Jazz, originally an African music genre, has found a home in the Czech Republic as well as in many other European countries. Its popularity is proven by the large number of jazz events that will take place in Sept and October in Prague, Hradec Kralove and Karlovy Vary etc.

The first year of the Philips International Jazz Festival that will resound in Prague’s new cultural and sports complex Sazka Arena on September 18, 2004 will be a true celebration of jazz for the broadest audiences. The festival will present some of the most renowned names on the world’s jazz scene led by Van Morrison, a universal music celebrity; Mr. Acker Bilk, the greatest purely jazz legend; Bela Szakcsi Lakatos, an artist crossing music genres and the Spyro Gyra band accompanying Jay Beckenstein. Czech music will be represented by versatile Dan Barta and Jiri Stivin, a real master of all kinds of recorders and flutes. Audiences will also have the chance to see a performance by the controversial Slovak singer Richard Muller. The best aspect of the festival is its affordable admission fees ranging from 390 to 3,990 CZK.

This year the Prague International Jazz Festival (Mezinarodni jazzovy festival Praha), proudly held under the auspices of Vaclav Klaus, President of the Czech Republic, will celebrate its 40th anniversary. This year’s jubilee festival will take place from October 23 until October 28, 2004 in Prague’s proven traditional shrines of jazz - the Lucerna Music Bar, Reduta and the Nostic Palace Concert Hall. As in previous years, the festival will feature the best of the Czech and foreign jazz scene and will introduce traditional as well as modern jazz. Many celebrities, such as the violinist Didier Lockwood who excels with his talent for improvisation and the leading Russian pianist Daniel Kramer, have already confirmed their participation in the even.

The mains star of the Jazz Goes to Town festival will be – other than the US guitarist Mike Stern – the Lebanese composer Rabih Abou-Khalil who plays a traditional instrument known as an ‘oud’ with his band. The 10th year of the festival will, once again, be held in Hradec Kralove from October 18 until October 23, 2004. The festival program includes large concerts as well as more intimate performances in clubs and pubs with a genuine jazz atmosphere. Club performances are free and will feature, amongst others, the No. 1 Czech jazz singer Jana Koubkova with her EU band, the Austrian saxophonist Edith Lettner, Jablkon and Nathalie Renault of Canada.

In October the largest Czech spa town will also be enlivened by jazz. The true highlight of Jazzfest Karlovy Vary, held from September 30 until October 2, 2004, will be the performance of Julio Barreto Latino World, a Cuban-Brazilian quartet. However, this year will also delight swing fans because the festival program includes a concert to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of two legends of the big band swing era: Glenn Miller and Count Basie. Famous swing compositions will be rendered by Olga Skrancova and the outstanding English saxophonist Osian Roberts accompanied by the Czech Radio Bigband.

Jazz lovers can enjoy and listen to their favourite melodies at any time not just during the festivals because they can go to many jazz clubs especially in Prague including: Reduta Jazz Club, Agharta Jazz Centrum, Jazz Boat 2004, Jazz Club U stare pani, Jazz Club Zelezna.