Hlaskontrabas Oktet

The line up of the unique band Hlaskontrabas Oktet features four singers – Ridina Ahmedová, Alice Bauer, Mirka Novak and Markéta Zdeňková – and four double bassists – Petr Tichý, Tomáš Liška, Ondřej Štajnochr and Ondřej Komárek. The band formed in 2019, when Czech vocalist, composer and perforer Ridina Ahmedová and double bassist and composer Petr Tichý decided to expand their duo project Hlaskontrabas. Intially, the idea was to replace the looper Ridina and Peter had been using to layer different tracks with live performers who would boost the music with their own style and diverse personalities. Early on, however, it became clear that composing music for an octet would call for a new approach and suggest other arrangement opportunities. The octet soon started to lead its independent life. After several years of performing together, the musicians approached a selection of international authors, inviting them to compose new material for the octet’s first album. The multilateral collaboration has yielded the acclaimed “Nordic” project Kaleidoscapes which features compositions by musicians from Norway, Iceland, Israel and Czechia.