PragueBuzz!

From Russia with love! To many but apparently not to the Czech Republi

My two-year-long grievance had finally been heard as the Czech Republic sent Gipsy.cz to Eurovision
2009, only to be eliminated again for the third year…in the row.
Ouch! Can someone give these carefree, beer lovers a break!  They are
still infantile in theirEurovision growth, only three year in the
making.  Czech Republic almost withdrew from the competition due to
their low showing from the last two years. How bad were their last two
performances? Try last and second-to-last finish.

I don’t know
whether Czech’ lacking of experience is to blame or its small emigrate
population in neighboring countries to gather patriotic votes.  Germany
doesn’t reward 12 points to Turkey because it suddenly decides to
become Turkey’s new best friend even though::hush hush::it stills block
Turkey from joining the EU. Turkey has the huge minority Turkish
population in Germany to thank for the votes.  Additionally, was it
also because Europeans’ strong prejudice against the Roma people that
sent Czech’ all-gypsy band packing from Moscow?

Why talk about the Czechs as they are DOA when it comes to Eurovision?
Let talk about about other cool things which suck me into this booty
shaking, fleshing flaunting, lip moving Euro insanity year after year.

I missed yesterday semi-final::OMG::and
haven’t listened to many songs from other countries. From those I
heard, I am completely drawn to Israel’  “There must be another way”
sung in Hebrew, Arabic and English byNoa and Mira Awad ; the latter is
the first Arab-Israeli to represent Israel. The voice of these two
singers blend beautifully. By the time I finish this post, I probably
will have heard it no less thanthirdty times.

Will Russia
have any love for Israel? I’m afraid not much. Let forget the fact that
these girls can’t dance for a moment and focus on the bigger picture.
(1) The Eastern-bloc stickiness has irritated the heck out of me for
the last few years. By this factor,  Israel has little to zero chance
of winning. (2) Being the only Middle East country participating in a
European music club means there won’t be any neighboring votes for
Israel there. (3) This song and the collaboration between an Israeli
and an Arab-Israeli might be seen as a political gesture. This usually
doesn’t fare well. (4) The singers look too decent; they don’t show
naked legs, boob or belly button. Hell no, they don’t even try to shake
their bon bon.

It might be another disappointing final again
when you know in advance who will vote for whom, but maybe there will
be another 2006 Finland’s monster hard-rock “Hallelujah” surprise.

Olives and vodka anyone? Hallelujah!

This version is better than live: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9-GrdHYLUM
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9-GrdHYLUM]

The singers don’t sing well in this semi-final version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5N22ovj9HlU

This man has been around for ages, ask any Czech and Slovak grandma/grandpa, mommy/daddy, uncle/auntie or your teenage friends, he will surely know Karel Gott. Some Eastern German might surprise you as well.

As boring as Karel Gott’s face and voice might be to many Czechs, along with Lucie Bila, he was recently voted best singer of all time on top of having a museum dedicated to him. Not bad!

The song is sung in Czech by Karel and in Slovakian by the little girl.

Cechomor is having a concert on December 22th at midnight at Vinohrady Theater (N�m?st� M�ru 7, Praha 2). Cechomor writes and performs traditional Czech songs arranged in modern style. Started in 1988, Cechomor got famous a few years ago after the release of the album “Promeny/Change.”

This album is available available in many Czech music shops for 200 to 300 CZK.

English version

Czech version

[Via abcprague, Cechomor site]

This intimate musical gathering at Male Nosticovo Divadlo put together two solo acts of explosive mixed of experimental and festive Brazilians rhythm performed by a Brazilian percussionist, Flavia Torga and a more traditional and elegant style of music from accordion artist Vesna Vaceres.

Vesna Vaceres

 I’ve never been to any concert where accordions were played so Vesna’s performance commanded my full attention, especially her accordion skills. Her frail voice–rather weak in a few songs–can be charming in some of those longing, dreamy like composition.

Website: www.vesnacaceres.com

Flavia Torga

Flavia has been the teacher at my company’s Samba Music club. Apparently some Brazilian in the company came up with a cool idea that the company should have its own percussion Samba band. After all, most big companies in Brazil sponsor some sort of musical activities. The club starters somehow convinced the company to purchase an entire set of percussion’s instruments and rent a basement studio somewhere near Flora for us to practice. Through another Brazilian employee, Flavia was invited to teach us all these funky beats coming from this amazing country Brazil. The artist herself arrived from Rio de Janeiro, the famous “city of god,” in a country known internally for its cult-like soccer activities and street dancers vigorously shaking their bon-bon.

From the chaos and beauty of the most famous Brazilian city, cradle of the samba and of the Bohemian movement, land of music and culture mixed to the urbane chaos of a Latin-American megalopolis, of any inspired movement, of where all the colors can be seen and all the sounds are hear

Flavia on MySpace.

Jukebox

Website: Male Nosticovo Divadlo
Entrance Fee: 120 CZK