3/28/2012

Dave Douglas, MM&W, Brian Blade, Avishai Cohen, Pat Metheny & other jazz icons in Czech soonish

The Cherry Thing - a collaboration between Scandinavian power jazz trio The Thing (freejazz icons Mats Gustafsson - saxes, Ingebrigt Haker Flaten - bass, Paal Nilssen-Love - drums) and a trip-hop diva Neneh Cherry (daugher-in-law of great late trumpeter, Ornette Coleman collaborator and early world music inventor Don Cherry) on July 2 in Lucerna Music Bar, Prague. Reports from first concerts of this unusual collaboration at The Thing's website are enthusiastic. The Cherry Thing album in praparation. It is far yet at the moment.



A bit closer is Dave Douglas with his Keystone sextet at Jazz Dock on May 20. Medeski, Martin & Wood will visit Prague for second time  - after bursting open air show during United Islands of Prague 2oo6 they fulfill industrial Meet Factory space on April 23, under Jazz Dock direction. Phenomenal drummer Brian Blade intruduces himself as a troubadour with guitar, backing band and his songs from Mama Rosa album at Jazz Dock a night earlier.



Harmolodic mayhem - Free Form Funky Freqs aka Vernon Reid (guitar), Jamaaladeen Tacuma (bass guitar) and Grant Calvin Weston (drums) will be back 5 dates in Czech from April 12 to 19 - Prague stop at Jazz Time on 18th.

Dont forget Jazz Meets World series, which bring FFFF last year for the first time (into nearly empty Jazz Time cellar). Nearest is Russian-American Alex Sipiagin Quartet at Jazz Time on April 14. Prolific trumpeter Alex 'Sasha' Sipiagin is member of Dave Holland's Big Band and Octet and recorded a series of fine albums for Criss Cross label. His latest one named Destinations Unknown features stellar line-up of Chris Potter and David Binney on saxes, Craig Taborn on piano / Fender Rhodes, Eric Harland on drums and fellow Russian in NYC and current leader of Mingus Big Band, Boris Kozlov on bass. Alex Sipiagin was previously in Prague many years ago as member of Normal Garden, a brilliant septet led by trombonist Christophe Schweizer. From other concerts accesible through JMW website I would like to mention Roy Hargrove Quintet (April 10) and Jiří 'George' Mráz Quartet (with Joey Baron and Rich Perry, June 19) at Prague Castle.

April 10 also marks beginning of JazzFest Brno, which will feature Alex Sipiagin Quartet and Brian Blade Mama Rosa group again, alongside Vijay Iyer Trio, Jiří Stivín & Mojmír Bártek 70th birthday group with Didrik Ingvaldsen, Matěj Benko Quintet, Tigran Hamasyan, Inner Spaces featuring David Dorůžka, Donny McCaslin Quartet, Avishai Cohen Trio (new line-up) and more in between April 10 and 26th. Plus new exciting Pat Metheny Group featuring Chris Potter, Ben Williams and Antonio Sanchez at JazzFest Echoes concert on June 28.

Most actually there is launch of  CD One from Otto Hejnic Trio at Jazz Dock, April 1. Versatile drummer and percussionist Otto Hejnic (he is also photographer, as you can see on his website) recorded around 30 albums as sideman up to date and One, released  by Hevhetia label from Slovakia, is his first project as a leader. Colleagues in his trio are double bass player Josef Fečo (member of Zuzana Lapčíková Quintet or Libor Šmoldas Quartet, also on new Japan CD Kafka on the Shore by Emil Viklický Trio) and pianist Ondrej Krajňák (of Ondřej Štveráček Quartet a.o.). More intimate concert at Potrvá café is preceding on March 31. Guesting on both evenings will be Hungarian singer and saxophonist Gábor Winard.

Apropos Potrvá - next Saturday, April 7th, brings another evening of regular Improvising (ob)sessions free jazz series, this time with Free 5 - a promising combination of Luboš Soukup and Marcel Bárta (saxes), Oskar Török (trumpet), Jan Jirucha (trombone) and Daniel Šoltis (drums). Concert will be recorded for Euro Jazz web radio broadcast.

And last today's announcement - a world jazz legend Oregon as part of AghaRTA Prague Jazz Festival at Lucerna Music Bar, April 18. Bon Appetite ;~}

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