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Libor Šmoldas LIVE at Smalls Jazz Club

From Left: Libor Šmoldas, Josef Fečo, Tomáš Hobzek, Petr Beneš

It’s a real privilege to be able to listen to and watch quality live jazz from anywhere on the planet — like from my chair in front of my computer.  That’s the gift NYC’s  Smalls Jazz Club offers us with its  live streaming audio and video.

I had the pleasure of checking out guitarist Libor Šmoldas along with Josef Fečo on bass, Tomáš Hobzek on drums, and pianist Petr Beneš during their second set via Smalls’ streaming video this past Monday night.   Šmoldas’ quartet swung hard throughout a thoroughly entertaining set.  He’s a warm, inventive straight-ahead guitarist with some great ideas and the chops to express them.

Towards the end of the set Šmoldas invited legendary bassist George Mraz to sit in for a tune and Mraz clearly enjoyed his moment with the group, soloing beautifully and closing the piece by quoting that classic bass line from Miles’ “All Blues.”

I’m really glad Libor Šmoldas brought his quartet to America all the way from the Czech Republic and even happier to be able to see and hear them live, even from a distance.