Libor Šmoldas Quartet: Sorry, Miles!
Libor Šmoldas’s 12th album is a bold tribute to the master himself, Miles Davis. It’s an ambitious project years in the making, fittingly released in the centenary year of Miles’ birth.
Before I dive in, a reminder: I’m no music expert. I don’t know the technical jargon; to me, a “bar” is just a place to quench your thirst. I write about how music feels—what touches me, what makes me happy, or what makes me furious. I don’t care if a track should have been a half-note faster; I only know when something sounds good. And Sorry, Miles! sounds very, very good. It’s a true centerpiece for the Jazzy Spring 2026.
The Concept
The Band
The choice of the young Mikuláš Pokorný on piano might surprise some, but it shouldn’t. Mikuláš isn’t just a “promise for the future”—he is the future of Czech piano masters. The collaboration between Libor’s guitar and Mikuláš’s keys is a masterclass in musical conversation.
The Record
What an absolutely wonderful opening track. The very first note ringing out from Libor’s guitar makes you realize you have something extraordinary in your hands. The title track, “Sorry, Miles,” is a classic Libor composition: beautifully melodic and a trademark of his sound.
But just as you’re settling in, the second track, “Dig,” hits you—and it’s so unexpected it might just make your tea go down the wrong pipe! It breaks every expectation: the tempo surges and the style shifts into sharp contemporary jazz. “Dig” is “non-Libor” only until you listen a few times; it’s a true surprise and an introduction to a braver, more modern side of Libor found throughout the record.
The brilliance here is the “wholeness.” It takes serious skill to bridge the gap between classical jazz and today’s contemporary sound without the album feeling disjointed. It is undeniably a Libor Šmoldas record, but the presence of the full Quartet gives the music a rich, multi-shaded sound.
Get this album. It’s more than good—and because you’re worth it!
Don’t Miss Out:
The Libor Šmoldas Quartet will perform a shortened version of Sorry, Miles! for a second christening at the Brno Jazz Fest on April 7th, opening for the legendary trio of Goldings, Bernstein, and Stewart. Peter Bernstein himself is the album’s “godfather,” so expect something special at Cabaret des Péchés.
Sorry, Miles!
