Petra Vlková & Sonic Playground @ Jazz On The Roof, 23.8.2025
A sold out Jazz Dock saw yesterday something that must be called the elite in Czech traditional jazz, Petra Vlková & Sonic Playground; Petra Vlková – voc; Libor Šmoldas – g; Mikuláš Pokorný – p; and it started off just like it was supposed. With a setlist mainly made of modified and personalised standards, most of them never played public before by the Playground, of course 
, and they were just as good as one was hoping for. Captivating, skilful, fun, a perfect way to spend the afternoon on the Roof on Jazz Dock. Okay the weather was not perfect, a quite strong wind made it feel a little chilly, but we had the music to warm us up, and it did, as did the small jokes made by the band every now and then. I don’t know if I’m the only one who noticed them, or maybe they were only made up inside my own head . As an example, yesterday gave us an absolutely gorgeous version of Summertime with some brilliant solos from all three members of the band, followed up by, what else then, Autumn Leaves, performed with the same intensity and induvality that is the trademark for Playground. A small but notable detail of the band’s greatness, or maybe it was just a coincidence that was made up by me? After a very enjoyable first set we all took a break and got ready for the second set, and that’s when things started to change!
, and they were just as good as one was hoping for. Captivating, skilful, fun, a perfect way to spend the afternoon on the Roof on Jazz Dock. Okay the weather was not perfect, a quite strong wind made it feel a little chilly, but we had the music to warm us up, and it did, as did the small jokes made by the band every now and then. I don’t know if I’m the only one who noticed them, or maybe they were only made up inside my own head . As an example, yesterday gave us an absolutely gorgeous version of Summertime with some brilliant solos from all three members of the band, followed up by, what else then, Autumn Leaves, performed with the same intensity and induvality that is the trademark for Playground. A small but notable detail of the band’s greatness, or maybe it was just a coincidence that was made up by me? After a very enjoyable first set we all took a break and got ready for the second set, and that’s when things started to change!People will talk about this
A sudden radical change in the weather brought some really heavy rain up on us, but the band kept on playing, the audience squeezed itself together under the “sun”shades and kept listening to the brilliant music performed! Nobody went inside, and the band kept on playing… A totally crazy situation that didn’t last for long, of course, for several reasons the band was forced to stop, pack their gear before any serious damage was done. The whole situation was in many ways comical and most of us had just a big grin on our faces as we ended the afternoon jazz session, at least so we thought! Some went home, which they for sure will regret, some of us went downstairs to take cover for the rain, as did the band. A downstairs that was not expecting any people before the start of the evening concert, no lights, no electricity but… There was a piano and Petra didn’t want to end the Playgrounds afternoon session on the mercy of the weather gods, so… Mikuláš uncovered and put the piano in place and together with Petra gave us two encore’s to take with us for our journey home. I will never be able to explain the feeling in Jazz Dock at the moment the first sounds of the piano rang out, or when Petra started to sing, the spontaneous clapping, cheerings from the audience, the togetherness that all of a sudden took over Jazz Dock it was… something… People will talk about this, those who were there and those who wished they had been there, because this is how legends are made… ❤️
To see all the evening’s pictures click HERE!
PS The next concert with Petra Vlková & Sonic Playground is in the link HERE. I don’t know anything about the event except that it’s a small outdoor happening in Modřany 27.8.2025 @ 18.30. Maybe hope for a little storm? 😂