A Musical Celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Foundation of Czechoslovakia

The 100th Anniversary of the foundation of Czechoslovakia was celebrated by the Embassy of the Slovak Republic and the Embassy of the Czech Republic of Tbilisi on October 19 with a performance by the Fats Jazz Band. The concert was held at the Tbilisi State Conservatory Grand Hall, a grand three-tier venue in the center of the city. The evening was a celebration of cultural relations between Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Guests enjoyed lively hot-jazz and swing music from the late 1920s until 1940s era.

The nine-member orchestra, formed by Slovak pianist Ladislav Fanzowitz, performed songs from American jazz legends as well as the best tangos and foxtrots from Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Dressed in clothes from the era, the band enthusiastically wooed the crowd with numbers such as ‘Jazz Me Blues’ by Tom Delaney, ‘Bugatti Step’ by Jaroslav Jezek and ‘Rhythm Is Our Business’ by Sammy Cahn, Saul Chaplin and Jimmie Lunceford. Singing into an authentic 30s style microphone, Jana Dekanakova and Matus Uhlirarik gave exemplary vocals throughout the night. The concert ended with an enthusiastic encore before guests enjoyed refreshments in the foyer.

Members of the band are professional musicians and singers active in leading Slovak orchestras and big bands such as the Slovak Philharmonic, Gustav Brom Big Band, and the Orchestra of Slovak National Theater. Fanzowitz transcribes contemporary tunes by ear to music scores, creating a unique opportunity to listen to the original arrangements as they were played at the time. The Fats Jazz Band perform regularly in Slovakia, Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, Germany, Croatia, and Italy.

Czechoslovakia was formed in October 1918 after declaring independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It was dissolved peacefully into the Czech Republic and Slovakia on 1 January 1993. The two countries still enjoy a close relationship and share many parts of the Slovak culture. The musical performance was a fitting reflection of the togetherness of the two countries.

By Amy Jones