Kamil Hála, born on August 1, 1931, in Most, Czech Republic, was a jazz singer and pianist. He received early piano training at a private music school and later attended the Handelsakademie. Hála's introduction to jazz came through his brother Vlastimil Hála, a trumpeter and composer, and was further influenced by local orchestras and foreign music films post-World War II. In the early 1950s, he joined Zdeněk Barták’s ensemble, contributing as an arranger. Mid-decade, Hála formed his own orchestra, touring Europe, Japan, Burma, and India until 1959. He also performed in Prager Cafés and composed for Karel Vlach's orchestra. From 1959 to 1963, he served as a pianist and arranger for the dance orchestra of the Czechoslovak Radio, later becoming the director of its jazz orchestra. Notable albums include Jazz Ze Studia “A” (1976), Jubileum (1981), Dobrý Pocit (1985), and Gershwin. Hála passed away on October 29, 2014.
