A new label out of Poland called GAD Records has been documenting seminal jazz and jazz-rock albums out of Poland, but now they’re venturing into the former Czechoslovakia with this release. Jazz Q were a progressive rock band who managed to incorporate blues rock and even a bit of free Continue Reading
Czech Republic
Necrocock – Jan Žižka z Trocnova (Original Soundtrack)
Jan Žižka z Trocnova is a twelve-part series covering the life of Czech hero Jan Žižka, whose role in his nation’s history is indisputable despite fighting for Protestant heretics. Though I have never managed to watch the series, I did get a chance to enjoy the soundtrack scored by Tom Continue Reading
Milan Knížák – Broken Music
Milan Knížák is a hidden treasure from the Czech Republic. He has been a performance artist, sculptor, musician, installation artist, dissident, graphic artist, art theorist and pedagogue of art according to his biography, but what sets him apart is that he is the true father of turntablism. All modern practicioners, Continue Reading
The Hilliard Ensemble – Codex Speciálník
Your browser does not support iframes. According to Wikipedia, “…the Speciálník Codex (CZ-HKm MS II.A.7) is a 15th-century speciálník (i.e. special songbook) originating from a monastery in the region of Prague.” It is considered something of a ‘missing link’ between medieval and Renaissance music and it features several rather unknown Czech composers. The Hilliard Continue Reading
Kalle – Under the Black Moss
As we near the year’s end, I wish to thank my friend who goes by the name of Corvus who turned my on this group from the Czech Republic called Kalle. They sound like a mashup of post-rock, Celtic or even folk-rock and alternative music, but still managing to sound Continue Reading
Tothmo – Spider (and a bunch of other songs)
If you can believe it, this Czech EP was recorded by a 17-year-old kid who has a profound appreciation for bedroom pop, new wave and indie. He’s quite a decent storyteller, and despite the lo-fi production, there’s a lot of charm in this album.
Dorota Barová – Dotyk
Czech vocalist and cellist Dorota Barová is a new name for me, but her rather glorious voice brings up memories of Portuguese singers like Teresa Salgueiro, who you might remember as the lead singer of Madredeus. Barovà has had an impressive career, as her first album, the award-winning debut “Iluzja” Continue Reading
Tomáš Kočko Orchestr – Ona
The Tomáš Kočko Orchestr are one of the great musical treasures of my new home city of Brno. They band mixes true Moravian folk music, including some melodies with pre-Christian roots (so, at least a millennium of music here), world music and even touches of metal to great effect. The Continue Reading
Razam / Iva Marešová – Harpyje U Pramene
On Friday night, my beloved friends, Helenka and Tomáš, suggested I go out to a club called Stará Pekárna, a club where Tomáš works. The owner of this fine establishment is a heavy blues aficionado who happens to book very impressive bands. Imagine my surprise when I walk into the Continue Reading
Schloss Tegal – Musick From Madness
Schloss Tegal have a storied history in post-Industrial, ritualistic and experimental music. The duo of Richard Schneider (based in Prague) and MWBurch (based in New York) developed a body of work on their own, drawing from some extremely dark places, as well as collaborating with musicians like Aube from Japan Continue Reading