Frantisek Uhlir: Coming Home

Czech jazz double-bassist Frantisek Uhlir, a composer, educator and leader of the Frantisek Uhlir Team & Strings (F.U.T.), based in Prague, presents the highly acclaimed Coming Home album of original music penned especially for his band, founded back in 1987. Considered one of the finest bass players on the European jazz scene today, Uhlir has recorded many albums as a side musician, as well as a couple of recordings as leader. He is known as a proponent of the "so-called Czech string bass playing tradition." Born in 1950 and influenced by such legendary players such as Ray Brown, Paul Chambers and Ron Carter, the bassist decided to celebrate his 75th birthday by releasing this outstanding selection of music.

Coming Home features his standing quartet which includes British saxophonist and reed player Andy Schofield, pianist Standa Macha and drummer Martin Šulc. The group is accompanied by a string quartet of Pavel Belousek and Marek Elznic on violins with Karel Untermuller and Lucas Cach on cello. Other horn players appearing as special guests include Mira Hloucal on trumpet, Premek Tomsicek on trombone and Osian Roberts on tenor saxophone. The Czech Symphonic Orchestra provides chamber music background on the final track in dedication to Czech conductor and violin virtuoso Oldrich Vicek and his chamber orchestra Virtuosi di Praga. 

The opening title track and the ensuing "Children's Dreams and Games" feature the string quartet of two violas and two cellos providing a unique and unconventional instrumental background for a dynamic beginning to the session. "I Lost in her Eyes," is aptly described as a "dreamy piece of music" showcasing Schofield's chops on soprano and the pianist's sprite solos. The leader's superb solos are pronounced on the bright and perky Caribbean-styled "The Untitled," which also features Scofield on the flute, Macha once again, as well as Sulc, in one of the finest tunes of the set. Paying homage to the late Czech musician Karel Velebny, on "I Remember Karel" is where the horns come alive with trumpeter Hloucal and Schofield's alto voice providing the muscle on this track.

The direction of the music turns to the soft side with a warm performance from Uhlir and Macha highlighting tender bass lines on the beautiful "Vida je tu Ida," dedicated to the leader's granddaughter, born in 2025. The original "Vendelin," "an engrossing song," features the graceful voices of the clarinet, piano and drums, and is also dedicated to Uhlir's grandson of the same name born in 2022, two tunes echoing important things in the bassists' life (family) worthy of celebrating in coming home.

The entire horn section is featured on the original "I'm Not Finished Yet" with spectacular solo moments by each player leading up to the finale ,"Trialogue for Solo Violin, Jazz Q and Strings" where the leader lays down superb bass lines for this violin-and-jazz string ensemble, closing an impressive session of music. The extraordinary Uhlir and his F.U.T. band mark the leader's 75th birthday with quite a musical bash on Coming Home, a jazz album worthy of celebrating anytime.  

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