ZVA 12-28 BAND
Norbert Červenák – guitar, vocals
Ladislav Červenák- contrabass
Peter Krško – drums
Even though ZVA 12-28 Band celebrated their 33th anniversary in 2023, they still make fresh authentic blues on an interpretative and instrumental level. The band is characterized by its charismatic vocals and guitar style of its leader and founder Norbert Červenák and original and groovy interpretations by the contrabass player Ladislav Červenák and drummer Peter Krško.
Colorful and rhythmical approach, settings and sound is ZVA 12-28’s native tongue standing above typical Central-European blues-rock clichés. The band draws on the native blues traditions of such legends as Little Walter, Howlin’ Wolf, Willie Dixon and so forth, using modern and original elements of shuffle & boogie and funk. It layers catchy beats on a unique approach to blues standards, but the strength of the band lies in its mainly original production, which has been culminating since the band’s existence. Since 2005 they have managed to release four original albums containing a fusion of typical blues modality with modality found in traditional Slovakian folklore. Albums can be found on Indies Records website: http://indies.eu/umelci/45/zva-12-28-band/.The band performs 60 to 70 concerts annually, generally in clubs or at festivals in Slovakia and Czech Republic, but also in Poland, Austria and Hungary.
Chronology:
1990 – Formation of the band
1990 – 18th of August: Their first performance
1990 – 1991 – The band began playing its blues repertoire in Zvolen and its surroundings and experienced its first contact with the Bratislava and Trnava blues scene including public performances at Kominárska Club and Blues Slovakia Festival ’91
1992 – The band recorded their first studio demo album with mostly original blues songs. 1994: The band co-operated on the project of the Blues Society (Bluesová spoločnosť) contributing three songs, including „Ach to je baba“ („Oh, this is a girl“)
1994 – 2001 – The band performed in music festivals around Slovakia; with regular participation at the Livin’ Blues and Blues Slovakia Trnava festivals
2000 – An „unofficial“ CD „Neviem to vydržať“ („I cant stand it“) was released; ‚The Band of the Year 2001‘ award was received by the Slovakian Blues Society
2001 – The first tour abroad to Czech Republic. Their new CD received 6 stars by prestigious Czech music magazine Rock & Pop
2002 – The band performed at Noc Bluesowa Festival in Poland – a victory at international competition; Blues v lese and Blues Alive festivals). They played concerts in Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary and Slovakia. Their second album „Live in Stará Pekárna“ is released and Noro Červenák receives the „Bluesman of the Year 2000“ award by the Slovakian Blues Society
2005 – The album „Hrubá múka” (Indies Records) highly regarded critics and audience
2005 – 2007 – numerous performances in clubs and summer festivals around the Czech Republic, Poland, Austria and Slovakia (festivals: Blues v lese, Colours of Ostrava, Music in the Park, and Vyšehraní; They perform in a jam-session with Ten Years After
2007 – The album „Za fúzy ma poťahaj“ („Tug my whiskers“) is released; ‚Bluesman of the Year of 2007‘ by the Slovakian Blues Society awarded
2008 – Boris Čiampor (a harmonica player) leaves the band and is replaced by Stanislav Fakan on violin
2010 – The album „Z ruky zobať“ is released; the band attends foreign music festivals Colours of Ostrava, Blues Alive in Šumperk and Jesienią z Blueasom in Polish Bialystok
2011 – from the poll: www.slovakblues.com „Most Popular bluesman and blues group in Slovakia in general (regardless of year 2010): ZVA 12-28 Band“
2012 DVD album a concert recording from Prievidza – „Live in Kazačok“
2015 – The album „Šibenica frajerka“ is released; Winners of the public vote organized portal Bluesmusic.sk: Most popular CD in 2015 „Šibenica frajerka“.
2016 – Winners of the poll organized by Bluesmusic.sk in categories: Most popular group, Most popular CD. Performing at LIVIN ‘BLUES festivals in Bratislava, FESTIVAL GUČA UMENIA – Zvolenská Slatina, VALAŠSKÝ ŠPALÍČEK, BLUESROADS FESTIVAL KRAKOW, winner of the public vote organized by Bluesmusic.sk in category: Most Popular Group in 2016.
2017 – Winner of the public vote organized by Bluesmusic.sk in the category: Most Popular Group in 2017. Performing at ZNOJMO JAZZFEST FESTIVAL, FESTIVAL OF INTELLECTUAL HEALTH – DETVA, ĎUMBIER FEST BREZNO, FESTIVAL HDD HRIŇOVÁ, KOMM-FEST WIEN, ROCKSCAPE BANSKÁ BYSTRICA, GROOVE FEST TUŽINA, VRBOVSKÉ VETRY FESTIVAL, SITNO BLUES, CULTUREBOX – ZVOLEN, ŠRAMLFEST ZNOJMO, KREMNICKÉ GAGY. Winner of the public vote organized by Bluesmusic.sk in the category: Most Popular Group in 2017.
2018 – Winners of the poll organized by Bluesmusic.sk in categories: Most popular group; The most popular singer; Most popular instrumentalist. Performing at BLUES ALIVE XXIII – ŠUMPERK /CZ, BLUES MOODS 2018 – TRNAVA, BUSH BLUES DAY – BUŠTĚHRAD / CZ, BENEFIČNÍ FESTIVAL KJL – PŘÍKAZY U OLOMOUCE / CZ, FESTIVAL GUČA UMENIA – ZVOLENSKÁ SLATINA, STRE(E)T FESTIVAL – PRIEVIDZA, FESTIVAL DUŠEVNÉHO ZDRAVIA – DETVA – STAVANISKO.
2019 – Winners of the poll organized by Bluesmusic.sk in categories: Most popular group; musical collaboration on a film by director Vladimír Morávek – stories of outlaw Nikola Šuhaj; The most popular singer; concert collaboration with saxaphone player and arranger Ján Kopčák. Performing at BLUESBADGER – TOUŠEŇ / CZ, STREET ART FESTIVAL 2019 – PIEŠŤANY, SLOVENSKÉ ALTERNATÍVNE LETO – REVIŠTE, FESTIVAL NA ZÁMKU – ZVOLEN, FESTIWAL BLUES EXPRESS PIŁA – POZNAŃ / PL, BENEFIČNÝ FESTIVAL PECKA 2019 – PECKA / CZ, KVĚT(I)NOVÝ FESTIVAL SVOBODY 2019 – VRACLAV / CZ, BLUES & FOLK FESTIVAL – MODRA.
2020 Winners of the poll organized by Bluesmusic.sk in categories: Most popular group; The most popular singer; Performing at VALAŠSKÝ ŠPALÍČEK CZ, HOSÍNSKÉ ZVONĚNÍ – HOSÍN CZ, FESTIVAL VRBOVSKÉ VETRY, FESTIVAL ROMANOV VESMÍR BOJNICE, FESTIVAL KULTURÁK – SLIAČ, FESTIVAL DUŠEVNÉHO ZDRAVIA – DETVA, PALOUK POTRVÁ & BOSKOVICE 2020 CZ, FESTIVAL PIVO V TRŽNICI – PRAHA. Performing at v on-line program Ja som kultúra – Zvolen, Wake Up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6LK7c6RzK4&t=323s
2021 The Bluesmusic.sk portal awarded the band ZVA 12-28 BAND with the title “The Most Popular Blues Band of the Past Decade”. Performing at SETKÁNÍ KYTARISTŮ Ostrava – ZLÍN, NOMAD BEER FESTIVAL 2021 – PRAHA, SEMILSKÝ PECEN – SEMILY, KONCZOM AUGUSTA FEST – BANSKÁ BYSTRICA, TRUTNOFF BRNOON – BRNO, BRONFEST – MNÍŠEK POD BRDY, BERNFEST – BERNARTICE. Štefanský on-line stream z klubu WAKE UP Zvolen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E27yg88rm4Q
2022 Performing at FESTIWAL KIELCE ROCKUJĄ – KIELCE, BLUESNENIE NA LUNTEROVOM RANČI, FESTIVAL DUŠEVNÉHO ZDRAVIA 2022 – DETVA, TRUTNOFF BRNOON – BRNO, ZÁVODÍ FEST – BEROUN, HAH – MULTIŽÁNROVÝ FESTIVAL – DOLNÁ STREHOVÁ, STREET ART FEST – PIEŠŤANY, FESTIVAL DREVO – BANSKÁ ŠTIAVNICA, FESTIVAL PIVO NA NÁPLAVCE – PRAHA, FESTIVAL NATURALISTA – SVÄTÝ JUR …