Biography

Jazz Blues singer

Peter Lipa

Peter Lipa is the most significant personality of Slovak jazz scene.

Peter Lipa has developed a unique vocal style with a strong focus on lyrics. His music blends elements of jazz and blues, and he fully embraces the advantage singers have — the ability to connect with audiences not only through melody, harmony, and rhythm, but also through the power of words.

He was the first artist in Slovakia to introduce the Slovak language into jazz. He draws on the natural rhythm of the language and transforms it into musical phrasing. His repertoire ranges from traditional tunes and swing standards to modern jazz.

In 1990, the Slovak Jazz Society was established, with Peter Lipa serving as its founding president — a role he continues to hold. Over the years, he has performed on every continent. While most of his songs have been recorded and released, it’s a curious fact that due to communist censorship, his debut album wasn’t released until he was 40. One of the most unforgettable moments in his musical career was a spontaneous duet with Bobby McFerrin, who invited him on stage at the close of his 1986 concert in Bratislava.

Born in Prešov, Lipa showed a deep passion for music from a young age. He began learning the violin at twelve, later adding trumpet, trombone, and guitar to his skills. After graduating from high school in Prešov, he studied at the Faculty of Civil Engineering at SVŠT in Bratislava, and later worked as an editor for Czechoslovak Radio. Between 1975 and 1976, he completed postgraduate studies in journalism at Comenius University. His musical journey began in the early 1960s with the band Struny, followed by Istropilana, Blues Five, the Gustáv Offerman Orchestra, Revival Jazz Band, T+R Band, and Lipa Andršt Blues Band. With Blues Five, he won the Discovery of the Festival award at the 2nd Beat Festival in Prague in 1968. Throughout his career, he has actively collaborated with pianists — an instrument he finds most compatible with his voice. His musical partners have included Ladislav Gerhard, Milan Svoboda, Gabriel Jonáš, Emil Viklický, Peter Breiner, Boris Urbánek, Juraj Tatár, Pavol Bodnár, and his son Peter Lipa Jr.

In 1978, he founded his own group, Combo, which evolved into today’s Peter Lipa Band. Over the years, he has participated in numerous short- and long-term collaborations, including current projects such as the Visegrad Blues Band, EU4, and Traditional Club.

1963 – 1966

Struny

This group consisted of students from the Faculty of Architecture and Civil Engineering at SVŠT (Daniel Winter on guitar, Bruno Beiszetzer on bass guitar, Ľubo Dolinský on drums, and guitarist Rasťo Vacho, with whom Lipa collaborated for many years.

Istopolitana

Another student group began singing Ray Charles songs, rhythm and blues, and soul. Members: Ervín Padušický – trombone, leader, John Turi – Nagy – saxophone, clarinet, Rasťo Vacho – guitar, Tono Vičan – drums, Andrej Šebo – bass, Ivan Rupeldt – keyboards.

1967

1968 – 1969

Blues Five

Peter Koreň – keyboards, Rasťo Vacho – guitar, Dušan Hájek – drums, Fedor Letňan – bass guitar, and over time Dušan Valihora and Miro Šebo – bass, Jaro Filip, Janko Lehotský – keyboards, Ivan Nagy – trumpet, Milan Talaj – saxophone, and others also joined the band.

Orchester Gustáva Offermana

1969 – 1971

1972 – 1977

Revival Jazz Band

Pioneers of the revivalist movement in Czechoslovakia. With the arrival of Peter Lipa in this formation, its musical focus began to change. The Revival Jazz Band played numerous concerts throughout Europe. Members: Anton Rakický – banjo, Štefan Popluhár – drums, Miloš Paška – bass, Milan Vašica – trumpet, Vlado Vizár – trombone, Jaroslav Červenka – saxophone, keyboards.

Combo Petra Lipu

The original line-up also included members of the band Hej, Peter Breiner on piano, Stanislav Herko / Vladimír Kulhánek on bass guitar, Cyril Zeleňák on drums, and Ondřej Konrád on harmonica. The album Neúprosné ráno (1984) is a reminder of this period. In the late 1990s, Lipa began collaborating with younger musicians: Boris Urbánek – piano, Andrej Šeban – guitar, Ján Fabrický – drums, Anton Jaro – bass guitar, Juraj Bartoš – trumpet, Karol Lago – saxophone, Miroslav Binder – keyboards. The album Je to stále tak (It’s Still the Same, 1988).

1977 – 1990

1980 – 1986

Lipa – Andršt Blues Band

This band appealed to both rock and jazz audiences by combining modern electric blues with elements of funk and jazz. It was a welcome guest at festivals, not only in Czechoslovakia. The Blues Band recorded two albums, but its strength lay mainly in live performances. In addition to guitarist Luboš Andršt and Lipa, the band’s permanent members included bassist Vladimír Kulhánek, harmonica player Ondřej Konrád, pianist Boris Urbánek, and, in the early days, saxophonist Jan Kubík.

Duo s Petrom Breinerom

The collaboration began in the late 1970s in Combe. Later, a chamber program was created in Studio S called P + P = Jazz (premiered on September 11, 1984).
The album Boogie Up (PolyGram/EmArcy 1997) captures this collaboration.

1978 – 1992

1994

Peter Lipa Band

At the same time, he continued his collaboration with Andrej Šeban. Together, they recorded the albums Naspäť na stromy (Back to the Trees, 1995) and Čierny Peter (Black Peter), which clearly leaned toward his old love, a combination of jazz and blues. In this project, he began to express himself more intensely as a songwriter. The band features first-class musicians: keyboardist Juraj Tatár, bassist Martin Gašpar, and drummer Marcel Buntaj. In 1999, Andrej Šeban left the band and was replaced by young Ostrava saxophonist Michal Žáček.

T&R Band

The band was formed by merging two leading revivalist groups, Nový tradicionál and Revival Jazz Band. In addition to the standard Dixieland repertoire, it also ventured into swing, arrangements of classical music, jumping jazz, blues, and more. It often played abroad (the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Cuba, Algeria, Greece, Switzerland, the USA, and many others). However, it was best known for its regular Thursday performances at the Stará sladovňa pub in Bratislava (1980–1995), which became a cult tradition. Members: Anton Rakický – banjo, Alojz Bouda – piano, Fedor Frešo – electric double bass / Stanislav Herko – bass guitar, Štefan “Piťo” Popluhár /Karol Sucháň – drums, Juraj Lehotský – trumpet, Vladimír Vizár – trombone, Jaroslav “Country” Červenka – clarinet, alto saxophone. They recorded the albums T&R Band, Peter Lipa Live at Limmatquai 1982, In Germany 1990, Peter Lipa and T&R Band, and Up to Date.

1986 – 1995

1995 – 1998

Peter Lipa Band

Lipová’s own band, which he founded after leaving the T & R Band. Performers: Juraj Lehotský – trumpet, Dušan Húščava – saxophone, František Karnok – trombone, Andrej Šebo – bass guitar, Pavol Bodnár – piano, Cyril Zeleňák / Stanislav Cvanciger – drums. Album Bistro.

Višegrad Blues Band

The Višegrad Blues Band consists of well-known musicians from the countries of the so-called “Višegrad Four.” In addition to Peter Lipa, the frontman is the outstanding Polish guitarist Leszek Cichonski. Other soloists in the band include Polish keyboardist Zbygniew Jakubek and Czech accordionist Ondřej Konrád. The band’s repertoire consists mainly of originally arranged blues standards and several original instrumental compositions by Cichonski.

2004

1999 – 2007

Peter Lipa Band

Juraj Tatár – keyboards,
Michal Žážek – saxophone;
Peter Lipa;
Martin Gašpar – bass guitar;
Marcel Buntaj – drums

EU4

This is the latest international formation, created on the initiative of Peter Lipa. It features Austrian Hammond player Raphael Wressnig, Italian guitarist Ruggero Robin, and Hungarian drummer Tamas Berdisz. The group has performed its premiere concerts in Slovakia and will be touring the other home countries of its members in the future.

2011

Present

Peter Lipa Band

Peter Lipa Jr. – piano
Radovan Tariška – saxophone
Michal Šimko – bass guitar
Michal Fedor – drums