Jiri (George) Kralik & Rowdy Rascals

Summer 2008

Summer is a traveling and festival time. Jirka and the Rowdy Rascals spent the summer season traveling over Europe which has become a tradition during the last few years. After the “Banjo Jamboree” in Čáslav they took a little rest to restore energy for a demanding July program. On Sunday 13th July at 11p.m. the group had set off from Prague to the North – Norway direction. They performed on the Risor bluegrass festival which for this year was taking place from 17th to 19th July. However, they had to arrive already  on Monday because Jirka and Karel were teaching playing the violin and contrabass at the workshop that had started on Tuesday 15th July. The good name of Czech musicians was indicated of even by a pupil coming to learn playing a violin from the second most northern town in Norway. What a long journey did she take! At least twice as long as her teacher did.  
The festival started on Thursday. Although the weather was not very pleasant there were lots of enthusiastic visitors. On Friday Jirka and the group just “popped off” to a 350km faraway Stavangr to entertain local fans of bluegrass and western swing. In Saturday final program in Risor they played for a wet by rain however very enthusiastic audience. Next to the performing with his Rowdy Rascals Jirka made his appearance with a Hungarian group called Accousticure. He supported them in a remarkable bluegrass set. His performance with an Italian guitar player Robert Vecchia was rather different. They played a pure swing on acoustic instruments. Two great soloists and beautiful melodic music. The Risor festival has built a strong position in the European program of American traditional music. A very high attendance rate and good quality musicians make it probably the biggest event of its sort in the North of Europe.
From the stage the guys went straight to the car and back home. Jirka had only a few hours to get some sleep after a long journey. On Monday 27th July he started a violin school in Týniště nad Orlicí. There he operated as a musician even a teacher and an organiser.  The first year’s volume of his one week violin school was remarkably successful. All the attendants appreciated rich although very demanding program. Some of them might have been surprised by the emphasis Jirka lay on “classical music education” however they agreed that it gives a musician a new space for his creations. Two completely different evening seminaries were led by Mr Bican and Mr Kuta.
 Jan Bican is a great old-time banjo player and next to that he is an expert for an American old-time and an author of brilliant Czech lyrics for this genre. There are not many Czech texts for an American original that do not disturb it but actually add something special to it. Nobody wanted to go to bed. People would sit there till the very morning…
Lukáš Kuta is a violin teacher at KJJ. A brilliant soloist who concentrates at classical repertoire. Also his lesson was a great part of the summer violin school. The week was finished by a beautiful afternoon performance of all the attendants of the course that was organised by a Týniště vicar Havlíček and was supported by the commissioner of the Hradec Králové County.
 In a similar way to the week ago Jirka and his musicians get to the car straight after the concert in Týniště nad Orlicí and they set off – this time to the south. They have only made a short stop in Prague to fill up with equipment and load the necessary  luggage and went of to a sunny France – Carpone sur Arzone – the biggest country festival in France.
A generous organization and a brilliant music cast are typical features of this magnificent event. Over 25 000 visitors came and entertained themselves during the 3 days in  beautiful nature area. The country music fans from all over the France came to applaud to 11 American, 4 French and 1 Czech group. Jirka and his musicians are not typical country group. However two or three songs were enough to attract a crowd of fans to the 20m wide stage. They rewarded the 1 hour concert by an enthusiastic applause. A good music does not know limiting categories and it seems that even the fans of nowadays harder country appreciated an old-time and western swing in a thorough instrumental and vocal creation. The two days in Carpone sur Arzone were filled by a hard work as well as a resting and jamming with old even new friends.
On the next stop of their French tour – in la Roche sur Foron where they got on Monday 28th July – the guys had met an American group 3 Fox Drive. The picturesque town situated nearby a mountain centre Chamonix is organizing EWOB bluegrass festival which is also preceded by workshops for individual musical instruments. These courses had started on Tuesday and all the members of the group were engaged in them.
Together with 3 Fox Drive the boys as the last year winners had absolved a happening with press representatives. This was rather an unusual situation for a group that plays quite a “small genre” in the Czech Republic.
The festival itself deserves a report of its own. Its faultless organization and a marvelous scenery make it the most beautiful meeting of the bluegrass fans in Europe. There was a kind and friendly atmosphere, willing and well informed organizers who were ready to help with any sort of problems the participants could face, brilliant background for the performers and enthusiastic audience. The only thing that was missing was a time for sleep – the shows went on every day almost till the morning. We would like to thank very much to the boss of  the organizers team Mr. Christofer Howard – Williams whose job we greatly appreciate. La Roche was living on music for one week. Six days spent in La Roche were surely the highlight of this year summer.  The last year winners together with 3 Fox Drive were closing the main Friday and Saturday program. The pure American bluegrass as well as western swing brought the full courtyard of the historical building to boil.
The journey home was long but the vision of a few days rest helped to surmount the 1000 km in a record time.
It is 12th July and again the guys are on their way to the north – historical town Arendal in southern Norway and a jubilee 15th year of accordion festival. For this event the Rowdy Rascals have expanded by an accordion player Michal Stulík. Almost straight after their arrival the group with their visiting member performed in a popular music club Backgarden in the historical center of the town. The yard of the club where the show took place was covered by a sheet against the rain. The Norwegian rain is rather different to the ordinary one – ours. However the Norwegians have also different opinion about a “nasty weather”. Even though the sheet was leaking nobody minded too much and everybody stayed till the end. Only the instruments needed a good drying after. On Friday the guys gave a live interview to a local radio and on Saturday the organizers have arranged a beautiful boat trip over the surrounding islands which had an unrepeatable magic especially for the “overland rats” from the middle of Europe. On the last day of the festival – on Saturday – the guys played in the afternoon even in the evening. The demanding program has finished and even more demanding journey home was ahead. After 16 hours spent in the car all 4 of them were glad to get out the car in Prague on Sunday midnight.