Najponk

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NajPonk (* 23. April 1972 in Horlivka than January Knop ) is a Czech jazz pianist .

Najponk received classical piano lessons as a child. He came to jazz through his father's record collection, who played the clarinet and saxophone and worked as a circus musician . Since 1990 he has led his own trio, some of which have also been expanded into a quartet. In 1995 he won the international jazz piano competition in Ostrava and was invited to the project Tribute to Thelonious Monk by Český rozhlas . The Najponk Trio was named "Jazz Band of the Year" in the Top Jazz Poll of the Czech Jazz Society in 1998 . He presented his debut album ( Birds In Black ) in 1999. He also recorded with Svatopluk Košvanec ( Just Squeeze Me ) and released several solo albums.

Najponk has performed internationally, including at festivals in Europe, and has also worked with Janusz Muniak , Dave Liebman , Piotr Baron and Osian Roberts. Since 2003 he has also been teaching the history of jazz at the Jaroslav Ježek Conservatory .

Discographic notes

  • Najponk Trio Bluesin´ Black Forest ( HGBS 2017, with Taras Voloschuk and Marek Urbánek)
  • Najponk A Child is Born (Animal Music, 2014)
  • NajPonk / Jaromir Honzak / Matt Fishwick The Real Deal (Animal Music, 2011)
  • It's About Time (Animal Music, 2010 with Ondřej Pivec and Gregory Hutchinson )
  • Night Lights (CzechArt, 2009 with George Mraz and Martin Šulc)
  • Ballads, Blues and More (Cube Metier, 2001; with Robert Balzar , Martin Šulc)

literature

  • Alexander J. Schneller u. a .: That Jazz of Praha. Fourteen jazz portraits in words and pictures. Vitalis, Prague 2006 (pp. 166-173); ISBN 3-89919-097-1 .

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Najponk
ALTERNATIVE NAMES NajPonk; Knop, Jan (maiden name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Czech jazz pianist
DATE OF BIRTH April 23, 1972
PLACE OF BIRTH Horlivka