Ondřej Havelka (born October 10, 1954) is a Czech

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

and swing singer, actor, and director.

Career

Havelka has been the

lead vocalist The lead vocalist in popular music is typically the member of a group or band whose voice is the most prominent melody in a performance where multiple voices may be heard. The lead singer sets their voice against the accompaniment parts of t ...

for the Original Prague Syncopated Orchestra (1976-1995) and for Ondřej Havelka and his Melody Makers (1995 to present), and has directed and appeared in musicals and award-winning music videos.

Awards

In 1995 the

Czech Academy of Popular Music Czech may refer to: * Anything from or related to the Czech Republic, a country in Europe ** Czech language ** Czechs, the people of the area ** Czech culture ** Czech cuisine * One of three mythical brothers, Lech, Czech, and Rus *Czech (surnam ...

(''Akademie populární hudby'') voted ''Děkuji, bylo to krásné'', which he directed and performs in, the Anděl Award ("Czech Grammy") for Clip of the Year. In 1996 Havelka received a personal Anděl award as Jazzman of the Year.

Discography

With the Original Prague Syncopated Orchestra

* Originální Pražský Synkopický Orchestr (1979, LP Supraphon & WAM – Germany) * Srdce Mé Odešlo Za Tebou - 2 skladby (1980, SP Panton) * Stará Natoč Gramofon (1982, LP Panton + reed. CD) * Jazz & Hot Dance Music 1923 - 31 (1984, LP Panton + reed. CD) * Sám s Děvčetem v Dešti (1989, LP Panton + reed. CD) * Hello Baby (1994, CD EMI – Monitor)

With the Melody Makers

* Ondřej Havelka uvádí The Swings (1995, Monitor/EMI. CD) * Mě to tady nebaví (1998, Monitor/EMI. CD) * Jen pro ten dnešní den (1999, Monitor/EMI. CD) * Rhapsody In Blue: Pocta George Gershwinovi (1999, Monitor/EMI. CD) * Swing It (2000, V.O.X. Music GmbH. CD) * Vzpomínky na hvězdný prach (2002, Hot Jazz. CD) * Nejlepší kusy z repertoiru Ondřeje Havelky a jeho Melody Makers (2003, Monitor/EMI. CD) * Tentokrát zcela Rozvrkočení / This Time Completely off their Noodles (2005, Hot Jazz. CD) * Ondřej Havelka a jeho Melody Makers vám přejí veselé vánoce. Bílé a oranžové (2005. CD) * Rhapsody In Blue Room (2007. CD)

Filmography

Writer and director

* ''Zdravý nemocný Vlastimilený Brodský'' (1999) * ''Poslední mohykán'' (The Last of the Mohicans, 2009) - a documentary mapping the life story of jazz musician

Jiří Traxler Jiří "George" Traxler (12 March 1912 – 7 August 2011) was a Czech Canadian jazz and swing pianist, composer, lyricist and arranger, and was considered a founder and co-creator of the swing music era in Czechoslovakia. He was the last survivi ...

Actor

* ''

Saturnin Saturnin of Toulouse (, , , , and , , and ) was one of the ''" Apostles to the Gauls"'' sent out (probably under the direction of Pope Fabian, 236–250) during the consulate of Decius and Gratus (250–251) to Christianise Gaul after the pers ...

'' (1994) as Jirí Oulický * ''

Kafka Franz Kafka (3 July 1883 – 3 June 1924) was a novelist and writer from Prague who was Jewish, Austrian, and Czech and wrote in German. He is widely regarded as a major figure of 20th-century literature. His work fuses elements of real ...

'' (1991) as Friend of Kafka * ''Nefnukej, veverko!'' (1988) as Father's friend * ''Není sirotek jako sirotek'' (1986) as Jirka Spevácek * ''Chobotnice z druhého patra'' (1986) as Bóda * ''Rumburak'' (1985) as Mr. Tumlír * ''Cesta kolem mé hlavy'' (1984) as Professor Robert Kilian * ''Pod nohama nebe'' (1983) as Petr * ''Krakonos a lyzníci'' (1981) as Teacher * ''Koncert na konci léta'' (1980) as Fenix * ''Reknem si to prístí léto'' (1977) as Karel

References

External links

Interview
for

Radio Prague Radio Prague International () is the official international broadcasting station of the Czech Republic. Broadcasting first began on 31 August 1936 near the spa town of Poděbrady. Radio Prague broadcasts in six languages: English, German, Fr ...

.
Profile of Havelka
at the Prague State Opera.
Profile of Havelka
at the

National Theatre (Prague) The National Theatre () is a historic opera house in Prague, Czech Republic. It is known as the alma mater of Czech opera, and as the national monument of Czech history and art. The National Theatre belongs to the most important Czech cultural ...

.
Melody Makers official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Havelka, Ondrej 1954 births Living people Czech jazz bandleaders Czech jazz singers Czechoslovak male singers Czech music video directors Czech male film actors Janáček Academy of Music and Performing Arts alumni Czech male jazz musicians 20th-century Czech male singers 21st-century Czech male singers Musicians from Prague