An Autumn of Jazz in the Czech Republic

The lovers of jazz can visit a few festivals specialized in this musical genre in the Czech Republic.

The oldest festival of its kind in the country, Slány Jazz Days, will be celebrating its 42nd year.On 14-16 November 2008 the Grand Town Centre, the Town Theatre and the Chapel of the Town Museum will host concerts by the legendary trumpet player Dusko Goykovich with the František Uhlíř trio, American guitarist Adam Rafferty, the group of bass guitar player Fernando Saunders, and singer Yvonne Sanchez with her international Brazilian Groove group.The Czech jazz scene will be represented by the Luboš Andršt Blues Band, Fresh Uncles, the Big Band of St. Blaze, Los Rumberos, the Prague Conservatory Jazz Orchestra conducted by Milan Svoboda and others.Jazz Days will also include concerts in the foyer, Dixieland and blues jam sessions and an exhibition by painter Zdeňek Prokop.

The festival Jazz Goes to Town 2008 celebrates its fourteenth anniversary in Hradec Králové this year. Between 13 October and 18 October 2008 jazz will fill the concert hall at the Hradec Králové Philharmonic, the Aldis Congress Centre and at other venues in the city. On 17 October fans will be treated to performances by the New York jazz ensemble The Fonda/Stevens Group and the Luboš Andršt Band with pianist Emil Viklický. The closing concert on 19 October will feature the Prague Big Band, the Eric Truffaz Quartet from France, Ukrainian pianist Misha Alperina and Italian saxophonist Gianluigi Trovesi Ottetta.

Blues Alive will delight music lovers in the north Moravian town of Šumperk from 13 November to 16 November 2008. A trip to the foothills of the Jeseníky Mts. will be well worth your time. The festival will include performances by the talented young organist Ondřej Pivec, the guitarist with Czech roots and an American passport, Rudy Linka, the folk family duo known as the Stein Sisters, the Polish J. J. Band with friends and the famous American blues harmonica player James Cotton. Midnight jam sessions round out the schedule.

The 25th annual Czechoslovak Jazz Festival will be held 22-25 October 2008 at the Town Centre in Přerov. In addition to top Czech and Slovak performers, the festival will also feature concerts by American Bad Plus and the Count Basie Orchestra. The Alternativa Festival offers listeners an explosive mix of jazz, world music, alternative rock and experimental electronic music at Prague’s Archa Theatre and other venues from 21 to 29 November 2008.

The precise dates for the 32nd annual Prague International Jazz Festival have not yet been confirmed. As usual, concerts will be held in November at the Reduta Jazz Club and the Lucerna Music Bar. A new venue for this year’s festival will be the Hybernia Theatre. Festival organizers promise top musicians from around the world.