Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » George Mraz / Iva Bittova: Moravian Gems

537

George Mraz / Iva Bittova: Moravian Gems

By

Sign in to view read count
George Mraz / Iva Bittova: Moravian Gems
Over some twenty years of recording, the Czech violinist and singer Iva Bittova has done folk, classical and new music, recording with guitarist Fred Frith among others. What she hadn't done, by her own admission, was venture into jazz.

That changed when she began working with her countryman, bassist George Mraz. Mraz worked with both the Stan Getz quartet and Czech pianist Emil Viklicky in the 1970s, and has continued to be a sought-after player in the decades since. In 1997, Mraz and Viklicky's paths crossed again and they started planning an album of interpretations of music from the Southern Moravia region of their homeland. Vickily suggested Bittova—a charismatic performer known as much for her acting as her music in the Czech Republic—and with drummer Laco Tropp they began to formulate the remarkable blend of jazz and folk music on Moravian Gems.

Without a horn in the lineup, the band's playing is soft and smooth and at least a little reminiscent of Getz's Cuban experiments. Nobody pushes the music too firmly into either jazz or Czech folds. The songs are just what they are: models for improvisation, if with a bit of a Bill Evans tinge. The project works and works well, because of the players' deep familiarity with both sides of the equation. They play both the traditional melodies and the jazz voicings with heart. And Bittova is a sensitive enough collaborator that she responds to the jazzy mode of the proceedings. Moravian Gems is as much steeped in American as Czech music and is satisfying from both angles.

Track Listing

Destiny; Austerlitz; Oh Love Love; Pennyroyal; A Little Bird's Flown Over; Walking From Peszt; Sinfonietta; Dying of Love; Little Apple; In The Town Of Olomouc; Fetching Water; Sweet Basil; A Little Wreath; Gossip.

Personnel

George Mraz: bass; Iva Bittova: vocals, violin; Emil Viklicky: piano; Laco Tropp: drums.

Album information

Title: Moravian Gems | Year Released: 2008 | Record Label: Cube-Metier

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.
View events near New York City
Jazz Near New York City
Events Guide | Venue Guide | Local Businesses | More...

More

What Was Happening
Bobby Wellins Quartet
Laugh Ash
Ches Smith
A New Beat
Ulysses Owens, Jr. and Generation Y

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.