The first real engagement came in 2002. By that time Ondrej had joined the jazz trio of the prominent Czech jazz guitarist Roman Pokorný. He had also switched from piano to the Hammond organ and learned to play the bass with the left hand. Through working with this trio he slowly gained the experience of being a professional sideman. In 2003, after his graduation he also joined Roman's blues project - Blues Box Heroes and gradually became a more experienced professional player. Ondrej then started performing with a Polish-Cuban singer, Yvonne Sanchez, in her project called "Brazilian Groove". In 2004 he played over 130 gigs with these three bands, performing not only in Prague and across the Czech Republic but also internationally. Engagements included Semper Oper, Bluenote - Dresden, a Romanian tour with Yvonne, a tour in Turkey with a band supporting Billy Cobham's Culture Mix, FIAP Jean Monnet Paris, Jazz Club St. Germain Paris, Kunstfabrik Schlott, Berlin and many more.
At this time Ondrej met an Italian organ virtuoso Alberto Marsico and whilst in London he also had the chance to meet legendary British organist Mike Carr. Both these distinguished players offered him some coaching. In 2005, Ondrej left Roman Pokorny's two bands and he set off in his own direction. He started his own band called "ORGANIC quartet", and most of the members are fellow students from the Jazz College, where he has studied since 2004.
Ondrej was awarded first place in the "soloist of the year" category, in the talent competition held within the 2005 Philips International Jazz Festival. The ORGANIC quartet was also elected "band of the year" at the same festival. Ondrej Pivec nowadays occasionally works with the renowned German guitar player - Christian Rover.
The debut album of the ORGANIC quartet was released in 2005, by the Czech-British label Cube-Metier. Both national and international critics hailed the album, which is entitled ‘Don't Get Ideas'. The year after the recording, Pivec was elected "Organist of the Month" for October 2006 by the international archives for jazz organ. The most important success so far is a Music academy award, that Ondřej Pivec Organic quartet recieved for the debut CD. Today Ondrej Pivec is respected as one of the most remarkable musician on the Czech jazz and fusion scene.
Ondřej Pivec ORGANIC quartet
A new Czech project was launched in the spring of 2005. This exciting new group is composed by young but well respected and established musicians. Organic Quartet plays original music inspired by contemporary giants such as Kurt Rosenwinkel, Sam Yahel, Peter Bernstein, Brad Mehldau, and Wayne Shorter. The band is also influenced by great icons from other musical genres including Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Ray Charles, and The Beatles. Organic Quartet's musicality stems from traditional roots but definitely carries a modern taste. Even though Organic Quartet has been together for a little under two years, they have established themselves as one of the favorite uprising jazz bands with their energetic live shows selling out clubs across the Czech Republic and beyond (FIAP Jean Monnet Paris, Jazz Club St. Germain Paris, Kunstfabrik Schlott Berlin and more)
Most of the band members are students of the Jaroslav Jezek Jazz College. The band members are: Tomas Hobzek on drums which also is a member of the city Opera Orchestra, Libor Smoldas on Guitar who recently received a grant to study at Berklee College of Music in Boston. Jakub Dolezal on Saxophone a popular instrumentalist also touring with the European jazz youth orchestra. And finally the heart of Organic Quartet led by Ondrej Pivec on Hammond, the 23 year old charismatic and promising talent who in his young age has caught the attention of National and International critics. In 2005 Pivec was named "Best soloist of the year" by the Phillips International Jazz Festival committee. The following year after recording their first album entitled Don't Get Ideas which was hailed by critics, Pivec was elected "Organist of the month" for October 2006 by International archives for jazz organ. The most important success so far is the Music academy award, that Ondřej Pivec Organic quartet recieved for the debut CD. Organic quartet is also popular abroad. They have recently succesfully performed inORF Radiokulturhaus, Wienna, club Alchemia in Krakow and on the Cheltenham jazz festival in England.
Pivec started off on classical piano, but soon turned to jazz. Before he was twenty he switched from piano to Hammond organ. Since then he has taken lessons from the legendary English Hammond player Mike Carr and an Italian organ virtuoso, Albert Marsico. While admiring organists such as Sam Yahel and Larry Young, Pivec has already created his own original voice. Using his left hand, he creates very strong and agile organ bass lines with unexpected sureness and virtuosity. As a leader or a sideman Ondrej Pivec has toured all over the Czech Republic as well as abroad, (SemperOper Dresden accompanying Christian Rover, Turkey as a member of the Yvonne Sanchez Brazilian Groove band supporting the drummer legend - Billy Cobbham's Culture Mix Band, St. Germain club in Paris, Kunstfabrik in Berlin, Romanian and Moldavian tour with Organic Quartet and soon to appear on Cheltenham jazz festival). Today Ondrej Pivec is respected as one of the most remarkable musician on the Czech jazz and fusion scene.
