Jaroslav Ježek

about

Jaroslav Ježek (IPA: [ˈjaroslaf ˈjɛʒɛk]) (September 25, 1906 - January 1, 1942) was a Czech composer. He was born in Prague, and died in New York City. The almost blind Ježek studied composition under Josef Suk and Alois Hába at the Prague Conservatory. When Ježek met playwrights/comedians Jan Werich and Jiří Voskovec (aka George Voskovec), leaders of the Osvobozené Divadlo (Liberated Theatre) in Prague, he took up the post as main composer and conductor. During the next decade, he composed incidental music, songs, dances, ballets for the grotesque political satirical plays of Voskovec and Werich. Many of his songs are still hugely popular in the Czech Republic. In addition to his other musical pursuits, Ježek evidently was fascinated by American jazz. Between 1929 and 1936, possibly earlier, he organized and conducted an orchestra featuring his original jazz compositions and arrangements. Billed variously as "Ježek's Jazz" and "Jezkuv Swing Band" they recorded for the Czech Ultraphon label, making some of the most original hot music in Europe. A few of these sides deserve special mention: "Ted Jeste Ne" (c. 1930; Ultraphon A10217) is rousing hot dance music in the best Jean Goldkette or Coon-Sanders' Nighthawks style. "Rubbish Heap Blues" (c. 1932; Ultraphon A11421) shows that Ježek not only listened to Duke Ellington's records, but was keeping up with Duke's very latest work. "Rubbish Heap" features a Johnny Hodges-like alto sax and a Cootie Williams-like growl trumpet,

top songs

albums

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Ježek: Smiles

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Osvobozené divadlo III.

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Osvobozené divadlo IV.

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V+W Písničky

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Smiles of Jaroslav Ježek

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Osvobozené divadlo I.

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Ježek: Orchestral Compositions

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Bugatti Step

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Ježek: String Quartet, Wind Quintet, Suita

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To nej 2

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Jaroslav Ježek - Život je jen náhoda (Melodies Jaroslav Ježek)

Ježek: String Quartet, Wind Quintet, Suita for Wind Quintet

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