Prague live music: When 30 minutes is enough

At Jazz Dock 26.7.2026, Daniel Bulatkin International Quartet

Daniel Bulatkin International Quartet @ Jazz Dock | 26.7.2026

A true “first try” perfectly captures the breathtaking energy of the band that took over the stage at Jazz Dock yesterday. Despite this being only their fifth gig ever, they delivered a performance so tight, intuitive, and seamlessly locked-in that you would have sworn they had been touring together for a decade. I am referring, of course, to the Daniel Bulatkin International Quartet, featuring Daniel Bulatkin (piano), David Dorůžka (electric guitar), Yann Phayphet (double bass), and Marc Michel (drums).
 
Their flawless chemistry is even more staggering when you learn about their baptism by fire: on their very first gig, the group’s bandleader, Daniel, picked the musicians up directly from the airport and drove them straight to a festival, giving them a mere 30 minutes to set up, plug in, and conduct their entire “rehearsal.” From that frantic half-hour scramble to yesterday’s mesmerizing set, this band has proven they possess a very rare, special touch to their craft. They don’t need years of rehearsal; they just need an audience.
 
When considering that this is Daniel’s very first time acting as a bandleader on a project of this scale, it highlights the achievement from last night even more. Getting a group filled with such strong personalities, skillful musicians, and established composers to blend together seamlessly requires some masterful teamwork. I am well aware that coordination is one of Daniel’s most praised skills, but seeing it manifest on stage doesn’t diminish the sheer significance of last night’s achievement.

A little bit more than just a standard 2-5-1

Another of Daniel’s acclaimed traits is his ability to give space to his bandmates. He never overplays, and that artistic maturity was on full display yesterday. This generous leadership resulted in some truly amazing individual performances that earned a fair amount of roaring ovations from the Jazz Dock crowd. I won’t single out individual solos from last night, because in the end, this was a true team working together to give us an amazing web of melodic, dynamic sounds that I really hope we hear more of in the future.

The setlist—which held a healthy amount of the members’ original compositions (thank you for that! 🙏)—offered a clear hint of where this genre of modern music is moving. It feels like a beautiful step aside from what we are traditionally used to. I personally love the direction this scene is exploring. Mind you, not everyone has the creative capability to pull off what the Daniel Bulatkin International Quartet did last night; it requires a little bit more than just a standard 2-5-1! 😀

A small, last-minute hint for my readers outside the capital: the final gig of this mini-tour is due tonight (Monday, July 27th) at the Terrace of the Hodonín House of Culture, starting at 18:00. If you are in the neighborhood, you do not want to miss this. Trust me on that!
 
Thank you, Daniel Bulatkin International Quartet! 🙏 🙏 😀 I truly hope to see you all on stage again soon.
 
P.S. This is strictly my independent comment—nobody else had anything to do with it. Seating at Jazz Dock was completely sold out last night, and for an excellent reason. Daniel had some physical records for sale at the merch desk. To the many readers who loudly claim to be longtime fans of his: did you actually buy the record last night, or did you just go home and stream his music for pennies? If you are going to talk the talk of a true jazz fan, you’ve got to walk the walk and support the artists. If you don’t get what I mean, go read my previous editorial HERE!

To see all the evening’s pictures click HERE!

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