Ztracený ve světě - A Tribute to Oldřich Janota

Oldřich Janota is a big icon of Czech folk scene and many artists, in cooperation with Indies Scopes, have decided to pay honors to his anniversary by recording a special compilation called “Lost in the World – A Tribute To Oldřich Janota “. The songs by a “Man who walks through the wall” (in 2000 awarded with the critics‘ choice award called Yellow Submarine for life long contribution) were recorded by: Jablkoň, Traband, Tara Fuki, Fru Fru, Maraca, Čankišou, Jana Vébrová, Žamboši, Květy, Jarret and many others.

Tomáš S. Polívka says in the album’s sleevenote: “You won’t find such twinkling, colorful, dreamy and  timeless music as Oldřich Janota’s songs. Those were classified as folk, minimalist, experimental rock and even alternative, nevertheless they remained, regardless of the genre or format, a feeling, a mood, a notion, a picture, a shiver. May be that’s why many different artists could interpret them in their own way and they remained the same...“

There are seventeen songs on this album. It opens with Jablkoň and their title song of the whole compilation. Michal Němec explains why he chose exactly this song: “Lost in the World is a typical Janota song…and I really like his songs.” The feeling of this song kind of determines the first half of the album which portraits more tranquil songs of Oldřich Janota. The second half shows us more rock side of the songs and the final part of the compilation is done by Tomáš Kočko who recorded the Seven Ravens in pure “Janota way” which means using only his voice and the guitar. 

“... Janota is singing ´even the way could be the purpose´ in one of his most famous songs. We can consider the tribute album being a wave goodbye of soul mates to a pilgrim. Let’s wish Oldřich Janota to keep enjoying the searching. And we are looking forward to other found songs, other touches of infinity and humbleness, just like the verses of Zen poets. “

Poet, musician, translator, journalist and, in totalitarian regime, night watchman or stoker Oldřich Janota (born 27th of August 1949 in Pilsner) wrote his first songs in the late 60-s. He was performing as a solo artist at first then as a member of folk-rock band Pentagram. He was definitely over the folk phase in 1979 when he put together the still cult band Mozart K. In first half of the 80-s Janota became, sort of by accident, one of the most popular folk singer but the fame and noise wasn’t exactly what he originally had planned. He rather left the song format and he started, with the trio including Luboš Fidler and Pavel Richter, to create novelty experiments with prerecorded tapes. Then he kind of gave himself time to think.  In the end of the 80-s and beginning of the 90-s he went back to acoustic instruments and together with Irena and Vojtěch Havel he was breaking into modern “classical” music. For past few years he has been closing the circle and playing solo with his guitar.

Karel Heřman, ČANKIŠOU: Local Idiot is a cheerful song and I remember it from my youth when Oldřich Janota was still playing with Mozart K in 80-s in Erno Hall of Old Town Hall in Brno. And for me this was the most seizable song of all the songs we were thinking about.

Zdeněk Král, MINACH: Originally we wanted the song The Other Side which was very appealing to us and in which we saw certain potential. But we lost it to Traband who snatched it five minutes before us. Then we were in the dark and we weren’t sure about anything for long time. We found some songs that we really liked but realized those songs were so perfect that adding anything to it would be a sin and great pity. Finally we preferred, considering our orientation, the song Your Shadow, which we tried to treat with humbleness and respect. We wanted to redefined it but at the same time to keep its fragility and simplicity. When it was done we assumed it was “our” best song.

Tomáš Kočko & Orchestra: The song The Fetishist was a provoking challenge to me and in the Seven Ravens song I could “folk along” beautifully….

Honza Žamboch, ŽAMBOŠI: I like the song No Man’s Land for its timeless and still true message; it is imperious and talks about things I have the same opinion about. I didn’t have to look for long.
 
Oldřich Krejčoves, OKREJ: 24 Hours of Free Time....I like the lyrics, its very sharp.....he found the rhytm and wrapped it into the usual accords. I tried to keep the same atmosphere as the original.

Jana Vébrová: The Lyrics. Because of the beautiful lyrics!

Dorota Bárová, TARA FUKI: I liked it the most from all the songs. Minimalist musical interpretation and beautiful lyrics – that’s what it is.

Petr Krško, ZVA 12-28 band: We admire the original immensely but we allowed ourselves to interpret the song Hydrant in our kind of way. We enjoyed the recording and we took the liberty to include this song in our wider concert repertory.

Petr Hudec, HUKL: There is a melodically strong phrase embedded in me: "The dark shadow chopped down an acacia with me on the slope“. The cry: "I rely on the sentiment, but only mistake after mistake“ I self ironically took as personal, musical and even life experience. Finally the mysterious ego involvement with the tree and certain anxiety of the song is I think very attractive. The band had to accept my choice happily after all.