Martin Kratochvíl
{{Short description|Czech musician and businessman (born 1946)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2023}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| background = person
| name = Martin Kratochvíl
| image = Brno, Semilasso, 2. Beatfest, Martin Kratochvíl.jpg
| landscape = yes
| alt = Martin Kratochvíl sitting behind keyboards, wearing a red short-sleeved shirt
| caption = Kratochvíl in 2011
| alias =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1946|05|22|df=y}}
| birth_place = Prague, Czechoslovakia
| origin =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| genre = {{hlist|Jazz|jazz fusion}}
| occupation = {{hlist|Musician|businessman}}
| instrument = Keyboards
| years_active = 1964–present
| label =
| current_member_of = Jazz Q
| past_member_of =
| website =
}}
Martin Kratochvíl (born 22 May 1946) is a Czech jazz / jazz fusion keyboardist and businessman born in Prague. He cofounded the Jazz Q quartet in 1964. During his career, he has performed in various countries around the world, launched his own record label, opened a recording studio, and released numerous albums both as a solo artist and with other musicians.
Career
In 1964, Kratochvíl cofounded the band Jazz Q with flautist Jiří Stivín; the group was later rounded out by guitarist Luboš Andršt and bassist Vladimír Padrůněk during their most successful era.[http://www.muzikus.cz/publicistika/Martin-Kratochvil-Hudebni-hodokvas-s-Jazz-Q~16~leden~2008/ "Martin Kratochvíl - Hudební hodokvas s Jazz Q"] {{in lang|cs}}
In 1970, they collaborated with the rock band Blue Effect on the fusion album Coniunctio.{{cite web|title=Prager Gitarrist Radim Hladík verstorben |url=https://www.jazzzeitung.de/cms/2016/12/prager-gitarrist-radim-hladik-verstorben/ |website=jazzzeitung.de |date=6 December 2016 |access-date=20 February 2021 |language=de |trans-title=Prague Guitarist Radim Hladík Has Passed Away}} Kratochvíl has also performed and released a number of albums with American guitarist Tony Ackerman.{{cite web|title=Martin Kratochvíl, Piano and Tony Ackerman, Guitar, at Czech Center |url=https://www.pianyc.net/event/martin-kratochvil-piano-and-tony-ackerman-guitar-at-czech-center/ |website=pianyc.net |date=8 April 2018 |access-date=20 February 2021}}
Being a successful musician both in Czechoslovakia and overseas, Kratochvíl saved enough money so that when the communist regime collapsed in 1989, he became a successful businessman, owner of an airport, several factories, and other ventures. The same year, he founded the record label Bonton Music.{{cite web|title=Prague's Velvet Hangover : After Their Revolution, Czech Artists Are Up Against the Wall |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-05-12-tm-2779-story.html |website=Los Angeles Times |date=12 May 1991 |access-date=20 February 2021}}{{cite web|title=Martin Kratochvíl - zakladatel společnosti Bonton Music |url=http://www.ibestof.cz/business/martin-kratochvil---zakladatel-spolecnosti-bonton-music.html |website=ibestof.cz |date=9 July 2011 |access-date=20 February 2021 |language=cs |trans-title=Martin Kratochvíl - founder of Bonton Music}} Kratochvíl also has his own recording studio, Studio Budíkov.{{cite web|title=Návštěva v domě s vůní exotiky |url=https://www.idnes.cz/bydleni/na-navsteve/navsteva-v-dome-s-vuni-exotiky.A060426_145106_dum_osobnosti_pet |website=idnes.cz |date=27 April 2006 |access-date=20 February 2021 |language=cs |trans-title=A Visit to a House with an Exotic Scent}}
Personal life
Kratochvíl's first wife was Magdalena Kocábová, sister of musician and activist Michael Kocáb.{{cite web|title=Hudební Byznys |url=https://www.euro.cz/byznys/jamujici-sef-819293 |website=euro.cz |date=9 September 2001 |access-date=20 February 2021 |language=cs |trans-title=Music Business}}
Discography
{{columns-start}}
=with Jazz Q=
- Coniunctio with Blue Effect (1970)
- Pozorovatelna (1973)
- Symbiosis (1974)
- Album, Které Nikdy Nevyšlo (1975)
- Elegie (1976)
- Zvěsti (1978)
- Hodokvas (1979)
- Hvězdoň/Asteroid 1984
- 1974–75 live (1991)
- The Best of Jazz Q (1995)
- Znovu (2013)
- Živí Se Diví: Live in Bratislava 1975 (2013)
- Temné Slunce Original motion picture soundtrack (2014)
- Talisman (2016)
- Amulet (2020)
{{column}}
=with Tony Ackerman=
- Stará Známost/Old Acquaintance (1987)
- Spolu (1990)
- Chiaroscuro/Šerosvit with Vojtěch Havel (1993)
- Duolog (2001)
- Zvukobraní (2009)
- Cestou (2011)
- No Jazz with Miroslav Vitouš and Joe Kučera (2014)
- Letopis with Musa Imran Zangi (2020)
- Znění & Snění with Jana Koubková and Joe Kučera (2020)
{{columns-end}}
=Solo=
- Piano Solo (2012)
- Himalayan Echoes II. – Soundtrack K TV Seriálu České Himálajské Dobrodružství II (2014)
- Siločáry (2017)
- Happiness Martin Kratochvíl & Friends (2017)
=Other releases=
- April Orchestra Milan Svoboda & Martin Kratochvíl (1979)
- Tankový Prapor Original motion picture soundtrack - contributor (1991)
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Discogs artist|465856}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kratochvil, Martin}}