Autumn jazz rhythms in the Czech Republic
October 15, 2010 - The year is slowly coming to a close and soon the land will be covered in a blanket of snow. But the Czech Republic is not going to sleep. Fall and winter are jazz season, with concerts and festivals featuring the greatest Czech and international jazz musicians.
Jazz without Borders
The fifth annual Jazz Without Borders festival takes place from October 29 to November 14 in several towns in western Bohemia and in Bavaria (hence the name). In Bohemia, the towns of Pilsen, Klatovy, and Rokycany will resonate with the sounds of jazz. The Pilsen Philharmonic, the local music conservatory, and many of the town's jazz clubs are participating.
Piano-jazz
From November 13 to 20, Prague hosts the 15th annual Jazz Piano Festival, featuring musicians from the United States, Switzerland, Slovakia, Poland, Great Britain, Belgium, and the Czech Republic. Concerts take place in the maganificent church of St. Lawrence (map) in Prague's Lesser Town.
Other festivals:Just an hour's drive northwest of Prague lies the small town of Slaný. From November 19 to 21, Slaný will host the 44th annual Slaný Jazz Days.
Moravia does not want to be left behind: in Brno, the Stará Pekárna club offers 29 concerts for fans of the genre as part of Jazz Brno 2010. Also in Moravia, straddling the Polish border, is the town of Těšín, where the 2010 Těšín Jazz Festival (November 24-27) presents musicians from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, and Hungary.
Jazz clubs not to miss
Even if there aren't any festivals going on, the Czech Republic offers many interesting jazz clubs worth visiting. In Prague, make sure to visit Jazz Dock, located directly on the Vltava River, or U Staré paní. Ostrava invites visitors to Parník, Liberec offers Jazz Club, and if you're taking the waters in Marienbad (Mariánské Lázně), make sure to check out the intimate Art Café.
