Karel Plíhal

Karel Plíhal (born August 23 1958 in Přerov) is a Czech folk and jazz musician, singer, songwriter and record producer.

He graduated from the Industrial College of Engineering and then worked as a designer and boilerman in the Olomouc theatre, finally becoming a singer (even though he had no musical schooling). He has played the guitar since he was 15 year old. First, he played in various underground country-swing bands in Olomouc: "Hučka", "Falešní hráči" and "Plíharmonyje". He produced his first solo album in 1983. Between 1985 and 1993, Plíhal worked with Emil Pospíšil, and from 1995 to 1999 he produced music with Petr Freund. He has also won four Porta folk music awards as of 2006. His 2005 album "Karel Plíhal in Olomouc" was recorded in his home town in Moravia in a 2004 concert.

Plíhal has composed music for numerous productions at the Moravian Theatre in Olomouc, among others "Zlatovláska", "Sluha dvou pánů", "Utrpení Dona Perlimplína", "Manon Lescaut", "Cyrano", "Zimní pohádka", "Pašije" and "Giroflé-Giroflá". He has set music to a few of Josef Kainar's poems, and he has directed recording for albums by artists such as Jarek Nohavica, Petr Fiala, Eben brothers and Bokomara band.

He played himself in the Petr Zelenka's movie Rok Ďábla (The Year of the Devil). His character tries to stop talking, completely, with nobody. The reason? He said he wanted to hear the melody of other people's voices. And he said, if we stop talking, we can hear our own melody. However, this plot is fictional and is not based on real story.

Discography

* "Karel Plíhal v Olomouci (2005)" - two CD recording of a concert in Olomouc
* "Karel Plíhal v Telči (2005)" - DVD recording of a concert in Telč
* "Nebe počká (2004)" – poems of Josef Kainar
* "Rok Ďábla (2002)" – music for the movie of the same name
* "Kluziště (2000)" - album with new arrangements of old songs
* "Napadl Sníh (Sova Sněžná) (2000)" - a single released as a Christmas CD of Česká spořitelna
* "Králíci, ptáci a hvězdy (1996)"
* "Takhle nějak to bylo ... (1994)"
* "Karel Plíhal 1985-89 (1992)" – summary edition of the two previous albums with added song "Žlutí sokoli"
* "Karel Plíhal...Emil Pospíšil... (1989)"
* "Karel Plíhal (1985)"
* "Plíharmonyje" - concert recording, not released officially
* "Mávej, mávej" - concert recording, not released officially

External links

* [http://www.karelplihal.cz/ Karel Plíhal - official site (in Czech Language)]
* [http://www.radio.cz/en/article/64906 Radio Prague "Musician and songwriter Karel Plíhal releases album to celebrate 25-year career" 31 March 2005 retrieved 10 March 2006]