Jan Arnet

Jan Arnet, who played on some 50 recording sessions between 1959 and 1970, is considered the first Czech bassist to establish himself on the picky-picky American scene. This puts him ahead of both Miroslav Vitous and George Mraz, fellow countrymen who are part of the reason jazz fans are always suggesting someone "Czech" out a great new player. Punning aside, this area of the world's rich musical traditions often seems to be in the blood of its children, nurtured by a serious emphasis on education, typical of which was Arnet's access to studies on both violin and trombone beginning in 1945. In 1957, he finally switched to bass and continued studying music theory. While the latter subject no doubt took many serious evenings of research, becoming a bassist was apparently a quite spontaneous development. It started when the bass chair in a local combo opened up because the bassist was thrown in jail, one of the only two reasons a gig opened up in Czechoslovakia at that time, the other being someone's death. Arnet found out how to tune the instrument from a retired orchestra violinist, and the job was his. His recording career began in the '60s, at which time the big band of Zdenek Bartak and combos led by Karel Velebny, Jan Konopasek, and Milan Dvorak were all involved in various album releases once having passed under the microscope of the Communist party. Arnet also utilized his composing talents to move forward, becoming the leader of the National Czech Jazz Orchestra and assuming all responsibilities from management to repertoire while the ensemble officially represented its nation on tour throughout Europe. Arnet was able to step out further by 1965: He toured countries such as West Germany and France and collaborated with American players such as baritone bopper...