Stepanka Balcarova / Concept Art Orchestra - Grown-Up Christmas

The previous album of the leading Czech big band "Concept Art Orchestra" received the Andel Award in 2015 for the best jazz album of the year. The recording entitled "The Prague Six" featured the work of six Czech important young authors: the band's conductor and trumpeter Štepánka Balcarová, saxophonist Luboš Soukup, pianists Vít Krištan, Martin Brunner and Tomáš Sýkora, and trombonist Jan Jirucha junior. The same six authors are behind this new album entitled "Grown-up Christmas". The programme has been performed several times in concert and comprises originally arranged Christmas carols and songs loosely inspired by Christmas (for example poems by Czech poets Jan Skácel and Frána Šrámek). Concept Art Orchestra has invited singers Dan Bárta, Markéta Foukalová and Milan Cimfe to collaborate on the project. Although the binding theme for all the compositions is, indeed, Christmas, this is not a classical seasonal recording which only has a potential to enhance the Christmas atmosphere, but will bring joy throughout the year.