Pavel J. Ryba & The Fish men

The bass player PAVEL J. RYBA ranks among the leading Czech jazz musicians. Born in Kutna Hora, CZ in 1961, RYBA..s extensive repertoire mixes jazz, classical, pop, rock and transforms classic standards to fit his own energetic, musical style. He is also a successful composer.
For 20 years he has been an active jazz musician and a session musician who has never lost his musical identity.His albums and live performances receive the highest review ratings in the major jazz periodicals.
In 1991 RYBA recorded his first solo album, "MIND THE STEP", collaborating with some of the most accomplished Czech musician of RADIO BIG BAND PRAGUE.
Later PAVEL J. RYBA founded his own group Mind the Step that brought together JIRÍ KOLLMAN /percussion and voice/, and PETR ALBERT VENKRBEC /alto sax/. In 2000 his M.T.S.- Art Ensemble recorded the album titled "YES, YES, NO, NO". A glowing review by PAULA EDELSTEIN in the U.S. Jazziz Magazine caugth the attention of the prestigious bass quitar maker WARWICK, and since 2000 he has been their exclusive player. Ryba became one of only ten celebrities in the music world to receive WARWICK custom built instruments.
In 2004, P. J. Ryba & Mind the Step recorded their latest album “Morally Topless” in creative co-operation with the guitar legend MIKE STERN.
Festivals and club tours in the USA, France, Austria, Netherlands, Italy, Grat Britain, Hungary, Poland, Russia...
The tours included venues like the Knitting Factory (New York) and Le Club (Moscow), Birmingham Symphony Hall /UK/.
Guest musicians,sessions and cooperation: Mike Stern (USA), Josef Skrzek (PL), Gary Lucas (USA), Jana Koubkova (CZ).
Apart from his own projects, he can be heard as a session musician on various artists' recordings.