Libor's Jam Session @ U Staré paní - 8.4.2026
Libor’s Jam Session must be one of the most popular established music events in the capital. Last night, the “Old Lady” was packed again; finding a seat was nearly impossible if you arrived even a little late. The stage was just as crowded, filled with musicians eager to showcase their talent—with the notable exception of bass players, who were curiously in short supply.
This turned out to be a lucky bonus for the audience. Providing the foundation for the night was Libor’s special guest from Brisbane, Australia: multi-musician Helen Russell. Helen was a more than welcome addition to the session. With her slightly offensive, driving style—firm without being aggressive—she handled the “bull fiddle” with a skill that was a real joy to hear. It’s easy to see why she is such a sought-after bassist back home. Helen was in for a full night’s work, and she seemed to enjoy the playing just as much as we enjoyed the listening!
Libor Šmoldas and his guitar gave us some magic once again. I had just seen our guitar virtuoso the previous night at JazzFestBrno with the Libor Šmoldas Quartet, where they christened their new album “Sorry, Miles!” while opening for the legendary trio of Goldings, Bernstein, and Stewart. (Scroll through my recent posts for the full story on that!)
One might think it would be a “downgrade” to come from the glamorous stage in Brno—with its world stars and champagne—to the basement of the Old Lady for a jam session with artists of varying levels. But if you think that, you haven’t seen Libor play. He isn’t that kind of person. He finds as much joy playing with a novice earning their first stripes as he does sharing the stage with jazz royalty like Peter Bernstein. That is simply the kind of artist he is.
Rounding out last night’s foundation was Tomáš Zelený on drums, a young man on his way up in the Czech jazz world. He clearly shares Libor’s deep passion. How else to explain the fact that I saw Tomáš in Brno the night before—this time on the same side of the percussion as me, in the audience? Taking a trip from Prague to Brno just to catch a supergroup, getting home at 4:00 AM, handling daily duties, and then hitting the club in the evening to play with friends… is it passion or love? You tell me!
As usual, I’ll say no more about the other artists—none mentioned, none forgotten.
Libor’s sessions consistently offer high-class music where young talents and established pros meet for one reason: the love of the music.
Best of all? These sessions are free of charge. The next jam is scheduled for Wednesday, 29.4. at 20:00. See you there!
This turned out to be a lucky bonus for the audience. Providing the foundation for the night was Libor’s special guest from Brisbane, Australia: multi-musician Helen Russell. Helen was a more than welcome addition to the session. With her slightly offensive, driving style—firm without being aggressive—she handled the “bull fiddle” with a skill that was a real joy to hear. It’s easy to see why she is such a sought-after bassist back home. Helen was in for a full night’s work, and she seemed to enjoy the playing just as much as we enjoyed the listening!
Libor Šmoldas and his guitar gave us some magic once again. I had just seen our guitar virtuoso the previous night at JazzFestBrno with the Libor Šmoldas Quartet, where they christened their new album “Sorry, Miles!” while opening for the legendary trio of Goldings, Bernstein, and Stewart. (Scroll through my recent posts for the full story on that!)
One might think it would be a “downgrade” to come from the glamorous stage in Brno—with its world stars and champagne—to the basement of the Old Lady for a jam session with artists of varying levels. But if you think that, you haven’t seen Libor play. He isn’t that kind of person. He finds as much joy playing with a novice earning their first stripes as he does sharing the stage with jazz royalty like Peter Bernstein. That is simply the kind of artist he is.
Rounding out last night’s foundation was Tomáš Zelený on drums, a young man on his way up in the Czech jazz world. He clearly shares Libor’s deep passion. How else to explain the fact that I saw Tomáš in Brno the night before—this time on the same side of the percussion as me, in the audience? Taking a trip from Prague to Brno just to catch a supergroup, getting home at 4:00 AM, handling daily duties, and then hitting the club in the evening to play with friends… is it passion or love? You tell me!
As usual, I’ll say no more about the other artists—none mentioned, none forgotten.
Libor’s sessions consistently offer high-class music where young talents and established pros meet for one reason: the love of the music.Best of all? These sessions are free of charge. The next jam is scheduled for Wednesday, 29.4. at 20:00. See you there!
To see all the evening’s pictures click HERE!
