PRSO commemorates what would have been jazzman Karel Růžička's eightieth birthday

"A gifted composer and pianist, a kind person, an entertaining and dear friend. His playful and inventive solos in the clubs always put us in a good mood. When one of his jazz antics turned out particularly well and the audience applauded, he'd turn to us with his unforgettable wily smile." These were the words artist Jiří Slíva used a few years ago to describe the famed Czech jazz pianist, composer and teacher Karel Růžička (2 June 1940 – 26 September 2016).

A highly untraditional concert by the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra will commemorate Růžička's legacy at an event dedicated to what would have been the musician's eightieth year on 18 September 2020 at 7:30 pm in Holešovice's DOX Centre of Contemporary Art.

Pianist Tomáš Sýkora, who was a pupil of Růžička and still today remembers him as a friend and exceptionally inspirational personality, will be one of the evening's protagonists and is also behind its dramaturgy. He himself refers to his part in the concert as follows: "I got the opportunity to be the curator of PRSO's jazz series and put together a concert entitled Homage to Karel Růžička.

Lovebird

The concert will include Růžička's composition Lovebird, originally written for a chamber ensemble and jazz quartet, as well as the compositions Hidden Songs for Jazz Piano Trio and Symphony Orchestra and my adaptation of compositions from Karel Růžička Jr's album Grace and Gratitude, which I have called Grace and Gratitude Medley."

Karel Růžička undoubtedly numbered among the best known Czech jazz musicians. He spent a full four seasons in the Semafor Theatre orchestra, practically from the start of its existence, then he went to the Czechoslovak Radio Jazz Orchestra, which was led by the legendary Karel Kraugartner. There was perhaps not a major musical group in the history of Czech jazz that Karel Růžička did not have a hand in. He played in both Laco Deczi's group Jazz Celula, and Karel Velebný's SHQ. He also played as a guest musician with many jazz soloists (Rudolf Dašek, George Mraz, Jiří Stivín, Rudolf Rokl) and aside from orchestras such as Milan Svoboda's Prague Big Band or the Gustav Brom Orchestra, he also worked with radio orchestras in Finland and Denmark. Karel Růžička's discography includes dozens of titles. Aside from the jazz ones, we also find recordings of works from the field of classical music and even symphonic compositions. He taught composition and piano at the Jaroslav Ježek Conservatory and the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, and was also the director of Karel Velebný's Summer Jazz Workshop in Frýdlant. 

If the current situation allows, it will be possible to meet Karel Růžička's son at the concert at DOX+, saxophonist Karel Růžička Junior. It will be an extremely rare visit, as this acclaimed jazz musician has been in New York since 1994, where he plays with many legends of his field, is a guest artist at the prestigious Lincoln Center, and also performs at popular concerts in a church on Times Square. In addition to Karel Růžička Jr, the Holešovice stage will also belong to the group Tomáš Sýkora Trio, the members of which are, aside from the aforementioned frontman, upright bass player Tomáš Liška and drummer Martin Novák. The Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra will be led by conductor Štěpánek Balcarová, one of the last bandmates of Karel Růžička Senior.