Zalman

     Czech music band without official established day. The beginning is allowed to be day of the first concert of trio Žalman in Porta in 1982. The basic member was Pavel Lohonka, Pavlína Jíšová and Antonín Hlaváč.

Later the name was changed to Žalman & spol. and this name became the legend of Country scene in Czecho-Slovakia.

After some singles, the first album was Žalman & spol. in 1987. In 1988 came other members (Jaroslav Matějů, Vojta Zícha) and this arrangement became the most favourite of all the band’s history. In 1992 they released album Jantarova Země and movie Folk a Folklor. In the same year, the band finished its existence, but thanks only for short time.

In same year, in 1992 new Žalman & spol. was established with two past members (Lenka Slabá, Jaroslav Kovář). The band produced new albums Hodina usmíření, Tu neděli po ránu, reedition of Jantarova země, Písně sebrané pod stolem.

In summer time there was the first holiday’s camp for young musicians named OASA MUSA and it was released album Potlach v mé duši, what was selection of Žalman tramp songs from 1962 – 1982.

In 1995 was changes membership, Lenka Slabá leaved the band and Michaela Krmíčková came. After this arrival was produced album Pocestný do sedmého nebe, which was followed by same name’s film.

The members in that time were:
Pavel Lohonka
Michaela Krmíčková
Vojtěch Zícha
Jaroslav Matějů
Petr Novotný

Thanks to Canadian countrymen, the band had some concerts in Vancouver and Calgary and they made trip through Rocky Mountains. From this journey, they created document movie.

In 1997 the history was repeat and the band was disband and established again. There was released album Sbohem romantiko with many guests and also some past members of the band.

From October 1997 till today the band has same members:
Pavel Lohonka – guitar, sing
Jindřiška Petráková – flute, perkus, sing
Jan Brož – guitar, sing
Petr Novotný – basguitar, keyboard, sing

In this arrangement, there were released albums Láska a smrt, Ve znamení ryb, V roce jedna.

Intersection of the all production of Pavel Žalman (from period of Minnesengrů to last arrangement of Žalman) was double album – compilation named Žalman – Výběr nejlepších nahrávek. The other author album was Nápis na štítu domu from 2004.

     During all history of existence, the band and especially Pavel Lohonka got many awards as Zlatá Porta (Golden Porta – 1987), Velká Porta (Great Porta – 1992), Zlatý klíč (Golden Key – 2001 – inquiry of magazine Folk & Country after Album of the Year), Zlatá deska (Golden Record – albums Písně sebrané pod stolem, Pocestný do sedmého nebe, Sbohem romantiko, Ve znamení ryb), Krišťálová deska (Crystal Record).

Discography:
1987 – Žalman & spol.
1989 – Jantarova Země
1991 – Hodina Usmíření
1992 – Tu neděli po ránu
1992 – Když Bůh jihočechy stvořil
1993 – Žalman & spol. + Jantarová Země
1993 – Písně sebrané pod stolem
1994 – Potlach v mé duši
1995 – Pocestný do sedmého nebe
1996 – Živě na Moravě
1997 – Sbohem romantiko
1998 – Sbohem romantiko
1998 – Láska a smrt
2000 – Ve znamení ryb
2001 – … v roce jedna
2002 – Žalman - Výběr nejlepších nahrávek - double album
2004 – Nápis na štítu domu
2005 – Ráno bylo stejný
2006 – Zatracený písně
2007 – Mezi kameny

Filmography:
1990 – Folk a Folklór
1994 – Žalman & spol. Na cestě
1995 – Pocestný do sedmého nebe
1999 – Láska a smrt

Divokej horskej tymián


Jdem zpátky do lesů

Horses

Now, when price of oil is the highest in all history, someone can start to think that time, when people didn’t need it. It isn’t so long time. Something about 150 years ago.

Most time of man history, there were horses as main vehicle. And horses are connected with history of the Country.

If you open any book of history, you can find many links and pics, where is man and his horse. Each period didn’t get along without them: Assyria and its militant horse carriages, Egypt and its pharaoh carriages, Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan and the Mongol Empire, many wars in Europe, Asia and the other part of the world, colonization of Wild West, etc.

Horse in America

Horses came to America only after arrival’s Christopher Columbus.

I think of that. When people came to America, some thousands years ago, they went through the Bering Strait, I’m sure, they had many domestic animals, besides horses. Why these horses disappeared, that’s a question.

The odds are that Indians were very surprised to see Spanish conquistadors on horseback. From that time, America had horses again. Some horses run away and started to be wild.

And now we came to that time, when men had come to wild area of North America, cowboys drove cattle and rode on horse. During their journey met many batch of horses. Cowboys lassoed horses and tried to domestic them again. And rodeo was here.

Horses in music

Could you tell me someone song, where is horse? Yes, nothing hard. And no one. You know many songs, don’t you. (Oh! Susanna by Simon Carly, Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses by U2, Christmas For Cowboys by John Denver, Midnight In Montgomery by Alan Jackson, Orchidej by Rangers, Diego by Spirituál Kvintet, Red River Valley, Blízko Little Big Hornu by Greenhorns, Last Cowboy by span style="font-style: italic;">Michal Tučný, Honec krav, Divoké koně, Růže z Texasu, Píseň o koni, Supi by Waldemar Matuška, Pomalý koně by Martin Maxa, Bedna od whisky by Wanastowi Vjecy, Rychlejší koně by Wabi Daněk, Kovbojuv nářek by Spirituál Kvintet, Nad stádem koní by Buty, Divoké koně by Jaromír Nohavica, Čiže sú to koně ve dvoře - folklore, Holka od koní by Devítka, Národ koní by Druhá Tráva, Hřívy by Hop Trop, Pony Express by K.T.O., Zachraňte koně by Kamelot, Stádo by Alan Mikušek, Ho, Ho Watanay by Pavel Lohonka Žalman, Koně pláčou by Bagr, Cherokee Bill by Nedvědi, Rio Grande by Kabát and many, many others.

Horses go with us through history so long time and it’s incredible they are still our friends, after all things what we did them.

Horses are very clever animals and very nice. That’s why they come a part of many tales, stories and legends each culture in the world. Troy, its destroy and the wood horse. They were so important, that people put it also to the sky.

Someone said: “The most beautiful view on the world is from horseback.” And be sure it’s right.








Arabian Horse Heros


Orchidej


Oh Susanna


Zachraňte koně

Welcome Bratislava - CowParade

What can I tell you about that action? Every year some artists create special sculptures - cows.

Idea of CowParade came by Walter Knapp in 1996. His son Pascal Knapp was the creator of the three cow sculptures in CowParade which had been used in Chicago and New York at the end of the last century. After a lot of modifications, Pascal finished sculpture.

Cows are very authentic, life-size, from fiberglass.

CowParade is the world’s largest public art event.

It isn’t only art, it’s fun and also charity. To paint own cow - it comes to be in, a very prestige (or show how you are rich :o) A specially in Slovakia.)

When cows were in Bratislava, many people walk through the city and tried to find most of them. Some radios made competitions - to find special cow for each day. We walked too and made pictures some of them. You can see them here.

Which cities were this famous presentation - CowParade?

YEAR CITY 1999 Chicago, Illinois, USA 2000 New York City, New York, USA Stamford, Connecticut, USA West Orange, New Jersey, USA 2001 Kansas City, Missouri, USA Houston, Texas, USA Sydney, Australia 2002 London, England Venspils, Latvia Portland, Oregon Las Vegas, Nevada 2003 Atlanta, Georgia San Antonio, Texas West Hartford, Connecticut Tokyo, Japan Isle of Man, UK Dublin, Ireland Brussels, Belgium Auckland, New Zealand 2004 Manchester, UK Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Prague, Czech Republic Stockholm, Sweden 2005 Johannesburg, South Africa Barcelona, Spain Monaco Bratislava, Slovakia Geneva, Switzerland Sao Paulo, Brazil Moscow, Russia Bucharest, Romania 2006 Buenos Aires, Argentina Florence, Italy Lisbon, Portugal Paris, France Edinburgh, Scotland Budapest, Hungary Athens, Greece Boston, Massachusetts Denver, Colorado Wisconsin, USA Belo Horizonte, Brazil Curitiba, Brazil Guadalajara, Mexico 2007 Milano, Italy Vigo, Spain Marseille, France Istanbul, Turkey Copenhagen, Denmark Miami, Florida West Hartford, Connecticut