Record Reviews

COTATCHA ORCHESTRA ~ BIG BAND ELECTRONICS BIG ROUND RECORDS 8963 (Barcode: 300844060353) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Big Band Jazz Recorded: 2020 Released: 2020 This is the debut album by the Czech Jazz Big Band, called Cotatcha OrchestraFind albums by this artist, led by trumpeter Jiri KotacaFind albums by this artist and comprising of young Czech, Slovak, Austrian and Hungarian Jazz musicians. The orchestra is conducted by Juraj ValencikFind albums by this artist, and features two guest musicians: vocalist Lenka DusilovaFind albums by this artist and Dutch trombonist Ilja ReijngoudFind albums by this artist, each appearing on one track. The album presents nine tracks, seven composed by the Big Band’s pianist Martin KonvickaFind albums by this artist and one each by Kotaca and Czech pianist / composer Jiri LevicekFind albums by this artist. The album offers a sublime sound quality, and is one of the best-sounding Big Band recordings I have come across in a while. Despite the album’s title, the music is completely acoustic, and the “electronics” is used only as a series of delicate background interludes between the tracks. The music is stunningly beautiful, highly melodic and brilliantly played by the Big Band, which epitomizes the European approach to Jazz Big Band, which becomes an organic expanded one multi-instrumental body, rather than a group of musicians accompanying soloists. There are of course also excellent soli found herein, mainly by Kotaca, who is the leading soloist. But the entire orchestral sound of the Big Band is one continuous delight from start to finish, and a perfect example of what modern Jazz Big Bands should sound like. Konvicka, who composed most of the music on this album, also emerges as one of the heroes, supplying the wonderful melodic content, full of delicate lyricism and non-trivial harmonic buildup, which makes listening to this album a truly delightful experience. Overall, this is a sublime Jazz Big Band album, very unique and brilliantly put together, offering a total musical experience, which combines great compositions and first-class performances, rarely encountered on record these days. This is, of course, beyond recommendation, simply a must to all true orchestral Jazz lovers anywhere on this globe. Hats off!

Updated: 09/08/2024Posted: 09/08/2024

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LUBOS SOUKUP ~ AMBER RAILS ANIMAL MUSIC 152 (Barcode: 8594211850810) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Jazz Recorded: 2026 Released: 2026 This is an album by Czech Jazz saxophonist / clarinetist / composer Lubos SoukupFind albums by this artist, which marks his return home after several years of residence in Denmark, and features Czech Jazz musicians: pianist Jiri LevicekFind albums by this artist, legendary bassist Jaromir HonzakFind albums by this artist, and drummer Jakub SvejnarFind albums by this artist. Two guitarists appear as guests on selected tracks: Czech David DoruzkaFind albums by this artist and Danish Casper HejlesenFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight tracks, all original compositions by Soukup. The music is a wonderful collection of Modern Jazz compositions, full of the typical Czech melancholy and lyricism, which are almost immediately recognizable to Czech Jazz lovers. All the participants are excellent and highly experienced musicians, and the presence of Honzak, one of Czech Jazz Godfathers and former leader of ensembles, which included Soukup as a member, represents an ideal closing circle of generations, which of course happens on every Jazz scene in time. My fascination with the Czech Jazz scene started several decades ago and has always been one of the most satisfactory experiences, as it produced a distinguished league of great Jazz performers and composers, which keeps the embers glowing. This album is a typical example of the creativity and class of the Czech Jazz scene, which sadly is seldom recognized outside its borders, but truly deserves a wider recognition, despite its limited scope. Overall, this is a beautiful album, full of excellent compositions and high-class performances, which spearhead the European Jazz aesthetics, and offers a universal Cultural experience, wholeheartedly recommended to those Jazz lovers, who have not yet discovered the treasures of the Czech Jazz scene.

Updated: 04/11/2026Posted: 04/11/2026

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