SELECTION FROM REVIEWS


Great concert! Lucerna was sold out, the ladies cleverly chose a classical repertoire to showcase what they could do with their voices, at the same time they could cross the genre boundaries and boldly improvise. Thanks to the DVD we can enjoy the retro stylization of the whole scene and it all sounds beautifully and relaxed.

Josef Rauvolf – MUSICUS


The production of jazz evergreens by Iva and Ida is distinctive in impeccable temperament, vocal vibration, the gypsy conception of accompanying vocals of the trio Desideria Duhand and throughout the arrangement. The concept of each of the sisters is as different as their solo creation is different. Kelarová focuses on the deepest dive into the story of the song, the most intense the experience. Bittová is more volatile, she improvises improvisationally, it is unbridled “bittova”: spits out the voice curls, spirits dissolute cascades of tones and, when the mood allows, does not hesitate to make a fun. Her energy in perfect harmony corrects the double bass of a rare guest, genial New York Czech George Mraz. it is possible to whimper and humble it according to the needs of the song, and the different interpretations of the jazz interpretation of Ida and Iva do not go against each other, but they complement each other perfectly, either swinging in Ellington’s classics “It dont mean and Thing” or “Carnival Divorce” in Jobim’s boss, “Água de beber”.

Tomáš S. Polívka – TÝDEN


Ida Kelarova puts more of her “Gentle Rain” in Lucerna in her jazz, so she naturally stays on the music, she’s at home; but when the swing pulls it, “people get electrifying”. Iva Bittová is more dreamy and, on the other hand, more relaxed, jazz-more playful-more varied and more alternate. About The trio Jazz Famelija somebody could say it is playing just ordinary bar music. “A normal bar band,” perhaps someone would condemn their quest for quieter songs. Nonsense, accompanying as well is art. And the “plowing” of the piano in the middle of a concert in “I’ve Got The World On String” is a full jazz ride. But the DVD is also a musical match: in the introduction of “My Funny Valentine” “rival” the voice of Iva with trumpet.

Pleasant conservative direction of DVD (Šimon Koudelka) and natural editing (Adéla Špaljová) without any unnecessary attacks on eyeballs make it easier to perceive the record, to match the retro mood of the concert. It is said that knowledge of standards is the alphabet of jazz musicians. The one-time jazz wonders Ida and Iva are doing, of course, as if they did not have to learn this alphabet. They have it in born.

Petr Tomeš – FREEMUSIC


The performance of Iva Bittova and Ida Kelarova was exceptional in many ways. Both sisters met for the first time at a concert where they also sang jazz standards in front of the full Grand Hall of Lucerna in Prague, which during the last twenty years did not sell by another jazz concert. The excellent camera brings to the DVD even gaming finesse that could not be seen even from the first row.

Pavel Víšek – E15


For the first time, two singing sisters and stars of the Czech alternative scene met on a unique concert over a purely jazz repertoire, surrounded by top musicians and guests. Now you can enjoy them on DVD. Jazz standards were taken by Bittova and Kelarova on them own way. They do not sing as jazz or soul singers. Ida was the most influential of Roma influences, which was further reinforced by the present trio of vocalists. Her jazz was darker than Iva´s, just like her rough alto. The singers were accompanied by outstanding musicians, including the famous Czechoamerican, bass player George Mraz. For the attention was also the solo of David Dorůžka (guitar), Ondrej Krajňák (piano), or Radovan Tariška (saxophone). And the fact that the great Lucerna, retro-styled, completely filled the jazz project, testifies that something extraordinary happened.

Stanislav Dvořák – NOVINKY.CZ