Jiri Hokes
Prague-based blues/soul-jazz guitar player
Upcoming Dates
April 2, Jazz Boat w/Hanelle Blue's Band
April 4, Blues sklep jam session w/Jan Císař Band
April 10, Ungelt w/Blues Bond
April 16, Ungelt w/Hanelle Blue's Band
April 21, Ungelt w/Blues Bond
April 22, Ungelt w/Jan Císař Band
April 23, Jazz Boat w/Hanelle Blue's Band
April 24, Ungelt w/Hanelle Blue's Band
Welcome to the homepage of Jirka Hokeš, Prague-based blues/soul-jazz guitar player.
My musical path took a dramatic turn in 1999 when I first visited the USA and I got a chance to play with Charles Sawyer and his band 2120 South Michigan Avenue. Charlie taught me a lot about the blues and became my mentor in a way. I wouldn't be where I am know if it wasn't for his help support and also if it wasn't for my trip to Chicago - hanging around at a blues jam session in Rosa's Lounge where I bumped into American guitarist, Rene Trossman, a resident of Prague, who was then in Chicago for an extended visit. Rene and I hit it off at once and he gave me a phone number of his musical partner in Prague, Jan Kořínek. Then one thing led to another and I eventually became a member of Jan's soul-jazz project called Jan Kořínek and Groove. Just like Charlie, Jan also introduced me to an awful lot of music and those two people really shaped my musical path like nobody else. They both take credit for introducing me to artists who later became my biggest influences, such as B.B. King, T-Bone Walker, Grant Green, Tiny Grimes, Bill Jennings, Melvin Sparks, George Freeman, Ivan Boogaloo Joe Jones, Ray Charles, Earl Hines, Cannonball Adderley and many others.
I played with Jan Korinek and Groove for about 7 years.
You can currently hear me in Prague with a young, talented blues guitar player and his Marcel Flemr Blues and occasionally also Jan Císař Band and with Rene Trossman.
I feel privileged that during my musical career I've had chances to play with such extraordinary musicians as Najponk, David Maxwell, Martin Novák, Per Hanson, Pavel Bady Zboril, Martin Šulc, František Kop, Jakub Doležal, Osian Roberts, Rosta Fraš, Vladimír "Guma" Kulhánek, Taras Voloshchuk, Martin Lehký, Lorenzo Thompson, Sharon Lewis, Sweet Willie D., Eb Davis, to name just a few.
News
May 2011 - First gig with a new jazz combo Czech Philharmonic Jazz Band
March 2011 - In March I'm going to sub for Marcel Flemr in Hanelle Blue's Band
January 2011 - Hired by Kuba Zomer to join his new blues project
December 2010 - Fired from Marcel Flemr Band
August 2010 - Joined a new blues band formed by Charlie Slavik and Juwana Jenkins.
June 2010 - I'll be playing as a substitute with Jan Cisar band, getting a chance to play with young and talented alto sax player Michal Wroblevski. YEAH!
March 2010- New England gigs with Charlie Sawyer and 2120 South Michigan Avenue planned for March 2010.