Discovering the unknown pop of the '30s: presenting our common Czech-Slovak-Hungarian jazz heritage
a common project by three associations representing some of the most respected jazz bands of Europe: Grantee: Kecskemét Jazz Foundation for Bohém Ragtime Jazz Band (H) Partner 1: B.H.S. Civic Association for Bratislava Hot Serenaders (SK) Partner 2: JAZZ 2020 for Original Prague Syncopated Orchestra (CZ)
The project focuses on discovering and presenting old Czech, Slovak and Hungarian jazz songs of the era between the two world wars, with the help of 3 of the greatest bands of the participating countries: Bohém Ragtime Jazz Band, Bratislava Hot Serenaders, Original Prague Syncopated Orchestra. We even play each others' songs and mix the bands in all 3 countries. A special common production, supported by the International Visegrad Fund.
One of the most productive bands in Europe. They are experienced in playing and recording national jazz songs as the band has released four CDs with only old Hungarian ragtime & jazz repertoire. Some of those songs were real unknown discoveries (sheet music or early recordings provided by Simon Géza Gábor jazz scholar and historian). They have recorded 27 albums so far. The band has played in most major classic jazz festivals in Europe and North America. In organizing concerts, festivals and coordinating mutual cooperation with foreign bands they are also experienced after 38 years of band history, 6 domestic and 39 international jazz festivals organized in their hometown, Kecskemét. The band has been awarded a few times (Jazz Band of the Year, 2003, Prima Award 2010 etc.). Leader of the band, Tamás Ittzés (violin, piano, vocal) is making the arrangements and he is also busy as a composer (The Luthers ragtime opera, Ragtime Piano Concerto, Concerto grosso in jazz, 12 jazz violin duos etc.)
Musicians: Ittzés Tamás p, vl, voc, ld, arr, Bolba Éva voc, Lebanov József tp, Bera Zsolt tb, Berkó Domonkos cl, as (in Bratislava: Mátrai Zoltán cl, ts), Hegedüs Csaba bj, g, Török József tu, sb, Gulyás-Szabó Krisztián dr (in Bratislava: Falusi Alfréd dr)
One of the very best jazz orchestras in the world specializing in the music of the '20s, '30s and early '40s. The band’s twenty enthusiastic musicians have played together without interruption since the formation of the group in 1991. The Serenaders have a vast repertoire that, besides the most important tunes of the American classic jazz era, also includes old Slovak jazz songs, Slovak folkish songs turned into jazz and they also play a few Czech and Hungarian numbers. They are far the best choice for a common project focusing on the Czech-Slovak-Hungarian common musical jazz heritage. Juraj Bartoš, leader and 1st trumpeter of the band has a tremendous knowledge about the era and he is a great music arranger, too. The Serenaders are well established outside of Slovakia. In 1994 the orchestra won the Sidney d'Or Prix at the Grand Festival of Music of '20s and '30s in Saint Raphaël, France. They regularly appear in concert, and at festivals both in their home country of Slovakia, and abroad.
Musicians: Juraj Bartoš tp, ld, arr, Karol Bartoš tb, Zdeno Piala, Pavel Sehnal, Erik Jambor, Ján Gašpárek cl, saxes, Marián Vavro, Gabriel Szathmary vl, Jozef Ostrolucky, Juraj Blaha, Tibor Ďuriak, Rastislav Suchan, Richard Fičor g, bj, Patrik Fičor dr, Miloš Stančík voc, Ema Papsova, Zuzana Uskovitsova, Nikol Tománková, Kristina Uhlíková
One of the most prestigious band in Europe specializing on hot jazz era, its repertoire and playing style of the era between the two world wars. The band has a long history in Czech jazz as it was founded by the legendary Pavel Klikar, and his musical heritage is being continued by the present members of the band. The band is very much capable to rearrange and perform old Czech jazz songs, recreating the feeling of the era.
Musicians: Michael Chomiszak tp, Jan Pospíšil cl, saxes, Vojtěch Pospíšil cl, saxes, Matěj Šmíd tb, voc, Jiří Gilík p, Antonín Dlapa bj, g, (in Prague also: Tomáš Mika bj), Pavel Jurečka sb, sou
FINAL RESULTS AND OUTCOME OF THE PROJECT
AUDIENCE: 2600 people were present at the festival concerts in the 3 cities (840 in Bratislava, 270 in Prague and 1490 in Kecskemét), not counting those thousands who have watched and will watch the videos made at the concerts.
TUNES: 50 tunes (26 Hungarian, 16 Slovak and 8 Czech songs) were played at the festivals entitled Forgotten Treasures of the Golden Era of Jazz in Bratislava, Prague and Kecskemét. The majority of the tunes were newly arranged as part of this project and not having been played by other orchestras since their very original recording. This is a great number, an absolutely satisfactory outcome. In Kecskemét one Hungarian and three Slovak musicians joined the Czech band in order to be able to play together 8 American dance tunes being popular in Czechia between the two world wars, using the original arrangements of Pavel Klikar, legendary founder of Original Prague Syncopated Orchestra. These arrangements are part of Czech jazz history, although they are not national Czech tunes. Most national jazz tunes are in the videos displayed above, the Klikar arrangements can be watched on the Bohém Festival’s online streaming page (see the third video, the Saturday afternoon concert).
Here is the list of 50 tunes being played as part of this project:
Hungarian (in alphabetical order):
1. Az a Helén! (Márkus Alfréd & dr. Weiner István)
2. Az én babám (Orlay Jenő)
3. Drágicám, maga de guszta nő (Márkus Alfréd & dr. Weiner István)
4. Elsején (Györkönyi György & Szécsén Mihály), 1936
5. Engem a rumba döntöget romba (Herrer Pál & Zágon István)
6. Estefelé (Martiny Lajos & Holéczy Ákos & Nedeczky), 1943
7. Ezt a nagy szerelmet (Orlay Jenő & G. Dénes György) with swing dancer Matej Šmíd & his partner
8. Gyere Josephine! (Zerkovitz Béla & Szilágyi László)
9. Hidd el, hogy az életem (Martiny Lajos) with tap dancer Árpád Pirovits
10. Irigylem a kannibál nőt! (Zerkovitz Béla), 1916
11. Kevés nekem (Ilniczky László & Weygand Tibor)
12. Majd ha lámpák égnek újra (Edmund Kötscher & Horváth L.), 1943
13. Május éjszakán (Eisemann Mihály & Huzly Imre) with swing dancer Matej Šmíd & his partner
14. Május van, az orgona virágzik (Eisemann Mihály & Szilágyi László)
15. Már nincsenek flörtjeim (Mecseki Rudolf & Horváth J.), 1944
16. Még a citrom is édes! (Csanak Béla & Szenes Iván)
17. Megvan magáról a véleményem (Urbach Pál & Kristóf Károly)
18. Mért szerettem bele magába? (Eisemann Mihály & Szilágyi László)
19. Minden kislány tizenhaton túl (Buday László & Füredi Imre)
20. Nervous Rag (Székely Aladár) 1919
21. Nos kedves Helén! (Kemény Egon & Szécsén Mihály)
22. Nős ember nem volt az ősember (Orlay Jenő & Lantos Olivér) with dancers Mónika Hibály & Eszter Nemes (Pepita Dance Society)
23. Ott fogsz majd sírni (Kola Józusef & Szenes Andor)
24. Tedd ide, tedd oda (Orlay Jenő) with dancers of the Madison Dance Society, with swing dancer Matej Šmíd & his partner
25. Tegnap még azt hittem belehalok (Urbach Pál & Zerkovitz Béla)
26. Tosca Rag (Székely Aladár), 1919
Slovak tunes (in alphabetical order):
1. Anča, Anča, Anča, Hana (Ľudová, upr. V.Stach & J. Bartoš)
2. Ej, horička zelená (J. Pelikán & J. Elen)
3. Ja som optimista (Gejza Dusík & Dr. Pavol Braxatoris)
4. Joj Zuzka, Zuzička (J. Stelibský & Ľ. Válka & J. Roch)
5. Keby som sa nebál (Gejza Dusík & Dr. Pavol Braxatoris) with dancers of Keep Swinging Society
6. Krásna si (Karol Elbert & Otto Kaušitz)
7. Marína (Gejza Dusík & Dr. Pavel Braxatoris)
8. Nie som ja ešte tak starý (Gejza Dusík & Otto Kaušitz)
9. Odišla láska (Karol Elbert & Otto Kaušitz)
10. Prvé rendez-vous (Theodor Šebo Martinský)
11. Ružičky červené (Gejza Dusík & Dr. Pavel Braxatoris)
12. Saigon – Hallo, dobry vecer slícna (Gejza Dusík & Dr. Pavol Braxatoris)
13. Tak nekonečne krásna (Gejza Dusík & Dr. Pavol Braxatoris)
14. Tatranský expres (Július Mózsi & Otto Kaušitz)
15. Tea for Two (Vincent Youmans & Milan Lasica) in Slovak
16. Veselo sa na tento svet pozerám (Gejza Dusík & Dr. Pavol Braxatoris) with dancers of Keep Swinging Society
Czech tunes (in alphabetical order):
1. Bugatti Step (Jaroslav Ježek)
2. Dáša jedlá cukroví (Ivan Mládek)
3. Dinah (Lewis & Joe Young & Harry Akst) in Czech
4. Karolko moj / Charlie My Boy (Ted Fiorito & Gus Kahn) in Czech
5. Kdyby to tak bylo možný (Stelibský, Melíšek, Mottl)
6. Nečekej, nečekej (Nováček, Gruss)
7. Vám, jen vám (Kumok, Razov)
8. Zeměkoule / Thanks for the Buggy Ride (Buffano) in Czech
BOHÉM RAGTIME JAZZ BAND (H)
BRATISLAVA HOT SERENADERS (SK)
ORIGINAL PRAGUE SYNCOPATED ORCHESTRA (CZ)