MAREK NOVOTNÝ SEXTET | Czech Republic

Novotný refers to his lifelong concept as the Third Stream. The third stream neither as classics played by jazzmen, nor as jazz with strings or orchestra, but rather as a real musical amalgam. At the same time, his music seems fragmented both in terms of melodic ideas and arrangements. The goal here is not experimentation, but arbitrariness.
 
In 2007, Marek Novotný received a PhD. in music theory and the same year he left with a scholarship in hand to the Norwegian University of Stavanger to further study jazz piano. Three years later, he completed his master's studies in jazz composition and arranging at the University of Massachusetts in the United States, where he also taught jazz piano.
 
During his musical career, he collaborated with various successful musicians. In the Czech Republic, they were, for example, Marcel Bárta, David Dorůžka, Ridina Ahmedová, Feng-yűn Song, Gabriela Vermelho, Petr Dvorský, Adam Tvrdý, Štěpánka Balcarová, or the Epoque Quartet and the South Bohemian Philharmonic.
 
He also played with foreign musical aces such as Aubrey Johnson, Carl Clemens, Paul Lieberman, Bob Weiner, Crystal Monee Hall, Marcella Camargo, Michael Mayo, Chris Kazarian, Pam Steeber, Jason Robinson, Phil McDarmott, Inbar Fridman, Marco Peretti, Marion Solivan , Rachel Luz, Luciana Pires, or by film composer and producer Alexander Janek (My Fat Greek Wedding, Man on the Moon). In New York, he had the honor of becoming a private student of one of the world's best jazz pianists – Fred Hersch. Marko Novotný's compositions move on the border between jazz and classical music, which he immortalized for the first time on his first author's recording Leland Dream (2013) and with a "classical" symphony orchestra. His second self-titled album "Fresco" in collaboration with the string quartet Epoque Quartet is currently being released, which was nominated for the Prague Classical Award - the best album of the year in the crossover category.
  
Crossover Sextet Project
 A project based on the author's work of Marek Novotný, which combines the principles of chamber classical and jazz music in a unique way. The members of the ensemble are: cellist Anna Kalhausová, violinist/violist Pavel Hrala, double bassist Max Makagonov, drummer Tomáš Hobzek, singer Josefína Čermáková and pianist Marek Novotný. The repertoire is built on the plan of a piano trio and enriched with the rhythm and beautiful voice of Josefína Čermáková. This connection creates an original concept of a concert song with a significant element of vocal arrangements, where all members of the ensemble are not only instrumentalists, but also vocalists.
 

Marek Novotný (piano)
Pavel Hrala (violin/viola, vocals)
Tomáš Hobzek (percussion)
Anna Kalhausová (cello, vocals)
Max Makagonov (double bass, singer)
Josefina Cermáková (vocals)