Libejazz @ The North Bohemian Museum | Saturday, 22.8.2026
As the final soaring notes of Cherokee ring out across the roof terrace of the North Bohemian Museum, a deep darkness has descended upon Liberec, and a bright moon has long since taken its place in the summer sky. Despite the cool night air, the terrace remains completely packed. There is a deeply special feeling vibrating through the crowd—a collective understanding that we have just experienced something truly unique. There is never a second first time. All of this magic happened because one visionary young jazz drummer had a dream: to bring the local jazz scene directly to its citizens and build a launchpad for the region’s rising stars. Ladislav Nič has officially proven himself to be not only a phenomenal drummer but a brilliant organizer and artistic director.
Outgrown Before the Start
Ladislav built the entire architecture of Libejazz from a raw vision into a flawlessly executed event. His only mathematical error was underestimating just how hungry the city of Liberec is for world-class jazz. When I spoke to Ladislav a few weeks ago, he modestly estimated a crowd of perhaps 50 to 80 people. I don’t have the final ticket count yet, but we are easily talking about hundreds, not tens. The spectacular roof terrace, boasting a breathtaking view over Mount Ještěd and its iconic TV tower, outgrown its boundaries before the first note was even struck. That turnout alone tells you how perfectly planned this debut was.
The Music
The music made absolutely no exceptions to this triumphant standard. On the contrary, it raised the bar. The captivating opening set by Aries Percussion completely stole the audience’s attention from the first strike, setting a fierce, fantastic pace for the rest of the evening. They were followed by Těžko říct (Hard to Say), who instantly gripped the crowd with their melodic approach to a sound the program playfully described as “crossing genres between jazz, fusion, funk, swing, and pop.”
The Baader/Hošková Sextet was not a new experience for me, but running into their deeply personal, highly energetic approach to original compositions is always a profound pleasure. This time around, they expanded their lineup into a full sextet. It was a thoroughly successful musical experiment—and judging by the thunderous applause from the crowd, I was in no way alone in that feeling. Let’s hope we hear much more from this expanded format!
The honor of closing this historic debut was handed to the Ladislav Nič Project featuring Daniel Bulatkin. If you ever see this specific lineup on a marquee near you, buy a ticket immediately. Their set was an absolute emotional rollercoaster, shifting fluidly from sensitive, whisper-quiet ballads where you could hear a pin drop, to the blazing-fast, high-octane tempo of their finale, Cherokee. The telepathic connection between Ladislav behind the kit and Daniel at the keys is something I can’t quite explain—nor do I need to. It simply sounded magnificent. Daniel, billed as the festival’s main guest, proved that his title wasn’t just handed to him for his name. He gave a absolute masterclass in what a virtuoso can do with the black-and-whites! 🙏🎹
A Call for a Replay
It is probably foolish to add final thoughts when I have already made my stance crystal clear, but I don’t care—I am going to say it anyway. Given the flawless organization, the focus on young jazz talent, the jaw-dropping venue, and the overwhelming response from the audience, it would be an absolute crime not to have a second edition next year. The foundation for a major national festival has been poured right here.
While this debut edition was proudly sponsored by the music faculty of HAMU and the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (AMU), I cannot imagine the City of Liberec won’t step in to fund the future. You cannot buy better public relations for this city than what we witnessed last night. The municipality should hand Ladislav an open check at the exact same moment they give him the key to the city!
Thank you, Ladislav Nič! 🙏 🙏 🙏 See you next year—same time, same place!
📸 Photo Note: My camera lens captured hundreds of incredible, high-energy frames last night! Enjoy this fresh morning preview gallery, and make sure to bookmark the page—the complete, full-size festival crowd and band galleries will be uploaded right here this evening!
To see all the evening’s pictures click HERE!
Greetings Ykä,
what a wonderfull article. The high praise is well deserved. I too left Liberec with a strong sense of gratitude. You´re absolutely right that this should serve as a promising start to a balzing festival in the north.
With regards
Miky Homolka
🙏