SELF PRODUCED (RELEASED OCTOBER 17, 2025)
Like the bass players he heard in his youth on Voice of America (i.e., Ray Brown, Paul Chambers. Ron Carter and Sam Jones) and the Czech bassists of his generation (i.e.,
George Mraz and Miroslav Vitous), Frantisek Uhlir is a master of all things bass. He demonstrates that on Coming Home, a recording he released in honor of his 75th birthday. He demonstrates his powerful and steady presence as he sets the tone for the soulful groove of the title track. On the Monkish “Big Mouth,” he demonstrates his walking bass skills as well as his lyrical solo bowing. He showcases his resonant high register pizzicato playing on the classically influenced “Vida je tu Ida.” His blues’ sensibilities are on full display on “I Remember Karel,” a tune dedicated to Czech vibist Karel Velebny. He adds just the right flavor to “The Untitled,” a tune that has a sense of rhythmic joy and charm much like Keith Jarrett’s “Lucky Southern.” He weaves in and out of a horn section on the angular “I’m Not Finished Yet” and floats over a string ensemble on “Children’s Dreams and Games.” Most of all, Uhlir demonstrates his proficiency as a composer and arranger for a variety of configurations including The Frantisek Uhlir Team (Andy Schofield on sax and flute, Standa Macha on piano and Martin Sulc on drums, a group he founded in 1987; integrating that group with a string quartet on two cuts and three horn players on another; and performing “Trialogue for Solo Violin, Jazz Quartet and Strings” an extended piece that blends classical and jazz. From high notes to low notes, blues to romanticism, Latin to modal grooves, lyrical to angular tones, Uhlir demonstrates what has made him a vital part of international jazz scene for more than five decades — creativity, a mastery of his instrument and a contagious sense of swing. Celebrate the music of Frantisek Uhlir as well as his 75th birthday with Coming Home, a recording that demonstrates his vitality in advancing the music of the great bassists who inspired him.
BOTTOM LINE: Czech bassist Frantisek Uhlir celebrates his 75th birthday with the release of Coming Home, and it is truly a gift for jazz fans. Uhlir composed and arranged the ten originals that feature him in a combination of settings — with his quartet (The Frantisek Uhlir Team), a string ensemble and a horn section. Whatever the format, Uhlir’s strong and passionate playing sets the tone for an enjoyable listening experience.
PAPATAMUS REDUX 
Leave a comment