Libor Šmoldas ()
Libor Šmoldas is a Czech jazz guitarist.
His concert activity spans four continents and world capitals New York, Washington, Sydney, Beijing, Istanbul, Vienna, Berlin, Denver, Milan, Philadelphia, Brisbane, Melbourne and London. With his quartet, he was the first Czech jazz band to tour the USA and regularly returns there, as well as on annual concert tours to Australia and other countries. Among the world clubs where he performs are the legendary Pizza express, Smalls, Iridium, Blue Note, Dear Head Inn and Bennetts Lane.
In the Czech Republic, he has played over two thousand club concerts, leading festivals such as Prague Spring, Prague Proms, Brno Jazz Fest, Bohemia Jazz Fest, Strings of Autumn and Janáček’s May, and collaborated with top Czech jazz artists including Ondřej Pivec, Robert Balzar and David Dorůžka. He has played and recorded with world-class musicians such as George Mraz, Jeff Ballard, Sam Yahel, Bobby Watson, Adam Nussbaum, Brian Charette and Jay Anderson. Libor has won many awards, such as the Best Jazz Composition of 2014 and the Angel Award for Jazz Record of the Year with the Organic Quartet. He teaches at the Jaroslav Ježek Conservatory in Prague and at international workshops in England, Germany, Greece, Italy and Australia. He has released nine albums under his own name and many more as a collaborator.
Roman Pokorný ()
Roman Pokorný is a Czech jazz guitarist.
His musical career began at an early age, he became intensely interested in music from the age of three and by the age of six he was already playing in the family band on various social occasions. He first studied drums and bass guitar until he chose the electric guitar as his main means of expression. As a student he was a member of various rock bands of local importance. Over time he fell completely in love with jazz and, influenced by guitarists such as Jim Hall, Kenny Burrel, Wes Montgomery, Johnny Smith and Grant Green, he intensively studied harmony and everything related to quality jazz music.
