Biografia
Dan Barta is one of the most gifted Czech vocalists, known for his unique voice and a musical style that blends rock, musicals, funk, blues, and jazz. With the release of his two solo albums, "Illustratosphere" and "Entropicture," Barta delves into the jazz realm, embarking on a more intimate artistic path. Originally an X-ray lab technician, 36-year-old Dan Barta began his singing career with Alice, a rock band from Plzen. They released three albums in the early 1990s and became a standout act in the burgeoning post-Velvet Revolution Czechoslovak rock scene. Barta continued to explore new avenues and soon joined the Czech production of Jesus Christ Superstar, which became the most successful musical in the Czech Republic. He performed both Jesus and Judas roles in numerous shows. Following this, he achieved another musical milestone playing Che in Evita.
Dan Barta also lent his voice to the soul-funk project Sexy Dancers, which won the Czech Grammy Award for Best Newcomers in 1998, and to the funky band J.A.R., renowned as one of the top live acts in the Czech Republic. Over twelve years, J.A.R. created a dynamic "funky party music" sound, built a loyal fan base, and released five successful albums. Barta’s distinctive voice, his contributions, and charisma significantly elevated the band to the forefront of Czech pop music. He earned seven Czech Grammy Awards for Best Male Vocalist consecutively from 1998 to 2004, spanning rock, pop, funk, and jazz genres.
The album "Illustratosphere" won the Czech Music Award for Best Album, and the band of the same name was named Best Band of 2000. Additionally, the video for one of its songs took home the Best Video award. It took over three years to produce the second album, "Entropicture," with all songs composed by the band and lyrics by Dan. "Entropicture" is musically more complex and less intimate than its predecessor. It received the Czech Music Award for Best Recording in 2003. Dan also won the Czech Music Award for Best Song in 2004 for a track co-written with his J.A.R. bandmates for the popular 2004 Czech film "Snowboard." Currently, he is working on new material with J.A.R. and preparing to record Illustratosphere’s third album. The retrospective double album "RETROPICTURE LIVE" was released on November 24, 2005.
