GUSTAV BROM
Genres: Big Band, Pop, Art Song, Folk, Third Stream • Czech Republic

Gustav Brom, (May 22, 1921, Veľké Leváre - September 25, 1995) was a Czech big band leader, arranger, clarinetist and composer. He achieved fame in Europe and abroad from the 1940’s right through to his death in 1995. He worked prolifically and was noted for remaining true to the jazz big band idiom, beginning with Dixieland and swing and later, with contributions from his musicians, moving into the West Coast jazz sound. Born Gustav Frkal, his and the band’s first professional engagement was in June 1940 in the Radhošť Hotel in Rožnov pod Radhoštěm. Shortly after World War II, Brom's band performed in Brno and Bratislava and also for several months in 1947 in Switzerland. The other top big band leaders in Prague at this time were Karel Vlach, Prof. Ladislav Habart, and Kamil Běhounek. Brom triumphed in 1955 at the Leipzig Fair, in the former East Germany, winning accolades for his read more...