Gustav Brom Big Band Becomes Czech Radio Big Band

This many-membered jazz big band has been active for more than seventy years and has won renown as one of the most famous European and the world’s music ensembles. In the 1960s it was ranked by experts as one of the ten best big bands in the world. Its guest artists have been the greatest jazz and pop stars, such as Maynard Fergusson, Dizzy Gillespie, Dianna Ross and The Supremes, Ray Conniff, Ben Cramer, and Bill Ramsey.

The cooperation agreement was signed by Czech Radio’s Managing Director, Peter Duhan, and the orchestra’s Artistic Director, Vladimír Valovič. As a result, the Gustav Brom Big Band becomes Czech Radio’s orchestra-in-residence, bearing the name of Gustav Brom Radio Big Band, for the period between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2014. Therefore, it will be participating in music programmes in Czech Radio’s broadcast and representing Czech Radio during its concert activities. Along with the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Brno Radio Orchestra of Folk Instruments it will thus become another significant representative of Czech Radio in the area of music.

The Tradition Continues

"I am very happy that we have managed to secure continuous cooperation with an ensemble that belongs among the most distinctive Czech performers in the areas of jazz, swing, and dance music. The tradition founded by Gustav Brom and now successfully developed by the orchestra’s current artistic leadership along with its excellent line-up is a guarantee as well as a promise of great listening experience for both radio listeners and concert-goers and of wonderful representation of the public radio, which wants to support the development of this music genre”, says Jan Simon, Director of the Centre of Artistic Ensembles, Contests and Festivals.

“The Gustav Brom Big Band belongs among the legendary Czech big bands, such as the Czech Radio Dance Orchestra (TOČR) led by Karel Krautgartner or the Karel Vlach Orchestra. In the area of jazz the Gustav Brom Big Band has become the most important propagator of Czech music, which has been acknowledged by the prestigious American specialist magazine, the Down Beat, which ranked it as one of the world’s best big bands. The orchestra currently continues this glorious tradition at home as well as abroad. Therefore, we really welcome the decision made by the management of Czech Radio, which has offered to connect its name with this legendary and reputable ensemble”, adds Vladimír Valovič, the Artistic Director of the Gustav Brom Big Band.

MgA. Jakub Čížek
Communications and External Relations Director
Czech Radio
Phone: +420 221 551 310