Prague
Agharta Prague Jazz Festival is a series of concerts which will take place during autumn at Lucerna Music Bar in Prague and Agharta Jazz Centre. You can see and hear, for example, the Israeli clarinettist and saxophonist living in New York Anat Cohen (29 October). Among Czech jazz stars, we can mention the singer Jana Koubková (4 November) (www.agharta.cz).
Archa Theatre, the Kaštan stage and Unijazz’s reading room will be the scene for the 17th year of the Alternativa international music festival that is oriented towards alternative music genres. The programme provides space not only for jazz but also for world music, alternative rock, experimental electronics…It is held on 8 November and from 21 to 28 November (www.unijazz.cz).
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Where else for jazz?In the metropolis, plenty of quality jazz clubs can be found. Among the best known are, for instance, Reduta Jazz Club (www.redutajazzclub.cz), U Staré paní (www.jazzlounge.cz) and U malého Glena (www.malyglen.cz).
Hradec Králové
The 15th year of the international jazz festival Jazz Goes to Town will come off this year from 12 to 17 October. Headliner for the festival will be the American drummer Jack DeJohnette with his band The Ripple Effect. Among others should be mentioned, too, the interpretive singer Yvonne Sanchez. The local jazz scene will be represented by, for example, the František Kop Quartet. The festival will be under way on several stages in Hradec Králové. For more information, please visit www.jazzgoestotown.cz.
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Another reason to go there? In Hradec Králové various architectures are to be seen, including the unique modern architecture from the turn of the 19th to the 20th century. The town is indeed a textbook of architecture under the open sky.
Slaný
The festival Jazz Days in Slaný is being held for the 43rd time, from 20 to 21 November. Music will be performed in the Municipal Theatre (Městské divadlo), St. Gothard’s Church (Kostel sv. Gotharda), in the Grand cultural centre (Kulturní centrum Grand) and in additional locations. Among the biggest attractions will be Oliver Strauch with his band, and the audience will certainly be keen to see Jiří Stivín, representing the Czech scene (www.jazzclubslany.cz).
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What to see along the way?If you are driving away from Prague, there is Lidice on the way, a village that was destroyed by the Nazis during the Second World War. Visit the Lidice Memorial and its respectful surrounding area.
Karlovy Vary
Festival JazzFest will take place in the spa town of Karlovy Vary from 12 to 17 October. Music will fill the space of the Hot Spring Colonnade (Vřídelní kolonáda) and the halls of the Imperial and Thermal hotels. Featured Czech musicians will include Milan Svoboda. In addition to musicians from Europe and the USA, the organisers promise also something truly exotic, as they are bringing to town the Cameroon vocalist Gino Sitzon (www.jazzfest.cz).
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What else is there to experience? Karlovy Vary is the largest spa town in the Czech Republic. When you are not at a concert, you will have countless and truly pleasant opportunities to relax.
Brno
Jazz Brno 2009 comprises a suite of jazz concerts at Stará Pekárna, a music club in Brno. The 12th year of this festival will be running in the Moravian metropolis through 15 December, and listeners can look forward to great local musicians as well as jazz interpreters from all over the world (www.jazzdoregionu.cz and www.starapekarna.cz).
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How to enjoy Brno?Tasting the local wines is a must when in South Moravia. A listing of winemakers, wine shops and tips for interesting wine-related events is available at www.wineofczechrepublic.cz
More jazz in Moravia: Přerov, Těšín and Šumperk
Czechoslovak Jazz Festival takes place every year in Přerov (Central Moravia), and this year it is planned for 22 to 24 October. Apart from Czech and Slovak musicians, it features the American acts the Brad Mehldau Trio and Steve Gadd & Friends (www.csjf.cz). Jazz will enliven even North Moravia and Silesia. Těšín Jazz Festival runs from 18 to 21 November (www.kassct.cz), and both musicians and fans will head for Šumperk from 12 to 15 November for the Blues Alive festival (www.bluesalive.cz).