GigTips: May 2011

There are so many jazz gigs in Prague that it would be impossible to list all the good ones, even with careful selection to weed out the routine and the mundane. Instead we offer you a handful of gigs each month that we feel could be of special interest.

Najponk has been making waves since his return to the scene, and on 13/5 he will be appearing at U Malého Glena. You can read about the resurrection of Najponk on Czech Position.

If, after reading this month's album review, you're in the mood for a bit of live Emil Viklický then he will be playing at AghaRTA Jazz Centrum on 12/5. Also at AJC this month you can see the Robert Balzar Trio on 1/5 and the Karel Růžička Quartet on 21/5. Karel's distinctive piano playing is loaded with dark beauty and uncompromised feeling, and it is always worth experiencing.

If you want even more Emil he will be appearing once again at a Jazz na Hradě concert. This time it is a star-studded tribute to Miles Davis:

Our final recommendation is for a Trio of musicians: one Czech, one American, and one Iranian. Martin Kratochvíl (piano) is best known for the founding the legendary Jazz Q, and he is joined by
Tony Ackerman on guitar and Imram Musa Zangi on percussion at Reduta on 7/5. It is sure to be a night of good music and entertainment - Zangi is always worth watching!

If you go to any of the gigs listed here please let us know what you thought, and please do tell the venue that you saw the gig tipped on Prague Jazz.

Video: Piňa co. & Lada

As part of PJ's mission to bring interesting artists to a wider audience we are happy to showcase two videos of vocal jazz outfit Piňa co. & Lada.

The band is based around a core of singer Lada Soukupová and bassist Filip Benešovský. Filip was the organiser and star of The Wall 2009, featuring Harry Waters on keyboards, in which Lada also performed. They don't do many gigs because the band has to fit around the prior commitments of its members, but  they would surely go down a storm in places like Jazz Dock. Indeed Filip and Lada joined Harry Waters on stage there in April for two songs and were very well received. Do look out for them and give them your support.

Not The End

The last year has been a time of personal and professional changes. Between buying and furnishing a new flat, and coping with reforms in the Czech education framework, I was out of time and out of energy. There's little worse than a job done badly, and so instead of watching the Prague Jazz blog limp along like a dying dog I chose to put it down: a cocktail of relief and sadness in equal measure.

The changes, fates willing, have subsided. Nobody came forward to take over the website and continue its mission of bringing detailed coverage of the Prague jazz scene to an English-speaking audience. And so the inevitable decision has been made and, from the new PJHQ penthouse on the western edge of the city, Prague Jazz will resume shortly .

The format will be slightly different from the previous incarnation, with monthly updates including album and gig reviews, video highlights, and gig recommendations. There will also be a short monthly editorial commenting on aspects of Czech jazz scene. Between these updates you can follow PJ news, comment on albums you've bought and gigs you've enjoyed, and generally chat Czech jazz on our Facebook page. If you're an enthusiastic Twit then drop me a line at @tonyemmerson.

The first update should be live on April 25th. It is good to be back. I hope you come with me for the ride...

The End?

With a great deal of sadness I have decided to discontinue Prague Jazz, for now at least.

This is in no way because of a lapse in enthusiasm for the music of this great city. My love of the music is as strong as before, and you will still see me around at the front tables of Prague's clubs, enjoying the world-class jazz that is on offer.

However the world moves on around music, and changes in my personal and work lives have left me without the time or the energy to meaningfully continue the website. It is a labour of love, and while labours of love are tremendously satisfying they do not pay the mortgage or secure a pension.

If there is anybody out there who wishes to continue the work I have started here then please get in touch. I will leave the website up so that new visitors who are interested in the Prague jazz scene can read my thoughts. Of course I am always ready to talk Czech jazz with anyone out there, so please don't be strangers.

Last of all, my deep and sincere thanks to the people on the scene who have helped me so much with support both moral and practical. Their kindness and their willingness to accept me into their world was truly touching. They made the experience so much more than I ever hoped it could be. My friends, thank you.

You will never know how much it meant.

You will will never know how much it still means.

Live in Vienna - U.S. Distribution

Our American readers will be happy to discover that Emil Viklický's excellent Live in Vienna album is available via the Blue Horse Trading Company. Blue Horse Trading is currently the exclusive U.S. distributor of this and other Cube-Metier releases. Follow the link to order your copy today!