Festival Hudba v Meste

The town Skalica, for the support of the project „Hudba v Meste“ (Music in the city). It is a cycle of concerts founded by blues musician and native of Skalica, Lubos Bena in 2002. In recent years mostly blues musicians have played at these concerts. Enthusiastic audiences could applaud not only the best Slovak blues bands and soloists from all over the Europe, but also many well-known bluesmen from overseas. Slovak fans had a unique opportunity to meet in Skalica such masters as Dr. David Evans (USA), Sean Carney Band (USA), Wes Mackey (USA) ... and to hear their music live. The top of those concerts will be intrenational festival Hudba v Meste, August 5, 2011 in Skalica, Slovakia.

Slovak bluesman appearing in film.

The Slovak bluesman Lubos Bena (and singer and harp player Matej Ptaszek), are performing in the new Czech film, by the esteemed scenarist, Peter Jarchovsky and producer Ondrej Trojan. In this tragic comedy from the Czechoslovakia communist hippie era, between 1973 - 1977, they play roles as juke joint musicians. Their music is featured in the opening of the film and also in several main scenes together with Bob Dylan, Black Sabbath and Sweet. Beňa & Ptaszek will be presenting original American roots music in this film for the first time using traditional's in the Czech language. See the film trailer.

New Album Out

The new album of Slovak-czech duo Beňa & Ptaszek. After two year's since the successful live recording at Mirov prison: Beňa & Ptaszek v kriminále", we are happy to announce a new studio album entitled "Music of the Mississippi River".

An Interesting point of this album is that there are not any classic 12 bar blues, which is known from other bands. A Slovak guitar player Lubos Bena and Czech singer and harp player Matej Ptaszek went deeper under waters of the old Mississippi river. Their inspiration was found in cotton fields in the state of Mississippi, in the native gospel and country-gospel singers from Alabama or in authentic bluegrass artist from the Appalachian mountains.

Inside albums are use nearly omit all harp skills and except of resophonic guitar sound is in album sound of acoustic guitar and uses special instrument make from the oil can. In some songs are use of drums.

Listeners can listen to the primitive arrangement from The Animals; The House of The Rising Sun, well-known song Goodnight Irene, country evergreen On A Monday, which was made famous by Johnny Cash, or traditional John Henry. All songs are in a version, as arising in the Mississippi delta or at the foot hills of the Appalachia mountains.

New album "Music of the Mississippi River" will be out in February under label Stormy Monday Records in Germany.