Composer, conductor, band leader, jazz pianist

Contraband Jazz Orchestra (1988 - 2005)

The Contraband orchestra was an offshoot of Svoboda's Prague Big Band that existed between the late 1980s and the year 2005. The group was joined by a new generation of jazz musicians who assembled under the name of Contraband Jazz Orchestra during summer jazz workshops where Milan Svoboda was music instructor. The group soon established itself on the music scene nationally and abroad after claiming the Grand Prix award at the international festival in Karlovy Vary in 1988 and the first prize at the Big Band festival in Dortmund the following year. The bands' theatrical jazz-rock shows were a great success at many festivals in Germany (Ost-West Nürnberg, Viersen, Mannheim, Heilbronn, Göttingen, Saarbrücken, Ingolstadt, Trier, Regensburg), in Austria (Vienna, Wiesen, St. Ingbert), in France (Mulhouse, Pau, Metz), in Switzerland (Olten), in Poland (Krakow, Wroclaw) and at all the main music festivals in the Czech Republic. Guest artists who played with Contraband include James Moody, Victor Mendoza, Tony Lakatos and Sigi Finkel. Some of the concerts were broadcasted by television companies such as EBU, WDR, BR 3 and ČT. The orchestra's line-up which Svoboda occasionally increased to full big band format went through several changes before consolidation. During its latest period the group featured a selection of fine jazz musicians such as Kryštof Marek, Martin Kumžák, Pavel Pivarči, Radek Krampl, Milan Krajíc, Marcel Bárta, Přemysl Tomšíček, Jiří Šimek, Filip Spálený and Ivan Audes. Pavel Pivarči, Kryštof Marek and Martin Kumžák contributed many compositions to the ensemble's repertoire. The CDs from this period are "Jen tak dál" (Keep it Up), "Vánoční písně a koledy" (Christmas Songs and Carols), "Live At Viersen", "Pěna dní" (Foam of the Days), "Family" and "Contraband Goes To Town".

Contraband's line-up in the late 1980s and early 1990s:

František Kučera, Jan Doležal, Míra Barabáš - trumpets

Lubomír Holzer - trombone, Martin Staněk - tuba

Martin Brunner - flute, Ivan Myslikovjan, Milan Krajíc - saxes  

Kryštof Marek - piano, Karel Cába - bass guitar

Ivan Audes - drums

Contraband's line-up in the 1990s, upto 2005:

Luděk Emanovský, Radek Němec, Michal Gera - trumpets

Přemek Tomšíček - trombone, Filip Spálený - tuba

Martin Brunner - flute, Marcel Bárta - alto sax

Tomáš Křemenák, Milan Krajíc - tenor sax

Pavel Pivarči - baritone sax

Jiří Šimek - guitar, Martin Kumžák - syntesizer

Kryštof Marek - piano, Martin Lehký - bass guitar

Ivan Audes - drums

Latest CD:

CONTRABAND GOES TO TOWN
Milan Svoboda Jazz Orchestra
(CD PJ Music 2002 - PJ018-2)

album details

Discography:

CONTRABAND GOES TO TOWN
Milan Svoboda Jazz Orchestra
(CD PJ Music 2002 - PJ018-2)

album details

FAMILY
Milan Svoboda and Contraband Jazz Orchestra (Live)
(CD Lotos 1998 - LT 0068-2 531)

album details

KEEP IT UP
Milan Svoboda and Contraband Jazz Orchestra
(CD Aurophon 1994 - AU 31627)

album details

THE FOAM OF THE DAYS
Milan Svoboda, Jan Vedral (Musical)
(CD Bonton 1994 - BONTON Music 71 0183-2)

album details

LIVE AT VIERSEN
Contraband Jazz Orchestra and Milan Svoboda
(CD PJ Music 1992 - PJ 004-1)

album details

CHRISMAS SONGS AND CAROLS
Contraband Jazz Orchestra and pop singers
(CD Lotos 1992 - LT 0003-2 311)

album details

Videos:

(more videos)

Jazz Festival Ost West Nürnberg 1990, Germany:

Jazz Fest Viersen 1991, Germany:

Prague TV Concert 1992:

Prague, Lucerna Hall, 1988:

Photogallery

Jazz Fest Brno, 26.4.2019 (Contraband after 30 years)

Slaný Jazz Days, 11.11.2018 (Contraband after 30 years)

Praha, Reduta, 9.10.2011, MS 60. Birthday Concert

Praha, Lucerna, 30.11.2005 (30. let PBB)

Germany, Jazzweekend Regensburg, 9.7.2005

Praha, Malostranská beseda, 22.4.2004

Jazz Goes To Town Hadec Králové, 20.10.2001

Videos 

2019, Brno Jazz Fest - Contraband Jazz Orchestra (after 30 years) 

2005, Praha, Lucerna Hall, 30 anniversary concert - Prague Big Band & Contraband

2002, Germany, Köln, Rheinlander - Contraband Jazz Orchestra (amateur video)

2001, Praha, Rudolfinum, MS 50 anniversary concert - MS Solo, Quartet, Big Band, Symphony Orchestra

2001, Hradec Králové, Jazz Goes To Town Festival - Contraband Jazz Orchestra

1999, Praha, CTV studio, "Noc s Andělem" - Contraband Jazz Orchestra & guests (Christmas Songs and Carols)

1995, Praha, Lucerna Hall, 20 anniversary concert - Prague Big Band

1992, Praha, Congress Hall, CTV concert - Contraband Jazz Orchestra

1992, Český Těšín Jazz Festival - Contraband Jazz Orchestra

1992, Praha, Divadlo Komedie - Contraband Jazz Orchestra & guests (Christmas Songs and Carols)

1991, Germany, Viersen Jazz Fest - Contraband Jazz Orchestra

1990, Germany, Ost West Jazz Festival Nürnberg - Contraband Jazz Orchestra

1989, Karlovy Vary Jazz Fest - Contraband Jazz Orchestra

1988, MJF Praha, Lucerna Hall - Contraband Jazz Orchestra (amateur video)

Booking and contact

DOUBLE MS AGENCY