Bachelors from Prague

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
OriginMelbourne, Australia
Genres
  • R&B
  • jazz
  • funk
Years active
  • 1985 (1985)-1993 (1993)
  • 2016
  • 2017
Labels
  • 3333/Musicland
  • 3333/PolyGram
  • Larrikin
  • Mercury
Past members
  • Russell Cook
  • George Frimil
  • Bruce Haymes
  • Henry Maas
  • Chris Minko
  • Andrew Philipp
  • Jeff Raglus
  • Tom Roberts
  • Justin Stanford
  • Thiery Fossemalle

History

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]

Members
  • 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)
  • 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

Albums
  • Live at Sing Sing (1987) - 3333 (MUSLP 333B)[5]
  • The Energetic Cool (May 1988) - 3333/Musicland
  • Birth of the Fool (1989) - 3333 Aus Independents #2[9]
  • The Essentials (1990) - Mercury
  • Great (May 1991) - Mercury Aus Independents #5[10]

Singles
  • "Go" (1988) - 3333/Musicland[11]
  • "Get Smart" (1989) - 3333
  • "Tightrope" (1989) - 3333
  • "Trouble" (1989) - Mercury
  • "Golden Arm" (1990) - Mercury
  • "Doin the Same Thing" (1991) - Mercury Aus Independents #2[12]
  • "Great" (1991) - Mercury

References
  1. McFarlane, Ian (1999). "Encyclopedia entry for 'Bachelors from Prague'". Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop. St Leonards, NSW: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86508-072-1. Archived from the original on 7 June 2004. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
  2. Holmgren, Magnus. "Bruce Haymes". hem2.passagen.se. Australian Rock Database (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 27 November 2013. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  3. "Good Times: For the Record". The Canberra Times. 24 March 1988. p. 30. Retrieved 17 April 2020 – via Trove (National Library of Australia).
  4. "Record Reviews". The Canberra Times. 15 December 1988. p. 37. Retrieved 17 April 2020 – via Trove (National Library of Australia).
  5. "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).
  6. Watt, Ian (14 November 1991). "Bachelors Fuse Jzz and Dance". The Canberra Times – via Trove (National Library of Australia.
  7. Boulton, Martin (12 September 2017). "Lunch with Henry Maas". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
  8. staff writer (25 May 2017). "Bachelors from Prague to Play More Reunion Shows". Noise11.com. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
  9. "ARIA", Canberra Times, 2 November 1989
  10. "ARIA", Canberra Times, 11 July 1991
  11. Whitfield, Kathryn (15 December 1988), "Record Reviews", Canberra Times
  12. "ARIA", Canberra Times, 11 April 1991
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