Alf Carlsson & Jiří Kotača Quartet

As part of the club's poMYŠlení programme, non-members are invited to enjoy a concert by the quartet of Swedish guitarist Alf Carlsson, who has composed music for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony, and Czech trumpeter Jiří Kotača (Angel Prize nominee, laureate of the Czech Jazz Harvest 2020). The original music is influenced by Swedish, Czech and Slovak folk traditions, and recently also by electronic elements.

About the band:
Alf Carlsson/Jiří Kotača Quartet is a joint project of Swedish guitarist Alf Carlsson and Czech trumpeter Jiří Kotača. Both musicians met while studying in Rotterdam, Netherlands - half a year after returning to their home countries, what was planned as a short visit turned into a series of concerts and eventually a regular band. The group has been performing for six years and has played dozens of concerts at jazz festivals and clubs in Sweden, Germany, Austria, Bulgaria, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

The quartet is completed by Slovak jazz musicians of the youngest generation - Peter Korman on double bass and Kristián Kuruc on drums. Their music blends lyrical Scandinavian music and modern jazz with a touch of Moravian and Slovak folk; the band emphasizes sonic diversity and strong melodies, bridging different musical traditions and the roots of its members. They have experience performing alongside Grammy-nominated musicians such as Ilja Reijngoud and Sulivan Fortner, and collaborate with artists including Matúš Jakabčic, David Dorůžka and the European Radio Jazz Orchestra.

As a bonus, a guided tour of the Jazz World Photo exhibition is prepared - the 13th edition of an international photography competition focused on jazz, blues and related genres. The competition received submissions from 120 photographers from 29 countries, and the expert jury selected 30 photographs for the travelling exhibition. https://www.jazzworldphoto.com/gallery-2026/