Bohemia makes up the western part of the Czech Republic, including the capital Prague, where we will spend most of our time on our virtual trip. And no, we will not be playing the Bohemian Rhapsody... First stop though is the city of Hradec Kralove, where gypsy band Terne Čhave come from. They are the first to admit that their style is not exactly traditional, their motto being "It's only Rom'n'Roll", but they produce a rocky danceable style with a definite Roma signature. Here's the opening track from their 2019 album Balvaj called Vyšus, which apparently means shit in Czech.
Arriving in the capital Prague we first encounter all female Neo-Medieval band Psalteria who were active between 2001-2007. During those years they toured the Medieval markets of Central Europe and released 3 albums of Medieval music from all over Europe singing in various languages. Here's a song from their 2006 album Balábile called Jovano, Jovanke:
After the break-up of Psalteria, some their members reformed as BraAgas, a mainly female quartet specialising in sephardic music from Scandinavia and Spain as well as traditional Balkan and Moravian folk. Here's a live version of a song called Mi Suegra from their 2014 album Yallah!
Still in Prague we meet balfolk trio Ba.fnu. There name is short for bal folk nuevo, which describes their unique take on the genre. Whilst covering the usual dance tunes such as mazurkas, schottishes, cercles, bourrés etc on hurdy-gurdy, cittern and percussion, they add some electronics and loops to the mix, all with a Czech twist. Here's a live version of a song from their 2019 album '10.refused.reduced' called Školácká (pas de sept):
Poet, translator of French literature and musician Mikuláš Bryan aka Mr. Folxlide from Prague has another take on the balfolk theme, combining it with Blues on an open-tuned American cigar box guitar and a loop station. He sings in English and French. Here's a song called Mind the Gap (Scottish) from his 2018 album 1-4-5:
Romani Hip-hop band Czech.cz was founded in 2004 by Radek Banga, a Prague Zizkov Roma who was born into a musical family. Originally playing more traditional material he soon was drawn to Hip-hop and as a band they have represented the Czech Republic in the Eurovision song contest (although they were eliminated in the semi-finals with 'nul points') and have toured the international festival circuit including an appearance at Glastonbury. Here is a song from their 2006 album Romano Hip-hop called Jednou:
I can't find much about Prague based folk rock group Ahmed má hlad (Ahmed is hungry), but they seem to no longer be active. An airplane flies across their website proclaiming Ahmed to be dead (he probably starved to death...). Their music seems to be influenced by Russian folk centred around the balalaika. Their last album Magadan was recorded in 2004 and is named after the Siberian city of the same name, which started as a gulag. Here's a song off the album called Maksym Kozak.
Finally from Prague something a little different, fusion band N.O.H.A. Founded in 1995 by Prague born Philip Noha and New York native Chevalier 'Chevy' Hadley, the initials stand for Noise Of Human Art, they blend drum and bass with world music sounds and sometimes with an almost Zappa-like sound, defying any genre categorisation. Brazilian singer and guitarist Camila de Oliveira gives many of their songs a Latin flavour such as in this song called Di Nero from their 2012 album Circus Underground
Finally our last stop in Czechia is the small town of Rokycany in the west, where the Ella Fitzgerald of Romany music Vera Bila was born. She grew up in an impoverished Gypsy community and was discovered in the 1990's by Ivan Krall, formerly bassist of the Patti Smith Band. She was subsequently signed by German record label BMG and achieved international success after a documentary about her life was released. Sadly she died in 2019 aged 64, after going back into obscurity, mourning the death of her husband and her adopted son and struggling with addiction to slot machines and poor health. The song Pas O Panori features on her 2008 Retrovision - Best of album:
That's it from the Czech Republic, sorry it turned into a longer post this time. Next stop is Poland. In the meantime you can follow my virtual ramblings on my Tripline map.
