Overview of my musical projects and activities

Line-up: Zdeněk "Hmyzák" Novák - voice, electronics and other instruments, plus lyrics; Josef Jindrák (bass); René Pařez (guitar); Jan Faix (keyboards) and Zdeněk Konopásek (drums).

Kolena came first, Kolna almost in parallel (I praised Kolena on this web site in the section Music I like). Initially, Kolna was introduced as a duo of two old men of the Czech alternative scene: Hmyzák (ex Ženy, Bad Beef Hat, Činna, Psí vokáci) & Josef Jindrák (Skrytý půvab byrokracie, Ruce naší Dory, M/ÁJ...). Hmyzák, of course, sings his lyrics, operates electronics and a number of other instruments, Jindrák plays bass. Gradually, René Pařez, whom I know well from our time together in Dr. Konopny's Quartet (where I also had met Hmyzák years ago), and Jan Faix on keyboards joined in. In 2020, they released a record called Smrtí zatepla on the Polí5 label, and in late 2022 another one under the title Tehilim šeré, cesty země. Around this time, the fellows invited me to join the band as a drummer. I'm honored.

Facebook profile here: https://www.facebook.com/kapelakolna

Line-up: Jindra Tolar (guitars, vocals), Michal Fejt (bass, vocals), Karel Maso Koštejn (drums, vocals) and Zdeněk Konopásek (drums).

After the band Široko-daleko [Near-and-far] ended and Jan Prokop left the group of participating musicians, I started playing with an older project of basically the same people as a second drummer. This band from Karlovy Vary (my birth town) is oriented on psychedelic rock songs and now it features two drummers.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Fish-Flesh-Field-Henry--122528444431128/

Free improvisation on accoustic drum set.

Since 2013, I occasionally do solo drumming. It is not a kind of exhibition of player's skills, but rather complex free improvisations emphasizing the beauty of sound of accoustic drum set.

Musical duo: Luboš Fidler - vocals, lyrics, electric guitar, drums, amplified window shutters, accordion and composed songs; Zdeněk Konopásek - drums and cymbals, trumpet. And almost regular guest, Štěpán Pečírka - voice, bass.

Luboš Fidler is one of the most important and interesting performers of the Czech alternative music. It is well-known that he, as bass guitar player, was founding member of alternative rock groups Švehlík/Stehlík. He also played in MCH Band, Kilhets and other bands of the time. In the early 1980s he was involved in the minimalist-experimental trio Janota-Fidler-Richter. Later on, he created various sound installations (e.g. for the Orbis Pictus exhibition) and continued in a number of collaborations, including Oldřich Janota. We met first already in the beginning of 1980s, but it was only during Summer 2011 when we established a musical duo. Our music is not for big and wide audiences. It is partly composed and partly improvised. Songs with short and absurd lyrics mingle with free playing.

Official website: http://nocniptak.cz/index.php?m=3&lang=en

YouTube channel: http://youtube.com/user/Nocniptak2011

Theatrical performance of Jaroslav Dušek. Also participating: Pjér Lašéz - vocals, guitars, author of songs; Zdeněk Konopásek - drums, trumpets, percussions (as guest); Viktor Zborník - lights.

Theatrical performances inspired by the books of the same titles written by Don Miguel Ruiz. Four agreements has been a successful piece for several years, part of the program list of the club Lavka (Praha). Dušek is accompanied by Pjér Lašéz (guitars, vocals) and Alan Vitouš (percussions), light design by Viktor Zborník. Old Toltec wisdoms are played out and exemplified by everyday life situations, especially related to child education. Since 2008 I occasionally participate as guest in these performances, alternating Alan Vitouš during gigs outside Prague, often planned as joint gigs with the Vizita improvised shows (where I play regularly).

Fully improvised theatrical-musical performances: Jaroslav Dušek - acting, speaking, singing, dancing; Pjér Lašéz - guitars, djembe, singing and speaking; Zdeněk Konopásek - drums, trumpets; Viktor Zborník - lights

Divadlo Vizita is a life-long theatrical project of Jaroslav Dušek - actor who recently became widely known by some of his film roles (Musíme si pomáhat [Divided We Fall] - Oscar nomination in 2000), but who has also been systematically developing methods of free improvisation in theatre (and music). I started playing with Divadlo Vizita in the Archa Theatre (Praha) in 1999-2000. The lineup of these times (Dušek, Lašéz, Konopásek) was renewed in 2005, with occasional guest appearances such as collaboration with Dan Bárta (voice, instruments) and occasional switches to an alternative lineup with Miroslav Vitouš (contrabass) during 2006-7. A number of people have played with Divadlo Vizita throughout the years, either actors or musicians, e.g.: Jaromír Honzák (contrabas), René Pařez (guitar), Radomil Uhlíř (action), Alan Vitouš (percussions), Martin Zbrožek (action, violin, singing), Oldřich Kužílek and Jan Borna (actors) and many others.

Didgeridoo and drums, free improvisation.

In 2015-2018, I played together with Ondrej Smeykal, one of the most brilliant and widely celebrated players on didgeridoo. Characteristically we play one piece from start to end, but in "waves", gently, but also wild, not only for listening but especiall for dancing and moving, a plethora of rhythms and sounds intended as something almost therapeutic and cathartic.

(Post)rock band: Jan Prokop - vocals, lyrics, guitars; Jindra Tolar - guitars, trumpet; Michal Fejt - tenorsax, clarinet; Zdeněk Konopásek - drums and cymbals.

Originally, Široko-daleko [Far and near] was a two-person project of Jan Prokop and Jindra (Henry) Tolar - both coming from a rock band Fish Flesh Field & Henry Dollar based in Karlovy Vary (my birth town). They became known for slow, melancholic and minimalistic songs, occasionally echoing the work of Oldrich Janota. I joined the line-up after a jam weekend, which took place at Jan Prokop's home in autumn 2010. We had the first concert in January 2011, in the Paderewski club in Karlovy Vary. We enjoyed playing together and thought it should not be our last performance.

Facebook: http://cs-cz.facebook.com/pages/Široko-Daleko/270579479656977

In 1997-2000, the band consisting of: Pjér Lašéz - vocals, bass, lyrics; Zdeněk Konopásek - drums; Tomáš Havlík (Mr. Giss) - keyboards (since 1999?); Petr Mareš (Berous) - guitar (also since 1999?).

A band that came to existence when I and Pjer Lasez started rehearsing as bass and drums duo. We were old friends, but in 1984-97 we hardly see each other - Pjer had written some lyrics for songs of Dvouletá fáma and in 1984 we shortly considered musical collaboration. After we started playing together in 1997, two other players subsequently joined us, so that our final recording was made under the title Duo Profesores, Mr. Giss, and one guitar, please. No live performances, only one CD-R full of funny songs and appearance in a weird TV series by Jaroslav Dušek called Dokoláč (broadcasted around 2000).

Wild free improvisation band: Radomil Uhlíř - voice; René Pařez (until 2005)/Joe Karafiát (since 2005) - guitars; Zdeněk Konopásek - drums, trumpet; Jan Štolba (since 2006) - sax; and others

I played with the Quartet in 1991-93 and then again (and mainly) in 2002-2008. This weird musical group was/is dominated by the actor, poet, visual artist, traveller and singer, Radomil Uhlíř. The band initiated as a reincarnation of late Dvouletá fáma (Uhlíř, Vik, Konopásek). A number of musicians have played with the band throughout the years, e.g.: Vratislav Kydlíček (drums), Lumír Gajda (guitar), René Pařez (guitar) and Zdeněk Hmyzák Novák (trumpet). In 2002-2008 I especially enjoyed playing with the following lineup: Radomil Uhlíř, Joe Karafiát, Jan Štolba and Oto Sukovský (bass, since 2007). In 2006 a double CD was released by Guerilla Records: Skrývám se, ale nikdo mne nehledá [I am hiding, but nobody is looking for me]. In spring 2008, after a deep personal conflict with Radomil Uhlíř, I left the band.