JFB: Malina-Liška-Nejtek // Ondřej Pivec Organic Quartet Reunited

MALINA-LIŠKA-NEJTEK (CZ)

Luboš Malina – banjo, baritonebanjo, kaval, whistle, Tomáš Liška – acoustic bass, Michal Nejtek – piano + specialguest Kamil Slezák –drums, percussion

The new instrumental trio Malina- Liška – Nejtek consists of three musicians experienced in different genres, who encountered in something that could be (with a bit of copyright) termed as „country-folk-jazz“ or „Nouveau acoustic music“. The band´s bassist Tomáš Liška is an artist of many faces and changing genres is his way to motivate and inspire himself and ultimately also a means for finding himself as an artist. „I like lots of music and I find myself in a lot of it,“ says Liška. „I guess I’m still searching, though some things are already clear. Also, I find it a pity to remain trapped in one world and not look beyond that – other worlds can often enrich yours. It may also test me, introduce doubt, provoke the thought if where you are, is really you.“

ONDŘEJ PIVEC ORGANIC QUARTET REUNITED (CZ)

Ondřej Pivec – Hammond organ, Jakub Doležal – saxophone, Libor Šmoldas – guitar, Tomáš Hobzek – drums

There is no need to introduce Hammond organ player Ondřej Pivec, nor his Organic Quartet, to domestic jazz fans. During the band’s creative peak in the Czech Republic, they were something of pop-stars amidst jazz lovers.  However, it’s been 7 years already since Ondřej Pivec, a band leader and musician-visionary moved to New York in order to learn side-by-side to jazz giants, gospel choirs in Harlem and beyond, and also to breathe in some genuine soul and R&B.
Ondřej Pivec has become quite a unique phenomenon in the Czech Republic.  He naturally unites talents for music with abilities to promote himself with more taste and less calculus. He – quoting a classic line – is the real deal.  Jazzmen usually underestimate the self-promotion aspect of music, often preferring to stay inside their own musical ghetto.  Pivec has clearly realized this as he soaks up musical experience in his current home of New York City. Thus he has easily earned a leading position among jazzmen of his generation. He leads his Organic Quartet which released two albums (Don´t Get Ideas, 2006; Never Enough, 2007), he also left a serious imprint with his project Over season with Joel Frahm and Jake Langley. He enjoys paying dues as a sideman and he has been focusing on his trio with the explosive drummer Gregory Hutchinson and the Bohemian king of mainstream jazz piano Naj Ponk. He also co-led a more experimental CPR Electrio with saxophonist Karel Růžička Jr. and took an important role in different project ranging from jazz to R&B and pop.
Pivec has performed all over NYC, visiting jam sessions, soaking up black American music intensively, taking lessons with the best players and, mainly, gathering all kinds of life experiences  and subsequently projecting them into his own playing.  Pivec´s NYC mission that he launched with his Organic Quartet bandmate Tomáš Hobzek in 2007 therefore continues in this way with increased intensity.
The remaining three Organic Quartet members have worked hard on polishing their skills as well: guitarist Libor Šmoldas both in the USA and Australia; drummer Tomas Hobzek in Berlin; saxophonist Jakub Doležal in Amsterdam. Numerous fans have asked „when is Ondřej coming back?“ and many had to stick with listening to the existing CDs for quite a few years hoping that he’s indeed coming back one day.The Ondřej Pivec Organic Quartet Reunited is therefore more than just a comeback: after a five-year long hiatus, this quartet is putting together a one-time series of shows in Czech Republic. They will play some of the best old tunes as well as a few new ones. It certainly looks like this is an event to look forward to: even Ondřej remarked that he is incredibly excited about this tour, as Organic Quartet was one of the most beautiful periods of his life.
Pivec lives life by simple rules. They are most clearly seen in his approach to music. „Playing complicated and obscure music never really tempted me,“ he explains. „I like it when the audience is connected to what is happening on stage. It’s like everything else in life – a mutual exchange of energy. And it is not possible if what you play is not understandable.“ In the last fifteen years, Ondřej Pivec has managed to convince many that his music is fully comprehensible.