A Century of Czech Tramping

Have you ever wondered what the big deal is with Czech Tramping? Why do they walk around with cowboy hats or military fatigues? Who are they and what kind of a movement it is? The following was written by Jan Pohunek of the Institute of Ethnology, Faculty of Arts, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic. It...

Bohemians, Tramping

April 29, 2018

While You Are Sleeping (Zatím co ty spíš) by Miroslav Černý

Today I am sharing one of my most favorite Czech songs entitled Zatím co ty spíš (While You Are Sleeping) by Miroslav Černý. I have yet to listen to this song without crying! Once you read the lyrics below (in both Czech and my translation to English), you will understand why! Unfortunately, I cannot locate a...

ENTERTAINMENT, Music

April 18, 2018

Listen to This: Nové Struny To Ti Rikám Já

Nové Struny are a Czech band made up of a younger generation of men who bringing back classic Czech tramp and swing music with a modern spin. Every Czech knows the nostalgic country sound that awoke and inspired feelings of freedom and patriotism back in the communist era. This campfire music, known as “Tramp music”...

ENTERTAINMENT, Music

February 12, 2018

Czech Tramp (Tramping) News Covers from 1930

Czech tramping is something that is deeply woven into the psyche of many Czechs, especially those who lived through some of the political events of the 1900’s. Back in November of 2016, we shared Flashback to 1929: Czech Tramp News Covers, a post which all of the tramping buffs loved, and in that post we...

NOSTALGIA, Periodicals, Tramping

November 9, 2017

The Funny Moon Music and Art Festival

The Funny Moon Music and Art Festival is a large festival that happens every July in Valeč. Think of it as almost like a Czech version of Burning Man, except on a smaller scale and with public showers. Valeč is a small town located less than 100 km west of Prague and only a 30...

Czech Republic, PLACES

June 9, 2017

Waldemar Matuška at His First U.S. Recording Session

I was recently asked to provide some photographs which I took back in the 1980’s for an exhibit at the Waldemar Matuška museum in the Czech Republic. And while searching for them, I came across the photographs I took of the album cover photo shoot for Teče, voda, Teče, as well as of the recording session for...

ENTERTAINMENT, Music

May 15, 2017

Listen to KTO Kamarádi Táborových Ohňů

Sometimes the best way to relax is to sit back with friends around a flickering campfire, pull out the instruments, and write a tune… That is exactly how the Czech country band KTO started. Kamarádi Táborových Ohňů (KTO) seriously translates to Friends of Campfires. Today we are sharing a few of their hits from the...

ENTERTAINMENT, Music

November 19, 2016

Flashback to 1929: Czech Tramp News Covers

Sometimes as we are surfing around the internet we come across something that takes us completely by surprise. This was one such morning. I located the covers from Czech Tramp newsletter from 1929, 1930 and 1931. Tramp came out every Friday, weekly. At the time, a yearly subscription cost 42 CZK (Czech Koruna or Crowns) plus another...

NOSTALGIA, Periodicals, Tramping

October 10, 2016

Tramp Music Songbook Covers Pre-1940s

Czech trampská hudba, also known as Czech tramping or tramp music and tramping songs, known as trampská píseň, or trampske písničky are a style of song and music associated with an activity known as tramping. Originating in the early 1900’s, many say it was right after WWI that the sound came to then called Czechoslovakia....

ENTERTAINMENT, Music, NOSTALGIA, Periodicals, Tramping

July 26, 2016

Camping at Rabštejn nad Střelou in 1966 aka Ravenstone

Rabštejn nad Střelou (Raven stone over bullet or missile in English or Rabenstein in German) is a part of the city of Manětín, located in the Plzeň (Pilsen) district. It is an old historic town, which lies on the river Střela about 30 kilometers north of Pilsen. Today I am sharing some memories of camping at Rabštejn nad...

LIFESTYLE, Tramping

June 27, 2016

Listen: Czech Folk or Tramp Songs

If you go into any old Czech bar that plays Folk music you will find at least one of these songs the track-list. These are songs that my grandparents used to sing around the campfire during communism when this music wasn’t even allowed. This type of music isn’t for everyone but for my grandparents it...

ENTERTAINMENT, Music, Tramping

December 7, 2015

Little Amerika & Big Amerika – The Czech Grand Canyons

Watching Limonadovy Joe a few months ago I found myself wondering where those canyons were. It looked like the Czech Grand Canyon! Little Amerika? Could it really have been filmed in the Czech Republic? I know that Barrandov studios did a great job building a town from the old American Wild West, but what about those...

Tramping, Wanderlust