Antonín Gondolán

There is probablo no bigger male Gypsy music personality who survived in both Czech popand jazz scene with legend of enormous music talent as Antonín ´Tony´ Gondolán, also political activist, singer and composer. Quoting virtuoso violinist Josef Suk there are no differences between his and Antonín Gondolán´s musical abilities. ´Tony´ Gondolán was born on the 13th June 1942 in Brutovce near Spišské Podhradí, Slovakia to Gypsy music oriented father with his family of 13 children. At Tony´s age of 2 they moved to Bohemia, Czechoslovakia. As 15 he was shown to the big band leader G. Brom, because Tony played on bass what whatever he heard from radio and played differently than the rest of the family. Later G. Brom managed the band joining as well as the school of Conservatory in Brno. In Prague during the big band trips Tony was in his years the one of the attraction of already world famed orchestra and he attainti-oned the young groups of musicians around that time jazz singer K. Gott, pianist R. Rokl lor clarinetist and band leader F. Havlík. He joined their song system theatre band oriented Semafor stage. Tony changed Brno Conseravatory for Prague Cons to study bass under prof. Pošta. In 1966 Vienna Jazz Competition Tony on double bass won it together with pals the 2nd J.´G.´ Mraz and the 1st M. Vitous and J. Hammer Jr. 2nd in piano after jury decision of F. Gulda, J.C.Adderly and J. Zawinul among others. Later he made programme of Czech musicians in Las Vegas.