Brief CV
22. Feb 1953: Oldrich Bartas was born in Prague
1962: first $5 guitar as a birthday present after more than one year of permanent teasing the parents for it, without anybody´s help tries to get some notes out of the „instrument“
1963-1968: starts to learn basics of classical guitar playing in “People´s School of Arts of Prague 1“, his professor Jana Zelenkova-Obrovska pushes him brightly not only to play classical pieces, but also to sing some songs and play along during his teen age
1968: hesitating, wheather to join State Conservatory of Music, he finally prefers regular high school. First meeting with electric guitar (loaned out from his shoolmate). First efforts to establish the band and to play and sing with amplification, first really impressive musical experiences, both from vinyl records and life rock and jazz concerts
1968 - 1971: High school and graduation, but he pays much more attention to self development and improving of his rock, blues and jazz playing, starts to jamm with various musicians
1971 - 1972: to improve his bad political and school testimonial he works one year as a day labourer, but plays accustic guitar on nights - American folk songs, blues, Bob Dylan, Beatles, Cream, lot of stuff…
1972: meets Vladimir Tomek, Transit band founded
1972 - 1978: studies on Pedagogical faculty of Charles University - five year branch Special pedagogy for Mentally handicaped children, Diploma dissertation Diagnostic methods in Psychopedia, Master of Arts. With Transit band - in various configuration- he plays and sings rock, fusion music, finally classical rock´n´roll with the legendary singer Miki Volek, and besides, sometimes also jazz, fusion and blues, experimental and even folk music. Among others, original jazz music he played in band called Hemenex - with that combo e.g. in Slany jazz festival
1979: begins with his pedagogical and educational in schools with Roamanies majority, here he meets with gypsy folk music, which he explores
1979 - 1980: Military service in Mikulovice, local pop band, winner in competition for classical guitar players, prepares his own original music material for the next civilian band - Transit III.
1980 - 1981: Transit III band. Vladimír Tomek-bass/Sarka Saarova-voc, perc/Stanislav Matousek-drs, voc/Jiri Kolman-guit, voc; original tunes, high-quality recording still exists
1981 - 1984: period of frequent and rehearsing with many different musicians (e.g. Irena Budweiserová, Jan Rabbenstein, Vít Tučný, etc.), founding of several musical formations, generally abortive, but beneficial for personal development of his musical expression; in addition functional pop orchestras and various formations - e.g. J. Hradecky Orchestra or J. Pribyl Combo. He is recording with the Studio band Labyrint of Pavel Fort, first singl record (Hledam, hledam and Ja ti pisu Sally-“Long Tall Sally“ cover version) and shortly also LP record of Miki Volek for Panton Records. On LP he participated also as the arranger.
1984 - 1986: Blues Union - crucial formation of then Czechoslovak blues scene. Ondrej Konrad-harp, voc/Jaroslav Stuchly-drs/Antonin Smrcka- bass/Jan Martinek- guit. Festivals: Litvinov, Bratislava-Blues na Dunaji (Blues on Danube), Praha-Vokalíza (Vocalysis), Nic než blues-Městská knihovna Praha (Nothing but the Blues - jointing with singers Petr Kalandra and Ondrej Hejma), Rockfest etc...
1985: his son Adam was born
1987: free lanced - professional musician
1987 - 1990: playing in duo with Stanislav Wabi Danek, Czech folk music star
1986: banded with Jiri “Slupka“ (“Bang“) Sverak, here played Jiri Sverak- voc, piano/Vaclav Bratrych-sax/Jiri Ruzicka-keyboars/Vit Svec-bass/Ivo Kalvinsky-drs (Vokaliza - Vocalysis Festival in Prague´s Lucerna Big Hall). Band called „Lala“ : Josef Vondrasek, voc/Miroslav Zidlicky-keybs and flute/Antonin Smrcka-bass/Jaroslav Stuchly-drums. Both projects produced still interesting tapes.
1987 - 1991: studies on Musical School for jazz and pop music - Jaroslav Jezek Conservatory, guitar courses - professor Milan Tesar
1988 - 1990: plays duo with top harp player Ondrej Konrad and finally trio , together with guitar player Vaclav Svojtka
1990 - 1991: works as a guitar teacher in Basic School of Arts
1991 - 1993: Prague´s All Blues Stars band Blues Open, linked up to Blues Union from mid eighties. Ondrej Konrad-harp, vocal/Antonin Smrcka-bass/Jan Martinek - guitar, vocal/Jaroslav Petrasek - drums, (soon he replaced constituent member, which was Slovak drummeress Lucia Cvengrosova); later formation without Konrad and Cvengrosova but with Borysh Secky - keyboards, tenor sax (Beside others e. g. Blues festival Trnava)
1991-1993: Education Authority of Prague1- manager, Patek (Friday) Magazine - editor of cultural news
1994: Czech top blues band - Blues Messengers - was established
1994 - 1997: Czech Philharmonic Orchestra - marketing director. Both business and private educational trips - Germany, France, Austria, Italy, Great Britain, Switzerland, USA
1998: Starts to translate blues and jazzu materials from English systematically. Translation (including Terms of References) of book Miles Davis, QuincyTroupe: Miles -The Autobiography
1999: CD - Blues Messengers Live!
2000: Vicepresident of Czech Blues Association (Bluepoint).
Production of Wynton Marsalis´ Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra in Prague, production of the concerts and CD “Praise the Lord“of gospel unit Morgan State University Choir (Baltimore, (Maryland , USA, musical director Dr. Nathan Carter)
2001: Started to write and to publish portraits of legendary blues icons - e. g. Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimi Hendrix, Ray Charles, John Lee Hooker, John Mayall. Building of his own material for solo profile CD Modrej Plamen (Blue Flame)
2002 - 2003: Producer of the tour, recordings (2CD “Powerful Spirit“) and documentary film „Oh, Happy Day“ for Morgan State University Choir - the top gospel choir from Baltimore (Maryland, USA).
Works on the next Blues Messengers CD, this time with some funk - jazz - soul - groove attitude.
2003: CD Oldřich Bartas & Blues Messengers – Blues Me(a)ssage.
Founds the new musical unit Brother B & Soulfood, focused on jazz-blues crossover.
Founded ATUKA (Asociation for the cultural milieu sustainable developement) and got in as ATUKA´s President.
2003 – 2004: Works as a Counsel at the Office of the Czech Republic Government. Develops Czech National Strategy of Innovations, this document was authorized by the Government Act No. 270 24 on March 2004 and the Innovation issue was identified as the highest state priority by the Czech Government.
Changes continually the style of his band Blues Messengers. Initially blues rock band is developing into the crossover band ballancing between jazz-blues-funk-soul-groove.
2004: Principal educational visit to USA focused on roots of the original american music (blues, jazz, soul, rock´n ´roll). Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas. Delta Blues Museum, Studio Stax, Sun Studio, Museum of Rock&Soul, Gibson factory, Graceland, Radio Elvis, King Biscuit Blues Festival…Jamms with local bluesmen at Wild Bill´s in Memphisu, Tenn.
2005: Freelance again, preparations of new musical material and for recording of his both musical projects.
