Zdeněk Kluka

Zdeněk Kluka (* 16. 4. 1947) drummer, singer and composer.

Čankišou, Progress 2, Barnodaj, theatre Husa na Provázku

In 1985 I was in need of money for the equipment of band in which I played so I decided to sell the drumsticks that I made for friends.  Tentatively I had put an ad in the former Freedom of speech and People's democracy journals - and I expected that in month I will hear from 5-6 drummers.  There were dozens of them - and the very first day after publication.  But what I absolutely did not expect and what didn‘t occurred to me even in wildest dreams - that I hear from Zdeněk Kluka - drummer from famous and renowned Progres 2....

Music was Zdeněk Kluka interest since childhood, from second grade he learned to play the accordion and later moved on to drums.  His musical career began at the Brno group Atlantis.  Later he founded with guitarist and singer Paul Vane group The Progress Organization, with it he allied to a long career.  Beginning normalization wasn’t too fond of this type of music. Because of that The Progress Organization interrupted its work in the second half of 1970.

Since 1976 the group renewed its activities and under the name Barnodaj releases album Mowgli.  In the spring of 1978 presents famous audiovisual project Dialogue with the universe and changes its name to Progres 2. Under the guidance of Zdeněk Kluka they toured throughout Czechoslovakia in 1980.  The third project called Book of Jungle followed and in 1983 Brain was released.  It has been definitive that the leader of the band became Zdeněk Kluka.  In 1987 they recorded an album of songs Change!  and then the project Blood poisoning, a parody of building and the enthusiasm of the 50s of the 20th century which at that time was a courageous act.  But then Progres-Pokrok ended its work.  Renewal of Group happened in 1992 and since then Progres concerts to today.  Zdeněk Kluka is the only member of the band that worked in it continuously since 1968.

In 1999 the group Čankišou was founded that plays world music - the so-called music of (fictional) Čanki people.  One of their members became Zdenek Kluka who gained a drum kit and other instruments such as balafon blasakoredeon and accordion.  Čankišou concerts as well in Pakistan or in Réunion and so far released several albums.

Collaboration with theaters and television
since the late '70s Zdeněk Kluka acts as a composer of incidental music for the theater. Significant is his cooperation especially with the Brno Theater Husa na provázku (Red laughter, Silver Wind, Shakespearomania, Wonderful Years of Lousy, Grandmother, The Engineer of Human Souls, Svejk). He writes music for other theaters (Brno City Theater, Theater Joy, Zlin City Theater, South Bohemian Theater and National Theater). Zdeněk Kluka cooperates also with television and participated in music to some television films (Paper Bridge or Dad). He also wrote the music for Slovak bedtime stories.



Progres 2 - Planeta Hieronyma Bosche II