Prague Live Music: Luxury Yoga to the Sound of Šimon Zitko

Finding myself outside Jazz Dock on a Sunday isn’t out of the ordinary. After all, the venue regularly showcases exceptional talent. Finding the front door marked with a “Sold Out” sign is also quite standard for the number one jazz premises in town. But right there is where everything I am normally used to completely stopped.

First of all, it wasn’t even 10:30 AM—an hour when I honestly should still be in bed. Upon opening the door, a completely unfamiliar scent hit the air—a very pleasant one, which I later learned was the lingering sweetness of incense. The usual roaring wall of sound that defines a packed house was entirely missing too. Instead of everyone shouting to be heard over their neighbors—the classic Lombard effect—the room was filled with low, quiet whispering. The atmosphere was incredibly relaxed. There were no tables. Instead, the entire floor was occupied by yoga mats.

I had stumbled directly into the ALAYA yoga event. It was a fascinating way to explore something that, even in 2026, still carries a tiny stamp of mystery and secret status, though it really should just be part of our everyday routines. After all, I don’t think anyone denies the health benefits of a good session. So, what is this independent music blog doing at a wellness event? The answer is simple: there was live music involved. And not just any background noise—exceptionally good live music.

Šimon Zitko is mostly known for his primary vehicle: a groove-heavy fusion band called Pluto. Today, he was entirely solo on the piano. We had a quick chat before the session, and he told me he was given completely free hands to soundscape the room. This creative freedom automatically excluded any material from Pluto’s usual heavy repertoire. Instead, Šimon showed absolute professionalism by anchoring the entire experience with what he referred to as open improvisation. The music was so deeply relaxed and filled with raw feeling that I genuinely wondered how many participants completely lost their concentration on the poses because they were getting swept up in his piano chords.

Now, I don’t know anything about yoga so I borrowed the following text from Jazz Docks leaflet about this event: “The yoga part was and is led by Jana Novotná, a certified yoga teacher, yoga massage therapist and ZenThai Shiatsu practitioner. In her practice, she combines mindful movement, breath and body awareness, creating space for relaxation, deeper self-awareness and the joy of movement.” The leaflet also stated that the yoga practice is “suitable for everyone, regardless of previous yoga experience.”

I love this concept because Jazz Dock is once again stepping off the beaten path to explore something new. ALAYA is bringing yoga down to a grassroots level in a space where we are already used to spending our free time. Most of all, I support this because it features real, breathing live music. It would have been incredibly easy for them to fall into the trap of streaming some generic, royalty-free background noise off the internet. But they didn’t. If I wore a hat, it would be off to them!

According to the organizers, this collaborative series will continue at least until the spring. It is a fantastic way to start a Sunday morning or close out the weekend. And here is a quick insider tip: it might just make a highly original Christmas present for someone special. Just to be absolutely clear: no, I didn’t get paid to write this. I was there strictly for the art—real, unadulterated music without an algorithm in sight. That is my take. If you don’t believe me, that’s not my problem! If you want to learn more about this event go to the website of ALAYA HERE.

Missing the full groove? Pluto (ft. Marcel Bárta / Franklin / Marie April) will perform at the very same stage (Jazz Dock) on Thursday 29/10/2026 from 20:00.