Petr Zelenka

Guitarist PETR ZELENKA was active on the Czech jazz scene since he was eighteen and collaborated, from the start, with some of its foremost exponents: Yvonne Sanchez, Najponk, Robert Balzar, Jaromír Honzák, Antonín Gondolán, Miriam Bayle, and others. Abroad, he participated in projects by other renowned musicians, including James Zollar, Piotr Baron, and Milosz Rutkowski, performing at various international jazz festivals. He released his debut album in 2000 and three years later moved to Paris where he collaborated with musicians such as Xavier Richardeau, Fabien Mary, Olivier Zanot, Yoni Zelnik, and Coda Tentet. Following his return to the Czech Republic in 2007, he performed alternately with his Czech (Jaromír Honzák, Marcel Bárta, Tomáš Hobzek) and “French” quartet (Zanot, Zelnik, Jannuska). With the latter formation, he recorded the album Memory Flash, which exemplified the new tendencies in European jazz at the time. A few years later, he founded a new trio with an original line-up (without a bass instrument), called Projekt Z. Together with saxophonist Marcel Bárta and drummer Daniel Šoltis, he ventured onto the ground of experimental music, exploring the possibilities of free musical and extra-musical communication. In an eponymous recording from 2011, Projekt Z were joined by Spanish flute player Rodrigo Parejo. Several years ago, Zelenka has moved abroad.