Karel Vlach (October 8, 1911 – February 26, 1986 was a Czech big band leader, saxophonist, conductor and arranger and one of the key figures and pioneers of jazz in former Czechoslovakia.
Vlach was born in Prague's Zizkov district. He was the eldest of five siblings. During elementary school he learned the violin. After secondary school, he joined the Žižkov. Between 1925 and 1928 he was trained as a sales clerk at the haberdashery business Kauders. In 1929 after his mother died, his father remarried and the family moved to Holesovice. Karel worked first as a shop assistant and later as a clerk.It was in the 30's Karel was musically involved with Blue Music and the Charles Happy Boys. He founded his first orchestra in 1938. Many important composers, instrumentalists and arrangers of the Czech jazz scene gradually went through his band.
He launched the singing careers of Czech artists Yvetta Simonová (whom he married) and Milan Chladil in 1958. He and his musical colleagues Dalibor Brazda and Gustav Brom also arranged and
recorded many titles for British singer Gery Scott in the late 1950s,
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mostly from what is now termed the American Songbook series. Many of these titles are now collector’s items.
recorded many titles for British singer Gery Scott in the late 1950s,
He recorded prolifically with Supraphon and his output includes both light classical and orchestral as well as jazz and pop arrangements for big band with strings. He also arranged and conducted many Czech film scores from 1940 to 1980.
Although Karel died on February 26, 1986 in Prague, Czechoslovakia, the orchestra is still actively performing as of 2018. (Info edited from Wikipedia & Discogs)