Biography
Jan Hruby, who was born in the Czech Republic and continues to reside there, has emerged as a significant figure among European Celtic violinists. Since the early 1990s he has issued multiple recordings both under his own name and with his ensemble Kukulin, each one investigating a distinctive East-European interpretation of Irish and Celtic folk traditions. Regular performances in the United Kingdom, together with the reciprocal tours he arranges in his homeland, keep alive his connections to that country, where he has shared stages with Hoover the Dog and the Frames.
His path opened inside rock and roll when he joined Vladimír Misík's Etc.... in 1976 and remained until 1987. The group's popularity steadily brought the violinist into the foreground of public recognition. Seeking settings more in keeping with his Celtic and folk inclinations, he left the band, launched a solo career, and formed Kukulin. Official releases began only after the Velvet Revolution. The first of these, Cesta na Severozapad, appeared in 1992 on the domestic label MHS and was followed by two further albums. Bonton brought out Cerny Ovce in 1997. The following year Hruby moved to Indies Records and issued Stredozem. That record and its successor Stara Vlna (2000) established his reputation in Wales, where enthusiasts of Celtic music now mention his name regularly. Also in 2000 came The Best of Jan Hruby & Kukulin. In January 2002 he appeared as a guest at a Czech concert by the Frames, an event preserved on the live album Breadcrumb Trail. The same year he received a commission to compose the music for DESpectrum, a multimedia work inspired by the poetry of Desmond Egan.
His path opened inside rock and roll when he joined Vladimír Misík's Etc.... in 1976 and remained until 1987. The group's popularity steadily brought the violinist into the foreground of public recognition. Seeking settings more in keeping with his Celtic and folk inclinations, he left the band, launched a solo career, and formed Kukulin. Official releases began only after the Velvet Revolution. The first of these, Cesta na Severozapad, appeared in 1992 on the domestic label MHS and was followed by two further albums. Bonton brought out Cerny Ovce in 1997. The following year Hruby moved to Indies Records and issued Stredozem. That record and its successor Stara Vlna (2000) established his reputation in Wales, where enthusiasts of Celtic music now mention his name regularly. Also in 2000 came The Best of Jan Hruby & Kukulin. In January 2002 he appeared as a guest at a Czech concert by the Frames, an event preserved on the live album Breadcrumb Trail. The same year he received a commission to compose the music for DESpectrum, a multimedia work inspired by the poetry of Desmond Egan.
Albums
