Čechomor

Čechomor is a Czech band from Svitavy that performs traditional songs in rock arrangements.

[1] They have toured throughout Europe, North America, Russia, China, Mongolia, and Australia and were reportedly a favourite band of Czech playwright and former president Václav Havel.

[3] Čechomor was founded in the west Moravian town of Svitavy in the spring of 1988 under the name I. Českomoravská nezávislá hudební společnost (1.

They were joined by new musicians Martin Rychta (drums), Michal Pavlík (cello, bagpipes), and Karel Holas (violin) and they abbreviated their name to Českomoravská hudební společnost.

In 2001, a concert was held at Rudolfinum, where Čechomor played with the Collegium of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra.

Around this time, playwright and director Petr Zelenka approached the band about making a film.

The film, a mockumentary, was released the following year and won a Czech Lion Award for Best Music.

The album featured Lenka Dusilová as well as two participants of the Womad Prague 2000 festival, Irish singer Iarla Ó Lionáird and Japanese taiko drummer and shakuhachi flautist Joji Hirota.

[11] These albums combined song with spoken word, narrated by celebrities including Barbora Hrzánová and Ewa Farna.

[11] The re-issue of the album actually featured guest vocals by Suzanne Vega on the folk song "Ej z hory dolů", sung in English and titled "Rain Is Falling".