In the O2 universe, you are preparing a project that has no equivalent on the Czech scene. When did this idea – to transform the hall into a jazz club – actually come about?
The idea had been maturing in me for a longer time. I have always wanted to bring into a large space what I love most about real jazz clubs: closeness, intimacy, dim lighting, round tables, a glass in hand, and the feeling that the music is not coming from far away on stage, but right among the people. Suddenly, O2 universum started to make sense to me precisely because of that contrast – it is a large hall, but I wanted to create a club experience within it. And I told myself that if we were going to do it, it had to be without compromises. And with the fantastic team I have around me, it will definitely succeed.
What does the designation TheUltimate Jazz Night mean to you personally? Is it more of a celebration or a new beginning?
It is both. Of course, it is a celebration of my fortieth birthday, but I definitely don’t want it to feel like a person ticking off completed dreams. I perceive it more as a moment when all the important things in my life so far – New York, great American songs, my fantastic band, new original work, friendships with exceptional musicians, the Czech audience, and my family – come together in one extraordinary evening. At the same time, I feel that right at this moment, another stage of my life can begin.
How difficult is it to transfer the intimacy of a jazz club to a space for almost 3000 people?
It is incredibly difficult. And that’s exactly why this challenge excites me so much. Anyone can put on a concert in a hall. But creating the illusion in a hall that you are sitting in an elegant nightclub and the music is breathing right up close is a discipline in itself. Everything matters there: first of all, experience, then dramaturgy, lighting, table arrangements, sound work, the pace of the evening, and how the audience feels from the very first minute. I don’t want people to come to a “big show.” I want them to come to a jazz club, just on an unusually large scale.
What should the audience prepare for – will it be more of a concert or an experience?
Definitely an experience. Of course, it will be based on music, because without it, everything else would just be a nice backdrop. But that evening is structured to have atmosphere, gradation, and above all, emotions. There will be swing, jazz, Latin, full-bodied big band sound, special guests, surprising duets, and moments that will be truly very intimate. I would like people to leave saying, “That was a great concert,” but rather, “I was at something that cannot be repeated.”
Three years ago, you performed at Carnegie Hall. How does that moment reflect into today’s concert in Prague?
It reflects very strongly. Just the date is not a coincidence – April 29, 2023, Carnegie Hall, April 29, 2026, O2 universum. For me, there is beautiful symbolism in that. Carnegie Hall was a huge dream and also proof that even a guy from the Czech Republic can humbly but confidently step into a space that is almost sacred for American music. O2 universum is in some ways a return home, but not a step back. On the contrary. It is a moment when I bring that experience to the Czech audience and transform it into my own big evening.
What has New York taught you – not just musically, but also personally?
New York has taught me and confirmed two fundamental things! That being well-prepared, brave, and truthful pays off. Musically, one quickly understands there that talent alone is not enough. You have to know who you are, why you do it, and what you want to say to the audience. And personally, that city has taught me that dreams alone are not enough – they must be supported by immense discipline, hard work, and the ability to withstand pressure. At the same time, New York can energize you like few other cities in the world. Every time I am there, it reminds me that great things do not happen by chance.
On stage, you will meet truly diverse personalities. How did you choose the guests for this evening?
I certainly did not choose them based on the number of followers on Instagram, nor for mere effect or to reach a wider audience. Each of these collaborations primarily arose from friendship and mutual respect. I wanted people on stage whom I admire, from whom I have learned something, and with whom I have a genuine relationship. Scott Hamilton represents for me the purity of jazz tradition, Rubén Blades an incredible personality, intelligence, and global reach, Luba Mason Broadway experience and elegance, while Petr Janda embodies absolute authenticity. All of them share an immense joy for music. And on top of all that, the diversity! I really enjoy that. It shows that good music does not need labels.
What do you think Rubén Blades, Luba Mason, Scott Hamilton, and Petr Janda have in common?
At first glance, perhaps only that they have all dedicated their lives to music. But if you look closely, they have one significant thing in common: each of them is absolutely recognizable and, above all, authentic. They do not need to prove to anyone who they are. They have their own handwriting, their own opinion, their own tone. And that’s exactly what I admire most in musicians.
We should also look forward to an unconventional duet with Petr Janda – can you hint at what to expect from it?
I can only hint that it will not be a cheap “crossover” for effect. I am not a rocker, and Petr Janda is not a swinger, but that’s exactly why it can work. When two strong voices, two generations, and two worlds meet, something very lively and unexpected can emerge from it. I think this moment will be one of the big surprises of the evening for many people.
Has any of your guests ever surprised you during a collaboration so much that it changed your perspective on music?
My perspective on music remains unchanged. It’s more about broadening musical horizons and knowledge. With great personalities, one often expects mainly virtuosity, but what strikes me the most is something else – their calmness, precision, reliability, humility, and ability to serve the song perfectly. Those might be the greatest lessons of all. The greater the personality, the smaller the need to show off. And this always brings me back to what is most important: that music should not be about ego, but about truthfulness.
The album was created in New York with international guests – what makes it special for you?
It is special in that it did not arise as any calculation, but as a natural culmination of the path I have been on for many years. Here And Now is for me a meeting of worlds that I have long carried in my head and heart: Czech musical background, New York, great songs, strong inspirational personalities, my own experiences, original work. This album was created not only in the Czech Republic but also in New York at Flux Studios with Ondřej Pivec and with guests whom I hold in immense esteem, so it has not only an international dimension but also something very personal. It is an album that I fully stand behind.
The title Here And Now feels very personal. What does “here and now” mean to you at this stage of life?
For me, it means to stop constantly looking back, not to impatiently anticipate the distant future, and to acknowledge that one lives mainly here and now. I certainly do not give up on dreams and visions; that would directly deny my human essence, but with increasing age and experience, I feel that the greatest strength is in presence – being fully in what I do, with whom I do it, and why I do it. Here And Now is actually my reminder that life does not take place “once,” but right now.
The fortieth birthday is often perceived as a significant milestone. How do you perceive it?
I do not perceive it as a crisis or a sentimental pause. Rather, it is a moment when one has already experienced something, learned a lot, accomplished something, but at the same time should have enough sense not to rest on their laurels. I know better what I want, what I don’t want, what is worth investing energy in, and with whom I want to spend time – both on stage and off it. Moreover, I am finally reaching an age where the audience can trust my jazz experience. :)
What inspires you today outside of music?
People and their life stories. World metropolises. Architecture. Film. Literature. Traveling… And also ordinary moments that remind you that the world is not just about performance and deadlines in the diary. I like that Italian way of perceiving the world. Taking time for a good espresso or a glass of wine and not worrying that I have to run somewhere again.
Do you have any “dream” project that you have not yet fulfilled?
Of course, I do. But that one is also almost within reach. Within a year, we will open a jazz club in Říčany near Prague. Together with my friend, philanthropist Dita Holub, we will open Studio 65 in the courtyard of one of the historic houses in the Říčany square, which will be an absolutely unique artistic space where top musicians, actors, and visual artists will meet… It will be a place with perfect acoustics, top-notch technical equipment, the best concert piano for miles around… And above all, it will be a place that connects people. This is a project I believe in and plan to devote the maximum of my energy, ideas, and know-how gained over the years in the music industry to it. But the biggest dream is to sing and make music with enthusiasm and joy for as long as possible. Just like my American mentor, the legendary singer and actress Marilyn Maye, who will celebrate her incredible 98th birthday in full artistic strength this April.
And finally…
1. The best jazz club in the world?
I firmly hope that it will be the Říčany Studio 65! :) But otherwise, I love Village Vanguard, Birdland, or Smalls in New York. And fantastic jazz clubs can also be found in Japan.
2. A song you would sing anytime and anywhere?
The entire Great American Songbook from start to finish!
3. A city you always love to return to?
New York. Without hesitation. And also Telč, the city of my childhood.
4. A glass of champagne – when does it taste best?
When I can enjoy it with those I love. For example, with my wife on our terrace at home in Vyžlovka.
Tickets are on sale at official networks Ticketmaster and Ticketportal.
Jan Smigmator www.smigmator.com
