The leader of several prize-winning jazz bands, Lubos Soukup, pairs his awe-inspiring technique and boundless sense of musical adventures with a stubborn desire to make music that moves people. His music speaks directly to the audience. Uniting his compositions is the fact that they’re all well-composed themes and colorful improvised soundscapes. This creates a deep listening experience, and evoking beautiful imagery and emotional responses in the listener.
Lubos Soukup is a freelance musician, composer, and educator based in Copenhagen, Denmark. His main instruments are the tenor and soprano saxophone, as well as the clarinet. Besides that, he plays the flute and the piano. He regularly tours in Europe and has played at numerous international jazz festivals. He leads the ambitious band Lubos Soukup Quartet (modern jazz), the internationally successful quartet Points Quartet (modern jazz), and its extended versions – Points-Rataj Quintet (fusion of contemporary jazz and live electronics) and Points Septet (experimental jazz). He is a permanent member of the dynamic Scandinavian band MAdHAs (avantgarde free bop), the Czech-Polish quintet Inner Spaces, and finally the creative big band Concept Art Orchestra. He occasionally performs with other projects as well. Since 2014, he has been teaching saxophone and ensemble classes at the Jazz Academy (HAMU) in Prague, Czech Republic.
Lubos Soukup has always been surrounded by music, and has had a strong wish to become a musician from his early childhood. After finishing high school, he studied at three European conservatories, namely Jaroslav Ježek Conservatory in Prague, Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice, and The Rhythmic Music Conservatory in Copenhagen. Each of the schools brought something new to his musical knowledge and helped him to form his current artistic approach. Moreover, they have inspired him to never stop exploring new sounds and music possibilities.
Lubos Soukup has released more than ten albums with his own music. His music was featured on two albums that were awarded the Czech Grammy Awards for the best jazz album of the year, namely Light Year by Inner Spaces (2012) and The Prague Six by Concept Art Orchestra (2015). In 2013, he released the album Through the Mirror, recorded with an ensemble of 14 musicians, which caught the attention of many Czech music experts immediately after it was released. Last year, the album, titled Země (The Earth) was released. The jazz recording features guest appearances from guitarist Lionel Loueke, who brings a slightly African touch.
