Nikol Bóková and her album ‘Feathers’

In today’s Sunday Music Show, we’ll be listening to pianist and composer Nikol Bóková’s most recent album, Feathers, released at the end of last year.

Photo: archive of Nikol Bóková

Nikol Bóková was born in the Moravian-Silesian town of Ostrava and trained as a classical pianist. In 2019, she took a new direction, releasing her first album of self-composed jazz pieces. Since then, she has released at least one new album every year. In 2022, she founded her own label, Soleil et Pluie—“Sun and Rain.”

Last December, Bóková surprised fans with two albums released just one week apart. The first, Her Country, was inspired by Bedřich Smetana’s Má vlast and created as part of the Year of Czech Music. The second, Feathers, came about much more spontaneously. In an interview for Czech Radio, Bóková shared that while her husband was on a business trip to America last summer, she used the time alone at home to compose.

Photo: archive of Nikol Bóková

For Feathers, Bóková worked with her trusted trio: Martin Kocián on double bass and Michał Wierzgoń on drums. Last year, while Bóková toured solo in cities like Rome, London, and Athens, the trio also traveled together to Japan. During their stay, they gave several concerts and explored the country, which Bóková finds deeply inspiring.

Feathers was recorded at Czech Radio’s studio in Prague and is available on streaming platforms, CD, and vinyl. The LPs were pressed by the Czech company GZ Media, known as the world's largest vinyl manufacture. The album, like her earlier release Expedition, will also soon be available on tape—a treat for audiophile fans.

Nikol Bóková Trio – Feather No. 6