Jana Kaniaková Ljodyna & Luboš Soukup Quartet @ Ateliér 57, 21.9.2025
We, the audience at A57, were in for a pleasant surprise last night when attending the musical monthly highlight in Beroun. The Sunday concert session was opened by pianist Jana Kaniaková Ljodyna who took us on an unexpected journey with her gentle almost magical touch on the piano keyboard when performing some of the standards from her musical repertoire. These were standards that we are not used to hearing at A57, works made by a gentleman named Chopin among others. I will still not pretend to have any knowledge of music, especially when it comes to naming the different sections in classical music, I’ll only do what I normally do, write about things that touch me and feel good like Janas playing yesterday did. Janas short performance (to short if you ask me, which of course nobody does 
) was complemented when Tomáš Baroš joined Jana with his double bass and bow and they together performed the last part of the concert. I have no clue what they played but it sounded so good and beautiful that I could have listened to that for the rest of the night. And yes, this is the same Tomáš Baroš who is considered to be one of the best double bass players in the country, and this of course made a natural move to the second group of the evening, Luboš Soukup Quartet where Tomáš was a part of the rhythm section.
) was complemented when Tomáš Baroš joined Jana with his double bass and bow and they together performed the last part of the concert. I have no clue what they played but it sounded so good and beautiful that I could have listened to that for the rest of the night. And yes, this is the same Tomáš Baroš who is considered to be one of the best double bass players in the country, and this of course made a natural move to the second group of the evening, Luboš Soukup Quartet where Tomáš was a part of the rhythm section.Only originals! Thank you!
Luboš Soukup Quartet who we are used to see and hear with varying configuration, included, in addition to Tomáš, Luboš Soukup – sax; David Dorůžka – g; Jesse Simpson – dr, If the Czech jazz dictionary is even a little bit familiar you understand that last nights band is something that could be called a supergroup. And to be honest, that was what it sounded like. With the four giving us such world class solos in turn and still performing like a group is a masterpiece by itself, it held all the ingredients that one could hope for, skills, joy and love for the music and that special togetherness that musicians get when they find their equivalent and soulmaid. For me personally the peak of the performance was that they played Luboš originals. I like the standards, have no doubt, but Luboš is a good composer and it’s a very good change to hear him play his own music. 
This crossover was again a brilliant idea from Jesse and A57, nice going, maybe we could have some more of this? And just as a reminder, due to the circumstances next concert is already in two weeks when internationally famous Odd Steinar Albrigtsen Quartet will hold their only European concert for the time being, starting at 19,00, you’ll want to be there, at Prague’s best jazz club, the one in Beroun! 😉
To see all the evening’s pictures click HERE!
