Bachelors from Prague were an Australian band formed in 1985. Original members were Russell Cook on drums, George Friml on bass guitar, Bruce Haymes on keyboards, Henry Maas on vocals, Chris Minko on trumpet, Andrew Philipp on saxophone, Jeff Raglus on trumpet, Tom Roberts on guitar, and Justin Stanford on percussion. Their music is described by Ian McFarlane as a mix of "1940s jazz, 1950s R&B;, 1970s funk and salsa" and by Maas as, "jazz meets dance." In 1991 Friml was replaced on bass guitar by Thiery Fossemalle. The group broke up in 1993 but reunited in 2016 and in the following year. They released five albums including, Live at Sing Sing (1986), The Energetic Cool (August 1988), Birth of the Fool (March 1990) and The Essentials (1990). Their 1989 single, "Get Smart", was later covered by Melbourne Ska Orchestra, which issued it as a single in 2014.
Bachelors from Prague were formed in Melbourne in 1985 as an R&B, jazz and funk band.[1][2] Their initial line-up was Henry Maas on lead vocals (ex-Busby Berkleys, Buddy Lowenstein Big Band), Bruce Haymes on keyboards (ex-Richard Clapton Band, Russell Morris and the Rubes), Chris Minko on trumpet, Andrew Philipp on saxophone, Jeff Raglus on trumpet (ex-Escalators), Tom Roberts on guitar, Justin Stanford on percussion, George Friml on bass guitar, and Russell Cook on drums.[1][2]
Their first album, Live at Sing Sing (1987), was recorded live-in-the-studio in December of the previous year, with David Williams producing. In May 1988 they issued an album, The Energetic Cool, which provided two singles, "Go" (July 1988) and "Tightrope" (February 1989).[1] To promote the album they appeared on SBS-TV and on Nine Networks' Hey Hey It's Saturday.[3] Kathryn Whitfield of The Canberra Times described "Go", "these boys are a little jazzy, a little bluesy and a little like the one-time band The Bureau. Brassy sounds, lots of oomph and plenty to offer."[4]
They toured Europe in 1990, which "proved that there was a market for new original music... [and] convinced the band that setting up base in Europe would be essential."[5] By November 1991 Maas told Ian Watt of The Canberra Times that they was providing, "jazz meets dance."[6] He explained how they had, "started out playing traditional jazz covers but over the years the band's style has developed into a livelier hip hop style, ideal for live entertainment."[6] By that time the group were a seven-piece with Cook and Minko having left and Friml replaced by Thiery Fossemalle on bass guitar.[6]
In June 1993 they had returned to Australia after playing at the "Edinburgh Festival and sold-out houses in London" while "the success of their last album, Great, broke ground in France and Italy."[5] According to Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, they played "a stylish and infectious blend of 1940s jazz, 1950s R&B;, 1970s funk and salsa... [They] never achieved widespread commercial success, but always lived up to its audience's high expectations."[1] The group disbanded in 1993 with Haymes joining Paul Kelly Band in 1994.[2] From 1999 to 2002 he joined Kelly in Professor Ratbaggy.[2]
Bachelors from Prague reunited in September 2016 for a limited run of shows with an eight-piece line-up:[7] Maas, Philipp, Raglus, Haymes, Roberts, Friml, Cook, Stanford.[8] Martin Boulton of The Sydney Morning Herald observed, "the band suited up and blew the roof of Fitzroy Town Hall. Demand to see the original eight-piece jazz, funk and salsa-infused line-up was so strong that two more shows at Maas' other old haunt, The Nigh Cat, soon sold out."[7] They followed with more shows in October of the next year.[7][8]
MembersEdit
Henry Maas – vocals (1985–93, 2016, 2017)
Bruce Haymes – keyboards, piano, backing vocals (1985–93, 2016, 2017)
Andrew Philipp – saxophone (1985–93, 2016, 2017)
Jeff Raglus – trumpet, backing vocals (1985–93, 2016, 2017)
^ abcdHolmgren, Magnus. . hem2.passagen.se. Australian Rock Database (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 27 November 2013. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
^"Record Reviews". The Canberra Times. 15 December 1988. p. 37. Retrieved 17 April 2020 – via Trove (National Library of Australia).
^ abc"Good Times: Australia's Favourite Bachelors Return". The Canberra Times. 24 June 1993. p. 28. Retrieved 17 April 2020 – via Trove (National Library of Australia).
^ abcWatt, Ian (14 November 1991). "Bachelors Fuse Jzz and Dance". The Canberra Times – via Trove (National Library of Australia.
^ abcBoulton, Martin (12 September 2017). "Lunch with Henry Maas". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
^ abstaff writer (25 May 2017). "Bachelors from Prague to Play More Reunion Shows". Noise11.com. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
^ ab"Bubbling Down Under Week Commencing 30 October 1989". Bubbling Down Under. Retrieved 17 December 2022.
^ ab"Bubbling Down Under Week Commencing 16 December 1991". Bubbling Down Under. Retrieved 17 December 2022.
^Whitfield, Kathryn (15 December 1988), "Record Reviews", Canberra Times
bachelors, from, prague, were, australian, band, formed, 1985, original, members, were, russell, cook, drums, george, friml, bass, guitar, bruce, haymes, keyboards, henry, maas, vocals, chris, minko, trumpet, andrew, philipp, saxophone, jeff, raglus, trumpet, . Bachelors from Prague were an Australian band formed in 1985 Original members were Russell Cook on drums George Friml on bass guitar Bruce Haymes on keyboards Henry Maas on vocals Chris Minko on trumpet Andrew Philipp on saxophone Jeff Raglus on trumpet Tom Roberts on guitar and Justin Stanford on percussion Their music is described by Ian McFarlane as a mix of 1940s jazz 1950s R amp B 1970s funk and salsa and by Maas as jazz meets dance In 1991 Friml was replaced on bass guitar by Thiery Fossemalle The group broke up in 1993 but reunited in 2016 and in the following year They released five albums including Live at Sing Sing 1986 The Energetic Cool August 1988 Birth of the Fool March 1990 and The Essentials 1990 Their 1989 single Get Smart was later covered by Melbourne Ska Orchestra which issued it as a single in 2014 Bachelors from PragueOriginMelbourne AustraliaGenresR amp BjazzfunkYears active1985 1985 1993 1993 20162017Labels3333 Musicland3333 PolyGramLarrikinMercuryPast membersRussell Cook George Frimil Bruce Haymes Henry Maas Chris Minko Andrew Philipp Jeff Raglus Tom Roberts Justin Stanford Thiery Fossemalle Contents 1 History 2 Members 3 Discography 3 1 Albums 3 2 Live albums 3 3 Compilation albums 3 4 Singles 4 ReferencesHistory EditBachelors from Prague were formed in Melbourne in 1985 as an R amp B jazz and funk band 1 2 Their initial line up was Henry Maas on lead vocals ex Busby Berkleys Buddy Lowenstein Big Band Bruce Haymes on keyboards ex Richard Clapton Band Russell Morris and the Rubes Chris Minko on trumpet Andrew Philipp on saxophone Jeff Raglus on trumpet ex Escalators Tom Roberts on guitar Justin Stanford on percussion George Friml on bass guitar and Russell Cook on drums 1 2 Their first album Live at Sing Sing 1987 was recorded live in the studio in December of the previous year with David Williams producing In May 1988 they issued an album The Energetic Cool which provided two singles Go July 1988 and Tightrope February 1989 1 To promote the album they appeared on SBS TV and on Nine Networks Hey Hey It s Saturday 3 Kathryn Whitfield of The Canberra Times described Go these boys are a little jazzy a little bluesy and a little like the one time band The Bureau Brassy sounds lots of oomph and plenty to offer 4 They toured Europe in 1990 which proved that there was a market for new original music and convinced the band that setting up base in Europe would be essential 5 By November 1991 Maas told Ian Watt of The Canberra Times that they was providing jazz meets dance 6 He explained how they had started out playing traditional jazz covers but over the years the band s style has developed into a livelier hip hop style ideal for live entertainment 6 By that time the group were a seven piece with Cook and Minko having left and Friml replaced by Thiery Fossemalle on bass guitar 6 In June 1993 they had returned to Australia after playing at the Edinburgh Festival and sold out houses in London while the success of their last album Great broke ground in France and Italy 5 According to Australian musicologist Ian McFarlane they played a stylish and infectious blend of 1940s jazz 1950s R amp B 1970s funk and salsa They never achieved widespread commercial success but always lived up to its audience s high expectations 1 The group disbanded in 1993 with Haymes joining Paul Kelly Band in 1994 2 From 1999 to 2002 he joined Kelly in Professor Ratbaggy 2 Bachelors from Prague reunited in September 2016 for a limited run of shows with an eight piece line up 7 Maas Philipp Raglus Haymes Roberts Friml Cook Stanford 8 Martin Boulton of The Sydney Morning Herald observed the band suited up and blew the roof of Fitzroy Town Hall Demand to see the original eight piece jazz funk and salsa infused line up was so strong that two more shows at Maas other old haunt The Nigh Cat soon sold out 7 They followed with more shows in October of the next year 7 8 Members EditHenry Maas vocals 1985 93 2016 2017 Bruce Haymes keyboards piano backing vocals 1985 93 2016 2017 Andrew Philipp saxophone 1985 93 2016 2017 Jeff Raglus trumpet backing vocals 1985 93 2016 2017 Tom Roberts guitar 1985 93 2016 2017 Justin Stanford percussion drums 1985 93 2016 2017 Russell Cook drums 1985 91 2016 2017 Chris Minko trumpet 1985 91 George Friml bass guitar 1985 91 2016 2017 Thiery Fossemalle bass guitar 1991 93 Discography EditAlbums Edit List of studio albums with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak chartpositionsAUS 9 10 The Energetic Cool Released 1988 Format LP MC CD Label 3333 DEX 150E Birth of the Fool Released October 1989 Format LP MC CD Label Mercury 838 946 1 61Great Released May 1991 Format LP MC CD Label Mercury 848 225 1 108Live albums Edit List of live albums with selected details Title Album detailsLive at Sing Sing Released 1987 5 Format Label 3333 MUSLP 333B Compilation albums Edit List of compilation albums with selected details Title Album detailsThe Essentials Released 1990 Format LP MC CD Label Mercury 846 708 1 Singles Edit Go 1988 11 Get Smart 1989 AUS 118 9 Tightrope 1989 Trouble 1989 Golden Arm 1990 Doin the Same Thing 1991 Aus Independents 2 12 Great 1991 Mercury AUS 130 10 References Edit a b c d McFarlane Ian 1999 Encyclopedia entry for Bachelors from Prague Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop St Leonards NSW Allen amp Unwin ISBN 1 86508 072 1 Archived from the original on 7 June 2004 Retrieved 7 May 2018 a b c d Holmgren Magnus Bruce Haymes hem2 passagen se Australian Rock Database Magnus Holmgren Archived from the original on 27 November 2013 Retrieved 17 April 2020 Good Times For the Record The Canberra Times 24 March 1988 p 30 Retrieved 17 April 2020 via Trove National Library of Australia Record Reviews The Canberra Times 15 December 1988 p 37 Retrieved 17 April 2020 via Trove National Library of Australia a b c Good Times Australia s Favourite Bachelors Return The Canberra Times 24 June 1993 p 28 Retrieved 17 April 2020 via Trove National Library of Australia a b c Watt Ian 14 November 1991 Bachelors Fuse Jzz and Dance The Canberra Times via Trove National Library of Australia a b c Boulton Martin 12 September 2017 Lunch with Henry Maas The Sydney Morning Herald Retrieved 18 April 2020 a b staff writer 25 May 2017 Bachelors from Prague to Play More Reunion Shows Noise11 com Retrieved 18 April 2020 a b Bubbling Down Under Week Commencing 30 October 1989 Bubbling Down Under Retrieved 17 December 2022 a b Bubbling Down Under Week Commencing 16 December 1991 Bubbling Down Under Retrieved 17 December 2022 Whitfield Kathryn 15 December 1988 Record Reviews Canberra Times ARIA Canberra Times 11 April 1991 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bachelors from Prague amp oldid 1153522621, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
