Born: November 23, 1948 Primary Instrument: Piano
Emil Viklicky was born in Olomouc, Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic), where in 1971 he graduated from Palacky University with a degree in mathematics. While a student he devoted much time to playing jazz piano. In 1974, he was awarded the prize for best soloist at the Czechoslovak Amateur Jazz Festival, and that same year he joined Karel Velebny's SHQ ensemble. In 1976, he was a prizewinner at the jazz improvisation competition in Lyon, and his composition “Green Satin” (Zeleny saten) earned him first prize in the music conservatory competition in Monaco, where in 1985 his “Cacharel” won second prize in the same competition.
In 1977, he was awarded a year's scholarship to study composition and arrangement with Herb Pomeroy at Berklee College of Music in Boston. He then continued his composition studies with Jarmo Sermila, George Crumb and Vaclav Kucera. Since returning to Prague, he has led his own ensembles (primarily quartets and quintets), composed and arranged, and - since the death of Karel Velebny - worked as director of the Summer Jazz Workshops in Frydlant. He has lectured at a similar workshop event in Glamorgan, Wales. Between 1991 and 1995, Viklicky was President of the Czech Jazz Society, and since 1994 he has worked with the Ad lib Moravia ensemble, whose performances combine elements of Moravian folk music, modern jazz and contemporary serious music. In 1996, the ensemble undertook a highly successful concert tour of Mexico and the United States.
As a pianist, Viklicky often performs in international ensembles alongside musicians from the U.S. and other European countries, including the Lou Blackburn International Quartet, the Benny Bailey Quintet, and multi- instrumentalist Scott Robinson. He has made frequent appearances in Finland (with the Finnczech Quartet and in particular with Jarmo Sermila) and Norway (with the Czech-Norwegian Big Band and Harald Gundhus) and has performed in the USA, Japan, Mexico, Israel, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands (at the North Sea Festival) and elsewhere. The editor of Rolling Stone wrote of Viklicky that “It was a delightful surprise to see such first-class, top-of-the-line jazz in Prague.”
As a composer, Viklicky has attracted attention abroad primarily for having created a synthesis of the expressive elements of modern jazz with the melodicism and tonalities of Moravian folk song that is distinctly individual in contemporary jazz. Besides this, however, he also composes “straight-ahead” modern jazz as well as chamber and orchestral works that utilize certain elements of the New Music, and at times his music requires a combination of classical and jazz performers. He also composes incidental and film music and has produced scores for several full-length feature films and television series. Throughout the 1990s he devoted an increasing amount of time to the composition of contemporary classical music for a great variety of instrumental combinations ranging from small chamber ensembles and electronic instruments to symphony orchestras and choruses. Viklicky's work has gained him a number of prestigious awards.
Photo Credit
Jan Sibrik
Awards:
1976 - prize for jazz improvisation at competition in Lyon, France1976 - first prize in jazz composition competition in Monaco (for "Green Satin")
1978 - Supraphon prize (for LP In Olomouc Town)
1985 - second prize in Monaco jazz composition competition (for "Cacharel")
1991 - FITES (Film and Television Association) prize for music for animated film
1994 - second prize at Marimolin contemporary music competition in Boston (for "Tristana")
1996 - special prize for electroacoustic music, Prague (for "Paradise Park")
1996 - special Czech Music Fund prize for use of folk music in art music
2000 - first prize in international composition competition in Prague (for opera Phaedra)
--Jack Massarik, London Evening Standard, 10 Dec. 2007
“Emil Viklicky's chiming chords and poignant melodic turns on Moravian love songs had a Keith Jarrett-like eloquence.”
--John Fordham, Guardian, 21 Jan. 2007
“Emil Viklicky is one of those European jazz pianists who has successfully incorporated elements of his indigenous folk culture into jazz. When he performs his original compositions with their indebtedness to Czech and Moravian folk forms, a very distinctive and rewarding synthesis occurs. ... beautiful and thrilling music with ... aria-like purity that no doubt derives from Viklicky's parallel career as a composer of opera.”
--Euan Dixon, Jazz Views UK, 2006
”One of the best contemporary pianists, Viklicky's soloing and comping, his touch, voicings and intervals have a good deal in common with fleet, tasteful pianists like Tommy Flanagan, Jimmy Rowles and Bill Charlap.”
--Doug Ramsey, JazzTimes, Dec. 2004
Live in Vienna
Cube-Métier
2010
Father´s Blues, A Bird Flew Over, Highlands, Lowlands, Coral, Wine, Oh Wine, Longing, Buhaina.
Personnel: Emil Viklicky, piano; Frantisek Uhlir, bass; Laco Tropp, drums.
Sinfonietta~The Janacek of Jazz
Venus
2009
Tracks: The Forlorn Peach Tree, When I Walked, A Bird Flew Over, Gone With Water, In The Mists, Desire, My Lover Is Leaving Me, Fanoshu, Sweet Basil, She Was Walking Meadow, Jenufa (Act 2, scene 8), Sinfonietta.
Personnel: Emil Viklicky, piano; George Mraz, bass; Lewis Nash, drums; Laco Tropp, drums.
The Funky Way of Emil Viklicky
Vampi Soul
2009
Tracks: The Funky Way, Week, Once Again Sun, Maytime, Chega de Saudade, East 70th Street, Boston, Green Satin, Thunderhouse, A Land Full Of Love, They’ve Left The Window Open Again, Siesta, Jumbo Jet, Morning.
Personnel: Emil Viklicky, piano, electric piano, clavinet, synthesizer; Frantisek Uhlir, bass; Bill Frisell, electric guitar; Lubos Andrst, electric guitar; Antonin Viktora, acoustic guitar; Jan Vytrhlik, bass guitar; Kermit Driscoll, bass guitar; Eva Svobodova, vocals; Jiri Tomek, vocals; Rudolf Tichacek, electric soprano saxophone; Karel Velebny, vibraphone; Vinnie Johnson, drums; Ivan Smazik, drums; Josef Vejdova, drums; Karel Jencik, drums; Milan Vitoch, drums; Jiri Tomek, congas.
Emil Viklicky 60
Multisonic
2009
Tracks: Introduction by Czech President Vaclav Klaus; In The Mists; A Thousand Ships; Noa, Noa; What's New; One January Morning; Prague In March; Aspen Leaf; Caravan; What Now My Love.
Personnel: Emil Viklicky, piano; Hendrik Meurkens, harmonica; Steve Houben, flute, alto sax; Julian Nicholas, tenor sax; Richard Weller, drums; Frantisek Uhlir, bass; Laco Tropp, drums.
Vitame Vas
DMcP Productions
2009
Tracks: Czech Town Blues; My Lover is Leaving Me; Wine, Oh Wine; Monday; Wait, Wait; Highlands/Lowlands; Towards the End; Sister Sadie.
Personnel: Emil Viklicky, piano; Dennis McPartland, drums; Steve Charlson, bass.
Ballads and More
Arta
2008
Tracks: Always And Forever; I Fall In Love Too Easily; Dedicated To You; Highlands, Lowlands; Coral; A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing; Peacocks; Maybe Later; Polka Dots And Moonbeams; When The Sun Comes Out; Leaving; All Of You; Smile.
Personnel: Emil Viklicky, piano; Frantisek Uhlir, bass; Laco Tropp, drums.
Jazz at Prague Castle
Multisonic
2007
Tracks: Introduction by Czech President Vaclav Klaus; Highlands, Lowlands; In Holomoc Town; Mystery of Man Blues; Dolphin Dance; Lasko, Boze, Iasko; Body And Soul
Personnel: Marcus Printup, trumpet; Emil Viklicky, piano; Frantisek Uhlir, bass; Laco Tropp, drums.
Jazz Night at the Museum
DMcP Productions
2007
Tracks: Reflections; Desire; Desert Storm Blues; Monday; Wine, Oh Wine; St. Thomas; Summer's End; Sweet Basil; Aspen Leaf; Mona Lisa.
Personnel: Emil Viklicky, piano; Dennis McPartland, drums; Steve Charlson, bass.
Cookin' in Bonn
Dekkor
2006
Tracks: Father's Blues; Lover Come Back; Aspen Leaf; Desire; Wine Oh Wine; Cottontail; Song For Jane; Buhaina; Mona Lisa.
Personnel: Emil Viklicky, piano; Frantisek Uhlir, bass; Laco Tropp, drums.
Summertime
Cube-Métier
2004
Tracks: Summertime; Not Yet; Blues Refraction; Pod nasima okny; Out Of Nowhere; East Of The Sun; Just For Us; In A Sentimental Mood; Scott's Blues; Never Been In Love; Dark Composition; Under Our Windows.
Personnel: Emil Viklicky, piano, celeste; Frantisek Uhlir, bass; Laco Tropp, drums; Scott Robinson, sax, cornet.
What´s New
Cube-Métier
2003
Personnel: Emil Viklicky, piano; Frantisek Uhlir, bass; Laco Tropp, drums; Steve Houben, flute, sax.
Trio '01
Arta
2002
Personnel: Emil Viklicky, piano; Frantisek Uhlir, bass; Laco Tropp, drums.
Live in Rudolfinum
PJ Music
2001
Personnel: Emil Viklicky, piano.
Docela vsedni obycejny den
Lotos
1998
Personnel: Emil Viklicky, piano; Frantisek Uhlir, bass; Laco Tropp, drums; Peter Dvorsky, vocals; R. Pokorny; E. Rattay.
Neuro
Gallup Music
1998
Personnel: Emil Viklicky, piano; Jarmo Sermila, trumpet, fleugelhorn; Alex Svamberk, samplers, electronics, metal percussion; Miroslav Posejpal, bass.
Duets
Lotos
1998
Personnel: Emil Viklicky, piano; A. Wardell; G. Hopkins; G. Ittzes; E. Marienthal; J. Nicholas.
Bohemia After Dark
PJ Music
1997
Personnel: Emil Viklicky, piano; Laco Tropp, drums; Steve Houben, flute, sax; Peter Dvorsky, vocals.
UV Drive
Arta
1997
Personnel: Emil Viklicky, keyboards; Boris Urbanek, keyboards.
Homage To Josip Plecnik
Lotos
1996; reissued 2004
Personnel: Emil Viklicky, piano; Magdalena Kozena, vocals.
Food of Love
Melantrich; Lotos
1995; reissued 1998
Personnel: Emil Viklicky Quartet.
Last Conection from Niirasaki
Monitor/EMI
1995
Personnel: Emil Viklicky, piano; Alex Svamberk, sampler, electronics, metal percussion; Lucie Bila, vocals.
'Round Midnight
Arta
1991
Personnel: Emil Viklicky Quartet.
Beyond the Mountains
Supraphon
1990
Personnel: Emil Viklicky, piano; Frantisek Uhlir, bass; Laco Tropp, drums.
Homage to Joan Miro
Supraphon
1988; reissued 1989
Personnel: Emil Viklicky Quartet and the Talich Quartet.
Together
Supraphon
1981; reissued 1996
Personnel: Emil Viklicky, piano; James Williams, piano.
Confluence
Jasemusiikki Finland
1983, reissued 1995
Personnel: Jarmo Sermila, trumpet, fluegelhorn; Emil Viklicky, piano.
The Window and The Door
Supraphon; Bonton
1980; reissued 1997
Personnel: Emil Viklicky Quartet; Bill Frisell, guitar.
As a Side Musician
Moravian Gems
Cube-Métier
2007
Tracks: 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; Emil Viklicky, piano; Laco Tropp, drums.
Morava
George Mraz
Fantasy/Milestone
2001
Tracks: Aspen Leaf; Oh, Mountain; Gray Pigeon; Up In A Fir Tree; Myjava; She Walks In A Meadow; Little Black Swallow; Desire; Wine, Oh Wine; Gray Falcon; The Sun Goes Down; Jurenko, Jurenko.
Personnel: George Mraz, bass; Billy Hart, drums; Zuzana Lapcikova, vocals, cymbalom; Emil Viklicky, piano.
Lullabies
Zuzana Lapcikova
Multisonic
2001
Personnel: Zuzana Lapcikova, vocals; Emil Viklicky, piano; Petr Ruzicka, violin.
An American in Prague
Benny Golbin
Clearwater
2000
Moravian Love Songs
Zuzana Lapcikova
Lotos
1999
Tracks: Hey, Mountain, Mountain; Hey, Mountain, Mountain; Just Like The Mountains; Red Apple; Up In The Mountains, I Know; By The Lakeside; Come To Me, Sweet Lassie; Dance; On The Banks Of The Danube; Oh, Sweet Swallow; I Do Worry; Up The Tufty Fir Tree; Lucky Guy; Oh Did I See; On The Branch Of An Aspen Tree; Grief And Good Cheer; Cymbalom; Hope; The Falcon It Flew; A Bird Flew Out.
Personnel: Zuzana Lapcikova, vocals, dulcimer; Emil Viklicky, piano; Petr Ruzicka, violin; Laco Tropp, percussion; Frantisek Uhlir, bass; Jiri Pavlica, violin; Steve Houben, flute.
Fast Falls the Rain
Ad lib Moravia
Lotos
1994
Tracks: Prologue; Fast Falls The Rain; Jew's Harp; Blossom Sweet And Tender; Gallows; Sweet Basil; Love That Once Was; Black Horses; Janko; Seven Coins I Had; Up In The Mountains, Down In The Valley; If Only I Knew; Marching To Battle; Longing; Epilogue.
Personnel: Zuzana Lapcikova, vocals; Emil Viklicky, piano; Jiri Pavlica, violin.
While My Lady Sleeps...
The Benny Bailey Quintet
Gemini
1990
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