Klaus's jazz cycle ends

Prague, Feb 18 (CTK) - The Jazz at Prague Castle music cycle held under the auspices of President Vaclav Klaus ended on Monday with the 90th concert, played by saxophonist Jan Garbarek, double bass player Miroslav Vitous and drummer Trilok Gurtu.

Klaus, whose presidential mandate will expire next month, started this cycle nine years ago.

He said at the beginning of the performance Monday that unfortunately the number of concerts did not reach one hundred because he got the idea of a jazz cycle organised at the presidential seat only after he had been president for already one year.

Two-thirds of these jazz concerts have been issued on CDs.

The jazz cycle opened in February 2004 with a concert commemorating late Czech double bass player Ludek Hulan.

Klaus greatly contributed to the selection of the musicians performing within the Jazz at Prague Castle series.

Czech jazz pianist Emil Viklicky said the cycle offered modern jazz, bebop, swing, dixieland, free jazz, jazz-rock and world music as well as jazz music influenced by folklore, rock and contemporary classical music in the past several years.

The concerts were held in various rooms and spaces of the Prague Castle.

Some musicians could not be invited because the costs of the concert would be too high, Viklicky said, mentioning Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea's quartet as examples.

Among those who played at the Prague Castle were Ritchie Cole, Laco Deczi, Bill Frisell, John Scofield and Joe Zawinul.

The Czech jazz stars who celebrated their birthday with concerts organised by Klaus's office included quitarist Rudolf Dasek, singer Jana Koubkova, flutist Jiri Stivin and pianist Milan Svoboda.