Eastern Europe Jazz Musicians thread

[rockefeller center]

Die Österreich 1 Jazznacht, Samstag, 10. Juli 2004, 22:35 Uhr

Jiri Stivin and Pierre Favre live at the Festival "Jazz goes to Town" in Prague.

1979 gaben der Saxofonist und Flötist Jiri Stivin, einer der Stars der tschechischen Jazzszene und der Schweizer Schlagzeuger Pierre Favre ein Duo-Konzert in Prag. 20 Jahre später standen sie wieder gemeinsam auf der Bühne, diesmal auf der Bühne eines Festivals in Prag. 20 Years After lautete das Motto dieses Konzerts. Herbert Uhlir stellt in der Jazznacht auch Neuigkeiten vor.

http://oe1.orf.at/programm/20040710223500.html

[king ubu]

Die Österreich 1 Jazznacht, Samstag, 10. Juli 2004, 22:35 Uhr

Jiri Stivin and Pierre Favre live at the Festival "Jazz goes to Town" in Prague.

1979 gaben der Saxofonist und Flötist Jiri Stivin, einer der Stars der tschechischen Jazzszene und der Schweizer Schlagzeuger Pierre Favre ein Duo-Konzert in Prag. 20 Jahre später standen sie wieder gemeinsam auf der Bühne, diesmal auf der Bühne eines Festivals in Prag. 20 Years After lautete das Motto dieses Konzerts. Herbert Uhlir stellt in der Jazznacht auch Neuigkeiten vor.

http://oe1.orf.at/programm/20040710223500.html

sounds good! Hope I'll be home then to record it!

[A Lark Ascending]

Anyone familiar with pianist Béla Szakcsi Lakatos from Hungary? I think this is his latest disc which I have my eye on:

He's currently working in the UK with bass player Arnie Somogyi as part of a large Anglo-Hungarian group the latter has put together. When I saw him a couple of months back he was superb, shifting between straight jazz, classical and Hungarian folk styles and his contributions to the 'Improvokation' CD that I've raved over elsewhere are marvellous.

I'm keen to hear more of him.

[couw]

Anyone familiar with pianist Béla Szakcsi Lakatos from Hungary?

is he related to alto player Deszö Lakatos? I know they did record together once.

Béla did a lot of folk inspired classical interpretations/variations as well AFAIK. Worked at the opera house, things like that.

[Michael Fitzgerald]

Béla Szakcsi Lakatos was a new name to me when I was doing work on the Attila Zoller discography for my website. He plays on one of Zoller's very last recordings, made in Budapest, along witih Aladár Pege, Sr. (b) and Imre Köszegi (d). Issued on Enja.

Mike

Edited July 7, 2004 by Michael Fitzgerald

[EKE BBB]

Have we mentioned Krzysztof Komeda & Zbigniew Namyslowski ?

[rockefeller center]

Dusty Groove:

Incredible modern jazz from the Polish scene of the 60s -- a rare album by pianist Andrzej Trzaskowski, featuring work by American trumpeter Ted Curson! Like the work of Komeda from the time, the album is a bold, fresh, modern statement that's clearly steeped in work by other 60s American and European modernists, but which also has a fresh quality that's incredibly hard to peg. It's a bit preoccupied with sound and sound colors -- almost in a Paul Bley-ish way -- but also has a trace of soul and lyricism, as well as a graceful approach that allows space for other players to state themselves freely on the record. Curson's trumpet work is great, and the album's one of his best sessions from the time -- stark and modern, yet still with some of the soul of his work with Mingus. Titles include "Seant", "Wariacja", "Cosinusoida", and "The Quibble".

Edited July 21, 2004 by rockefeller center

[couw]

I have some Trzaskowski on vinyl. One trio tune on a 10" I would have to dig out, and three tunes supporting Ronnie Ross at he Jazz Jamboree 1961. Judging from that, they might as well had invited our friend Iancsi Körössy to do the honours. His piano playing is much in a similar modern Euro-Tristanite style. Pretty cool I find.

[couw]

this is a classic case of "da shit" BTW.

Edited November 21, 2004 by couw

[mikeweil]

He also appears on George Mraz' "Morava" (http://www.fantasyjazz.com/catalog/mraz_g_cat.html scroll down), which seems to be very fine (I don't know it).

This a heavenly beautiful CD! I wish all jazz treatments of folklore material were approached with as much taste.

Unfortunately Vicklicky was not performing in Prague when I was there last year - the performance dates on his website make me want to board a train to Prague! Zuzana Lapčíková has a beautiful voice - there are several folk recordings of her, all very good, but as my purse with 200 Euros and two expensive tickets for a cabaret evening were pickpocketed in the subway I couldn't afford to buy any of them ...

[mikeweil]

European board members should order Morava from this site - 11 Euro plus shipping! They have a tremendous selection of Czech jazz and folk at cheap rates, a dream come true for me, as I wondered where to get these Czech CDs without travelling to Prague agaiN.

[couw]

European board members should order Morava from this site - 11 Euro plus shipping!

you'll get it for the same price from amazon.de marketplace.

nice site anyhow, good to know things like this are available.

[EKE BBB]

European board members should order Morava from this site - 11 Euro plus shipping!

you'll get it for the same price from amazon.de marketplace.

nice site anyhow, good to know things like this are available.

I was at the Reduta club a couple of nights when I travelled to Prague three years ago, and its walls are full of nice pictures... many of them of former President Bill! B-)

[mikeweil]

Another interesting Czech name is JIRI STIVIN who plays clarinet, all kind of flutes and recorders, saxes, roura, folk pipes and various instruments of his own construction. He has recorded a great deal of classical music, fussion, folk-jazz... A very eclectic guy, for sure.

Stivín is crazy! He plays some mean swingin' sopranino recorder, for sure. Unfortunately I was out of twon when he had a gig here last year.

I have some of his LPs from the 1970's - this here where he plays all parts via overdub except for the piano, voices and strings, is amazing and very imaginative:

[mikeweil]

European board members should order Morava from this site - 11 Euro plus shipping!

you'll get it for the same price from amazon.de marketplace.

Yes, but I think it's nicer to support these Czech shops - I think I was there during my visit, they are very friendly and knowledgeable and deserve the support.

[mikeweil]

Another name not mentioned yet is Hungarian saxist Tony Lakatos, who resides in Frankfurt. I saw him sit in with the Joanne Brackeen Quartet two weeks ago, and he got the spirit of those sophisticated Brackeen tunes faster than Seamus Blake! The band was under-rehearsed, they has trouble from the start: the ticket sent to New York couldn't be found, the bass had not arrived at the first gig in Zurich, so the time planned for rehearsal was spent searching a bass; on the way to the second gig in Wiesbaden the car's main drive axis broke, and the bass still hadn't arrived, so another rehearsal afternoon was gone. Lakatos was less turned off by these circumstances than the regular quartet members and dug in - he was excellent, full bodied expressive tone and all. Blake was too cool and technical in comparison. (Photo has Tony and Bela Lakatos)

Edited November 23, 2004 by mikeweil

[couw]

I found Lakatos tone to have gone WAY sweet and smooth in comparison to his earlier outings when he at times almost sounded like Jackie Mac with a cold. Some of the things I have heard by him were downright awful in my book. I'd take the stairs if it were playing in the elevator. Part of the blame is surely the recordings themselves, all very smooth, electric, and too clean to be true. My taste of course, but I wouldn't call it a full-bodied expressive tone.

[mikeweil]

My taste of course, but I wouldn't call it a full-bodied expressive tone.

I saw him on TV with the hr big band, and he left me cold - too technical, but on the Brackeen gig he was very good and really had a good tone. That's the way it goes. I guess one has a listen before buying.

[king ubu]

Another name not mentioned yet is Hungarian saxist Tony Lakatos, who resides in Frankfurt. I saw him sit in with the Joanne Brackeen Quartet two weeks ago, and he got the spirit of those sophisticated Brackeen tunes faster than Seamus Blake! The band was under-rehearsed, they has trouble from the start: the ticket sent to New York couldn't be found, the bass had not arrived at the first gig in Zurich, so the time planned for rehearsal was spent searching a bass; on the way to the second gig in Wiesbaden the car's main drive axis broke, and the bass still hadn't arrived, so another rehearsal afternoon was gone. Lakatos was less turned off by these circumstances than the regular quartet members and dug in - he was excellent, full bodied expressive tone and all. Blake was too cool and technical in comparison. (Photo has Tony and Bela Lakatos)

Recently got this one:

Beautiful tunes, and beautiful playing! Scott is moving on his three tracks.

[couw]

I guess one has a listen before buying.

which is what I did! I haven't given up on the man as he squeezed some amazing stuff out of his horn on this one:

[fent99]

Nice Czech Shop

Brought this thread back to life

I've always meant to recommend this disc though he's mentioned much earlier in the thread

MILAN SVOBODA, MICHAL GERA - DUO

Bought on a trip to Prague and thoroughly enjoyable in a thoughtful way. Reminds me of a more upbeat Kenny Wheeler plus piano a little (Praise indeed). Interesting playing throughout with few of the lapses into personal introspection that you're not interested in that duos can sometimes slip into. I like the writing especially since the themes work well for the interplay and soloing. Well enough recorded live too with a nice sounding piano (though I'm no hi fi buff).

There are somples of most of his recordings on his website.

http://www.milansvoboda.com/

[Guest]

Hi all, nice discussion about our jazz!! Really great. I did not thing that anybody is listening to Karel Ruzicka, Jirka Stivin, Mraz, Deczi, Dasek, Svoboda and many others our jazzmen. I want to tell you about one good stuff from last months: Vertigo Quintet. Good review about this album is on AllAboutJazz here:

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/musician.php?id=2540

Yes and good shop in a Czech Republic with not only our jazz but with Polish or Russian is here: http://j.starek.cunas.cz/english/index.php - this project is connected with our very good jazz e-server: Jazzport.cz (www.jazzport.cz) - there is an english corner with couple of articles there. Enjoy it!