Viklicky, Emil / Pavlica, Jiri - Za Horama, Za Lesama [LP]

The jazz pianist, composer, and arranger Emil Viklicky is celebrating his 75th birthday. This re-edition reflects the prolific, versatile Moravia-born artist's penchant for folk music, transformed into pieces for trio plus special guests. The double-bassist Frantisek Uhlír and the drummer Cyril Zelenák have joined forces with other superb violinist Jirí Pavlica (70 this year), the cimbalom saxophonist Frantisek Kop, and the singers Iva Bittová (65 this year) and legendary Vera Domincová. Nine melodious compositions, one of which is presented by stellar musicians and adorned by outstanding vocals, which at the socially and musically exciting time of the first release in 1991 were not paid the attention they richly deserve. The music still comes across as fresh, inspired, and inspiring, as clearly attested to by the current CD/LP re-issue, containing retrospective texts and, what is more, featuring photographs on the graphically compelling cover. Moravian folk music as performed by gifted, extraordinarily sensitive artists.