Central European roots meet New York jazz. Pianist Daniel Bulatkin and vibraphonist Miro Herak lead an evening of original music with New York-based guests Ben Tiberio on double bass and Ofri Nehemya on drums. Join us for lyrical melodies, driving rhythms, and adventurous improvisation as part of our Offbeat Bohemia concert series.
TICKETSBulatkin and Herak bring their shared project Elysium to the stage in a quartet featuring two guests from New York’s jazz scene. Their music blends contemporary jazz with Slavic and Romani folk traditions, Balkan rhythms, and impressionist classical influences.
Original compositions move from intimate, reflective passages to spirited improvisation. The distinctive pairing of piano and vibraphone, enriched by subtle electronics, gives the quartet a sound that is both lyrical and exploratory.
Elysium represented Czech jazz during the Year of Czech Music 2024 and has performed at festivals and venues across Europe and Asia, including South Korea’s Jarasum Jazz Festival and London’s PizzaExpress Jazz Club. Their composition “The Simple Things,” featuring saxophonist Seamus Blake, received the OSA Award for Best Czech Jazz Composition of 2024.
Miro Herak – vibraphone
Daniel Bulatkin – piano, keyboards, sampler
Ben Tiberio – double bass
Ofri Nehemya – drums
“Herak is a magician on his instrument, and Bulatkin gets the most improbable sounds from the grand piano.”
— Jazzism, Netherlands
Daniel Bulatkin is a Czech pianist and composer who has performed in more than 25 countries. His collaborators include Ulf Wakenius, David Friedman, Gary Husband, and Tineke Postma. He has co-led four critically acclaimed recordings and is a member of RADIOACTIVE, saxophonist Dayna Stephens’s European touring band.
Miro Herak is a Dutch vibraphonist of Czechoslovak descent, composer, and faculty member at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague. He has collaborated with Norma Winstone, Alex Sipiagin, and Eric Vloeimans, and performed at Carnegie Hall, Bimhuis, and the North Sea Jazz Festival.
Ben Tiberio is a New York-based bassist and composer whose collaborators include Joel Ross, Ari Hoenig, Dayna Stephens, and Gretchen Parlato. He appears on Ross’s debut album KingMaker and released his own debut, Rare Peace, in 2021, showcasing his original compositions and work as a bandleader.
Ofri Nehemya is an Israeli-born drummer and composer based in New York. He has performed and recorded with Avishai Cohen, Shai Maestro, Omer Avital, and Ben Wendel, including two albums with Maestro for ECM Records. His debut quartet album, Time Traveler (2025), brings together contemporary jazz, fusion, and Middle Eastern influences.
Organized by Czech Center New York as part of the Offbeat Bohemia concert series with support from the Bohemian Benevolent & Literary Association (BBLA) and the Consulate General of the Czech Republic in New York.
