, and once again Czech musicians perform credibly alongside world-famous counterparts. 


Read more about Libor at his website.




The second part of our overview of interesting recent releases is coming soon, so do stick around...

Review: Libor Šmoldas Quartet

Reduta
18th July 2011

One of the most interesting parts of following a local jazz scene is seeing the younger musicians grow and develop into interesting and respected artists. Libor Šmoldas first appeared on the PJ radar as a member of Organic Quartet: a good outfit but not the easiest place for the guitarist to make his own voice heard. Libor is now an established player in his own right, with his Quartet that performs regularly in the Czech Republic and also undertook a three-week tour of America.

In his band he has fellow Organic Quarteter Tomáš Hobzek (drums), pianist Petr Beneš and bassist Josef Fečo. Fečo is currently one of the hottest bassists in the country, working with the likes of Karel Růžička, Zuzana Lapčíková and Emil Viklický. He was a decent player when we first saw him five years ago, but now he is electrifying.

Playing at Reduta can be a strange one. Sometimes there's only a handful of people in the audience, sometimes it can be packed. This was an unpromising Monday night but even so the tourist groups filled out the benches, recently transformed from their traditional green to a plush and slightly disreputable red. There were a few locals too, and a few guys from the annual Czech Jazz Workshop where Libor was teaching. The band started unusually: on time and with a joke.

Not many jazz musicians chat with the audience during concerts. A lot smile and nod, most introduce some of the songs, and a couple communicate solely through the language of music. Libor was chatty throughout the show, asking which languages the audience spoke, introducing the songs with stories and dedications, and generally inviting the audience into his musical world. A nice touch, immediately making the Quartet a band that you want to like and want to see fly.

The setlist was primarily original compositions, most of which were penned by Šmoldas himself. “Blues in the Shower” (L. Šmoldas) was an uncompromising way to start: fast, syncopated, alternating broken patterns that rested uneasy on the ear with extended solo passages. Šmoldas's style is smooth and sweet, bebop-style jazz guitar rather than rougher, blusier playing, and he can produce an astonishing number of notes from seemingly no physical motion.

The Quartet moved through a balanced sequence of different styles. “On The Playground” (L. Šmoldas) was a funky groove ridden into submission. “Lenka”, written by the bassist and named after his wife, was a romantic and tuneful piece introduced by a well-crafted bass solo. Fečo is capable of working melody out of his instrument as well as well as rhythm, occasionally taking the lead as others fell in behind.

Hobzek has matured into an explosive drummer, his solos fired out with a rockier edge and his sound clear during ensemble playing. Beneš on the other hand was a bit lost in the mix, although he did produce some enjoyable passages and his own composition, “Waiting for Art”, was a pleasing dose of rippling piano occasionally rising into turbulent crescendo. The song title was given with full explanation: Art was the name of a dog. Despite the sophistication of their music this outfit is as unpretentious as it is friendly. It is also fun.

There were lots of moments that raised a smile from the keen observer. Fečo's total commitment: he seemed to be bodily absorbed into his distinctive cut-off travel bass. Tricksy endings that were beyond prediction. The competition to get the last note. Mischievous collusion in the rhythm section during the piano and guitar solos. Good stuff. Live music.

The quality of the writing was also commendable “Lyndian Blues” (L. Šmoldas) is as sweet a melody as anything I've heard in a long time, and “One For Kenny Burrell” (L. Šmoldas) is a sparky guitarist’s workout. There were very few songs during the night that didn't contain one of those "special moments"  either in the playing or in the tune itself.

The Libor Šmoldas Quartet are a band worth seeing, and definitely a band to keep an eye on in the future. Their Live At Jazz Dock album, free to download from Libor's site,was recorded in 2010. They sound good on there, but they sounded even better at Reduta.

CD Review: Your Turn!

Free!

Anyone who says that there is no such thing as a free lunch has never gatecrashed a wedding reception. Anyone who says that there is no such thing as free music has never been to the website of guitarist Libor Šmoldas. The former member of Organic Quartet is giving away his Live At Jazz Dock album for free, although you can make a financial contribution if you feel so inclined.

We at PJ spend a lot of time telling you how great Czech jazz is so it would be interesting to hear your opinions on Libor's album. You can download it at http://www.liborsmoldas.cz/en/download - just follow the instructions on his website. Give it a listen and please leave a comment to let us (and the world) know what you think!