COTATCHA ORCHESTRA
Release Date: November 13, 2020
Catalog #: BR8963
Format: Digital & Physical
21st Century
Jazz
Big Band
Electronic
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Bigband Electronics

Cotatcha Orchestra | Juraj Valenčík conductor

Fresh from Big Round Records comes the Cotatcha Orchestra’s BIGBANDOVÁ ELEKTRONIKA/BIGBAND ELECTRONICS. As its name suggests, this unprecedented album pairs original big band music with electronic music, concocting a sound—and perhaps even a brand new genre—that listeners have never heard before.

Cotatcha Orchestra was the brainchild of trumpeter Jiří Kotača. His founding mission was simple: play unusual and original big band music. From this seed grew the sound we hear today, a fascinating mix of jazz, Czech music, and electronic music. Rather than reaching for cheap novelty, however, Kotača saw big band and electronic music as a natural combination. The latter element strengthens the band’s music, expands their emotive range, and carries them into the modern era. The names and themes of the compositions are not run-of-the-mill, either; Sardanapalm, for example, combines the name of the last Assyrian king with the explosive agent napalm, positing a thoughtful yet apolitical observation of the west’s involvement with the Middle East. The music is at once familiar and profoundly ethereal, combining muted jazz trumpet with an array of electronic sounds. Billy’s Pilgrimage is a musical interpretation of Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five, focusing on the main character, Billy. Piano and rhythmic elements, along with the airy, jazz-steeped voice of guest soloist Lenka Dusilová, form an interpretive soundtrack for Billy’s story. And, of course, there’s Very Old Lady Driving A Ferrari—a lighthearted musical imagining of an elderly speed-lover taking a summer drive in a sports car. Electric piano, drums, electronics, and an interjecting horn section put the listener firmly in the driver’s seat for this exhilarating ride.

While the combination of big band music with electronic music may surprise some, it makes perfect sense to Kotača. As he sees it, electronic music has been successfully fused with nearly every other genre of music—why should big band be an exception? Indeed, concertgoers have already deemed this experimental fusion a great success; there is no doubt listeners to BIGBANDOVÁ ELEKTRONIKA/BIGBAND ELECTRONICS will agree.

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"This is a fun album, with wonderful arrangements, ambient sounds combined with powerful brass and some delicate soloing by Kotaca and Konvička. A gem!!!!"

Jazz Mania

"Although it may be an unlikely pairing, the organic versus synthetic sounds here mesh in a way that is both fascinating and rhythmically innovative, as Kotaca and company bring fusion to an entirely new area."

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Track Listing & Credits

# Title Composer Performer
01 Sen Sei Martin Konvička Cotatcha Orchestra | Marek Kotača, alto sax 5:25
02 Billy's Pilgrimage Martin Konvička Cotatcha Orchestra | Lenka Dusilová, vocals; Martin Konvička, piano; Jiří Kotača, trumpet 7:37
03 Sarda(napalm) Martin Konvička Cotatcha Orchestra | Jiří Kotača, trumpet 3:21
04 (Sarda)napalm Martin Konvička Cotatcha Orchestra | Jiří Kotača, trumpet 2:59
05 Modal Song Jiří Kotača Cotatcha Orchestra | Jiří Kotača, flugelhorn; Radek Zapadlo, alto saxophone 8:06
06 Gloryhole Waltz Martin Konvička Cotatcha Orchestra | Peter Korman, double bass; Martin Konvička, piano 5:51
07 Nerf Nitro Throttle Shot Blitz Martin Konvička Cotatcha Orchestra | Kamil Slezák, drums; Radim Hanousek, bass clarinet; Jiří Kotača, trumpet 8:00
08 For Ben Jiří Levíček Cotatcha Orchestra | Martin Konvička, piano; Jiří Kotača, flugelhorn 4:14
09 A Very Old Lady Driving a Ferrari Martin Konvička Cotatcha Orchestra | Ilja Reijngoud, trombone 5:18

COTATCHA ORCHESTRA
(Czech Republic / Slovakia / Austria / Hungary)

Recorded June 30 – July 1, 2020 at Orlí Street Theater Recording Studio Brno in Brno, Czech Republic.
Ilja Reijngoud’s solo on track 9 recorded
in Culemborg, Netherlands.

Jiří Kotača solo trumpet, bandleader

Guests: Lenka Dusilová (CZ) vocals
Ilja Reijngoud (NL) trombone

Marek Kotača alto sax, clarinet, soprano sax
Radek Zapadlo alto sax, clarinet
Petr Smékal tenor sax, clarinet
Ivan Podhola tenor sax, flute, clarinet
Radim Hanousek baritone sax, bass clarinet

Matthias Zeindlhofer trombone
Jan Galia trombone
Ivan Melin trombone
Michal Motýl bass trombone

Ádám Gráf lead trumpet
Jan Kozelek trumpet
Jan Přibil trumpet

Martin Konvička piano
Peter Korman double bass
Kamil Slezák drums

Orchestra conducted by Juraj Valenčík

Photography Jonatan Jan, David Poul

PARTNERS / DONORS
A special thanks to all our partners for their financial support – Želex, Brno City Municipality, Ministry of Culture Czech Republic, OSA, Rena Nova, Jadran Reality – because without their help this album wouldn’t have been possible. Thanks to all supporters that helped us with our crowdfunding campaign and special thanks to our little donors:

Martin Baránek, Milan Bukovský, Aleš Galuška, Kryštof Hasa, Jiří Horák, Peter Chmela, Jan Chudomel, Filip Korsa, Leona a Tom, Dušan Sedláček, Michal Sýkora, Jan Školník, Lukáš Tomšej, Miloš Vážan, and Tomáš Vrtek.

Executive Producer Bob Lord

Executive A&R Sam Renshaw
A&R Director Brandon MacNeil
A&R Morgan K. Santos

VP, Audio Production Jeff LeRoy
Audio Director Lucas Paquette
Recording Session Producer, Engineer, Editing, Mixing & Mastering Jan Košulič
Recording Sessions Director Levi Brown

VP, Design & Marketing Brett Picknell
Art Director Ryan Harrison
Design Edward A. Fleming
Publicity Patrick Niland, Sara Warner

Artist Information

Cotatcha Orchestra

Cotatcha Orchestra

Ensemble

Cotatcha Orchestra was founded by trumpeter Jiří Kotača with a vision to play unusual and original big band music. The band morphed and grew with each new repertoire, from compositions by legendary world-known jazz authors, through contemporary Czech works for the big band to collaborations with great foreign guests such as Ilja Reijngoud, Mar Vilaseca, and Geraldyne Schnyder.

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Notes

Bigband-Electronics_Notes-1

Photography Jonatan Jan, David Poul

Bigband-Electronics_Notes-2

Photography Jonatan Jan, David Poul

Bigband-Electronics_Notes-3

Photography Jonatan Jan, David Poul

IMAGINE WHAT A TRULY BIG BAND CAN DO — how much energy and strength is hidden in the voices of 16 great musicians tuned into one interconnected whole. From the subtle tones of piano and double bass to the explosive intensity of drums, trumpets, and trombones (with saxophones somewhere in the middle — they can be explosive, but also seductively soft) — but that’s not all. In the case of Cotatcha Orchestra, this mixture would not be complete without the immense range of possibilities within electronic music, which supports and strengthens the resulting emotion and transfers the whole musical experience to the present — our modern world. We are glad you are holding this album in your hands and that we are able to share this extraordinary sound, which combines the cleverness of music and emotional clarity, with you personally. Bigband electronics is not simply an odd attempt at originality — an “unprecedented” combination, or a cheap sensation – electronic music has long permeated all genres and it was time to introduce it to the big band!

You are currently listening to songs by the great pianist Jiří Levíček, bandleader Jiří Kotača, and Martin Konvička, who stands behind most of the tracks. Martin Konvička is a pianist, composer, and producer of electronic music all in one, and thanks to that the interconnection of acoustic and electronic elements in the compositions is unprecedentedly natural. Both worlds exist in symbiosis and without the need to compete and usurp the leading voice. What they in effect create is colorful music — sometimes lively, sometimes thoughtful, but always convincing.

PŘEDSTAVTE SI, CO UMÍ OPRAVDU VELKÁ KAPELA — big band, kolik energie a síly skrývá hudba šestnácti skvělých hudebníků sladěných do jednoho celku. Od jemných tónů klavíru a kontrabasu po výbušnou intenzitu bicích, trumpet a trombónů (přičemž saxofony jsou někde vprostřed, umí být výbušné, ale taky svůdně jemné) — jenomže to není vše. V případě Cotatcha Orchestra k tomu ještě připočtěte nesmírnou škálu možností elektronické hudby, která podporuje a posiluje výslednou emoci a svou přítomností přenáší celek do současnosti — našeho moderního světa. Jsme rádi, že držíte toto album ve vašich rukou a že s vámi právě sdílíme tento neobyčejný zvuk, který v sobě pojí chytrost hudby s její sdělností. Bigbandová elektronika taky není jen lichým pokusem o originalitu — o “nevídanou” kombinaci, nebo lacinou senzaci — elektronická hudba už dlouho prostupuje všechny žánry a bylo na čase ji seznámit s big bandem!

Právě posloucháte skladby od skvělého klavíristy Jiřího Levíčka, kapelníka Jiřího Kotači a Martina Konvičky, který stojí za většinou skladeb. Martin Konvička v sobě spojuje klavíristu, skladatele a producenta elekronické hudby a díky tomu je v skladbách propojení akustické a elektronické složky nevídaně přirozené. Oba světy existují v symbióze a bez potřeby soupeřit a uzurpovat si hlavní slovo tvoří barvitou hudbu — někdy rozvernou, někdy zamyšlenou, ale vždy s puncem přesvědčivosti.

SEN SEI tells of the culture and art of fighting and power. When masters face each other in a fight, their bodies intertwine like the bodies of dancers, and the goal is not a one-sided victory, but the confrontation — the fight itself becomes aesthetic.

SEN SEI vypráví o kultuře boje a síly. Když bojují mistři, jejich těla se proplétají jako těla tanečníků a cílem boje není jednostranné vítězství, ale konfrontace sama – boj sám se stává estetickým

BILLY’S PILGRIMAGE is a “soundtrack“ to the life of the hero from Vonnegut’s novel Slaughterhouse-Five. Billy had been through a lot, but he had always fought hard for a morally unstained path toward his destiny. And maybe (or exactly because of that) he was crazy.

BILLY’S PILGRIMAGE je zvuk života hrdiny Vonnegutova románu Slaughterhouse-Five. Billy toho zažil opravdu hodně, ale vždy usilovně bojoval za morálně čistou cestu dál vstříc jeho osudu. A možná (nebo právě proto) byl blázen.

SARDANAPALM is not merely a play on words which links the name of the last Assyrian king to the explosive instrument of war — napalm — this composition was created at a time when the crisis of the Middle East was echoing in the Western world. But it also does not strive to be a political statement, because music bridges politics and unites what states, ideologies, and religions sometimes tear apart. It is a reminder that every culture has roots that we forget about — deep roots on which we build our presence without even perceiving them. If it weren’t for Sardanapal, our world would certainly be quite different — not better or worse, simply different. This composition is therefore a reminder that although cultures or opinions seem foreign and distant to us, they all sprout from the entangled roots of us all.

SARDANAPALM není náhodnou jazykovou hříčkou spojující jméno posledního asyrského krále s výbušným nástrojem války – napalmem, skladba vznikla v době, kdy se západním světem nesly ozvěny krize blízkého východu. Není ovšem ani politickým stanoviskem, neboť hudba může politiku překlenout a spojit to, co státy, ideologie a náboženství někdy trhají od sebe. Je připomenutím toho, že každá kultura má kořeny, na které zapomínáme. Hluboké kořeny na nichž stavíme, aniž bychom je vnímali. Nebýt Sardanapala, náš svět by byl jistě o poznání jiný – ne lepší, nebo horší, ale jiný. Tato skladba je proto připomínkou toho, že ač se nám kultury nebo názory zdají cizí a vzdálené, někde hluboko vyrůstají z propletených kořenů nás všech.

MODAL SONG is a trip to our inner struggles that accompany us in periods of life changes. It oscillates between the still unabsorbed past and the belief in a better tomorrow.

MODAL SONG je výletem do našich niterních bojů, které nás provází v obdobích životních změn. Osciluje mezi světem minulým, ale stále nevstřebaným a vírou v lepší zítřky.

GLORYHOLE WALTZ is a reflection of the state of physical love in today’s world. Does the climax make sense without emotion and emotional connection? Maybe love is slowly becoming a cultural atavism, or maybe it only took a new and different form these days. Lust that knows no mystery is toothless.

GLORYHOLE WALTZ je reflexí stavu fyzické lásky v dnešním světě. Má vyvrcholení smysl bez citu a emočního napojení? Možná se láska pomalu stává kulturním atavismem, nebo má dnes jen jinou podobu. Chtíč, který nezná tajemství je bezzubý.

NERF NITRO THROTTLE SHOT BLITZ is a name taken from the name of a children’s toy. We live in a time saturated with an inexhaustible amount of information and impulses. We are constantly surrounded by flashing lights, intense slogans, and advertising that is supposed to get under our skin. Even the most straightforward values must compete to assert themselves in this information smog. How does this ubiquitous pursuit for our attention affect us all? Do we have the opportunity to avoid this and wonder at our own values for a moment? And does this intensity have its limit?

NERF NITRO THROTTLE SHOT BLITZ je název přejatý z názvu dětské hračky. Žijeme v době saturované nepřeberným množství informací a impulsů. Jsme neustále obklopeni blikajícími světly, intenzívními slogany a reklamou, která se nám má vepsat pod kůži. A i ty nejpřímočařejší hodnoty se v tomto informačním smogu snaží prosadit. Jak na nás všechny tato všudypřítomná honba po naší pozornosti působí? Máme možnost se tomu vyhnout a na chvíli se zastavit nad původním smyslem hodnot, které pramení z nás a ne z prostředí, které nás obklopuje? A má tato intenzita svůj limit?

FOR BEN

The Sky Is Blue
It Seems Like Morning Time
The Birds Are Singing Bye

You Fly To A Place
Where You Can Find Your Peace
But Don’t Forget The Past

When Your Opened Heart,
Filled With Love And Care,
For Me, And Everyone
Helped To Quell The Mind

The Mind, That Troubled You
To See The Beauty Of The Sky

VERY OLD LADY DRIVING A FERRARI is a pure celebration of life — its endless combinations and playful charades. It is also a pompous soundtrack to an imaginary elderly lady’s summer ride.

VERY OLD LADY DRIVING A FERRARI je čirou oslavou života – jeho nepřeberných kombinací a hravých šarád. A taky pompézním soundtrackem k imaginární letní projížďce jedné postarší dámy.

Videos

Cotatcha Orchestra – Billy’s Pilgrimage feat. Lenka Dusilová

Big band za časů koronaviru – Cotatcha Orchestra: A Very Old Lady Driving A Ferrari

Cotatcha Orchestra – Sardanapalm