Blues Rock Generations
Dimenzie, January 2025
EN Translation:
Blues Rock Lives On
In Slovakia, the band Blues Rock Generations is nurturing two young, talented musicians - one on guitar and the other on drums - whose performances have been astonishing audiences and captivating blues and blues-rock enthusiasts.
We met in Košice, where their music motivated and accompanied professional, amateur, and recreational runners on the course of the 101st International Peace Marathon, the oldest marathon in Europe and the third oldest in the world. The three-member blues-rock band from Piešťany, Blues Rock Generations, performed in Košice for the first time and pleasantly surprised, captivated, and thrilled not only the runners but also the people of Košice with their blues-rock repertoire.
In late November 2024, the band earned applause at two concerts in Brussels. The first, an acoustic set lasting over an hour, was performed at the Beer Mania showroom, the headquarters of the world’s largest distributor of Belgian beers. The second, an electrified performance, took place on the stage of the iconic Grand Hall in the former monastery Bouche à Oreille, renowned for hosting high-quality jazz, blues, rock, and world music concerts.
The band performed 20 songs from their last two albums, including four original tracks. The exceptional skill and artistry of the group were highlighted by two young and talented musicians - longtime friends and classmates from the Piešťany Secondary grammar school: Jakub “Kubo” Adamec (born 2009), a lead guitarist, and Samuel “Samo” Kolník (born 2008), a drummer. The trio includes Štefan Adamec (born 1953), Jakub’s grandfather, a seasoned musician, and composer who plays acoustic guitar and sings. Their home base is the music café in the La Musica restaurant in Piešťany.
Interview with Štefan Adamec
What is the primary goal of your group?
"Our band is represented through a project that bridges generations - from grandson to grandfather - and intertwines musical genres, return to blues and rock. That’s why we’re called Blues Rock Generations. Our goal is clear: to reach Kubo’s and Samo’s peers, who after heavy metal, rap, and hip-hop, might discover something “new”. I’m happy that we’re making progress. The project aims to document how the younger members grow both musically and in age, while also gathering the best blues and blues-rock songs. Our advantage is that we have our own recording studio, so we produce, master, and release albums independently."
Is blues-rock your favorite genre? What makes it special to you?
"Yes, it’s deeply ingrained in me. As a boy, I recorded songs from Radio Luxembourg on an old reel-to-reel tape recorder. It was a big deal when I managed to get hold of classic blues tracks. Records were not easily accessible then. I’ll never forget 1969 when I got Cream’s Disraeli Gears or Jethro Tull’s Stand Up albums. I always knew I wanted to pass on this legacy - not to my son, but my grandson Jakub. Blues-rock blends tradition with innovation, and that hasn’t changed and never will."
How long have you been involved in music and songwriting?
"Music has always been close to me - it’s felt like my calling. Although, to be honest, forced accordion lessons for seven years almost ruined it for me. Playing guitar brought back my passion. My grandfather gave me my first guitar when I was nine. So, it’s been over 60 years, with some breaks. Most of my career was in economics and business environment. Now, in retirement, I can focus on our project with Jakub. Songwriting came naturally to me, but I’ve often cooperated with friends and classmates for lyrics."
You have released six albums so far. You refer to the process of releasing them as a “project” that you have limited to five years, ending in 2026. Why only five years?
“This is a project with a precisely defined beginning, progression, and conclusion. Each year, we release two albums, and this will also be the case in 2025. By the project's conclusion in 2026, we plan to release a double album consisting exclusively of original songs, recorded from the start in both acoustic and electric arrangements. Given the complexity of the project, it is natural that we record in our own studio and release the records under our own protected and registered label, Blues Rock Generations. We manage the technical, economic, and administrative aspects of the project through our own production company. This includes the rights and licenses granted for each CD or vinyl record, as well as the copyrights managed through the Slovak Copyright Protection Union. The project has been defined this way partly due to the anticipated development and studies of both young musicians. Naturally, my age is also a certain limitation. However, I believe that during the remaining time, we will succeed in identifying a way to restructure the band for the coming years.”
What repertoire do you offer at concerts, and what is the ratio of original songs?
“The ratio of original songs is currently determined by the overall structure of the albums. Out of ten songs on each album, two are always original. Speaking of original songs, the lyrics are original poems written by Alexander Guštafík during his time as a student in New York. Alex grew up in New York, where his parents worked for the UN. He studied psychology at Rhode Island University.
Our original songs are characterized by solo parts arranged and performed by Kubo, which lend the pieces a unique charm with a blues-rock flavor. Blues rock is a rare genre that emerged in the 1960s after the classical rock-and-roll era, but it still has roots in classic blues from the 1930s to the 1950s. The foundation includes covers performed by Cream and Eric Clapton’s solos, or songs by Peter Green, Jimi Hendrix, and John Mayall. Later, we also included pieces adopted by guitarist and singer Joe Bonamassa. The selection of the repertoire has long been in the hands of Kubo and Samo, who have a deep understanding of the history of the blues and blues rock genres.”
You often say that your grandson Kubo was born with a guitar. Since when has he been practicing and playing guitars? Have other music groups shown interest in his talent?
“It sounds incredible, but Kubo is naturally connected to guitars because they were always around him, and he could “strum” anytime he wanted. He was always focused, and it was clear that playing brought him joy. He received his first small Yamaha guitarele for Christmas when he was only two years old. From then on, we played together, even if he initially only tried to keep the rhythm. Even then, he had a repertoire of almost 30 folk songs and tunes. Gradually, he kept playing and improving. When he was five, he started attending music school, where he learned to play classical acoustic guitar. I performed my traditional concert "Classic Acoustic Songs," and Kubo naturally picked up several pieces that we began performing together at concerts when he was eight. For his talent, we acquired a set of electric guitars. Today, this collection includes several unique guitars. Kubo plays many of them, depending on the nature of the concert, using a set of effects that he selects and adjusts himself. His latest addition is truly unique—a Stratocaster-style guitar that Kubo built himself from components ordered from various countries.
Kubo currently plays exclusively with Blues Rock Generations. Those who understand music admire him and predict him a great career. However, as a 15-year-old boy, he has plenty of time before he or his parents consider changing bands or residency.”
What can you tell us about drummer Samko? Who selected him for the band?
“Samko Kolník is a young man with a natural talent for music and the ability to intuitively grasp, dissect, and present songs in a way that completes the band's rhythm section. Both he and Kubo studied classical guitar together and completed their formal music education after eight years. In addition to classical guitar, Samko studied acoustic drums. Although he plays on a Roland electronic drum set, he has the option to practice on an acoustic set at home. It’s always impressive when he alternates between the two, making acoustic concerts particularly convincing.
Nobody specifically chose Samko; he has been a natural part of the project since the band formation. It’s a common sight for Samko to casually play a few pieces on the acoustic guitar before or after concerts. However, the band's composition remains intact. In the future, we don’t rule out the possibility of Samko and Kubo switching roles for selected songs and performing them just as well."
Where and how often do you perform in Slovakia and Brussels?
"Throughout the band’s existence, we have established a precise schedule and a predictable sequence of live concerts. The core of this is our regular Thursday concerts - on the second Thursday of every month - at the La Musica music café in Piešťany. This café is renowned for its jazz events, with a tradition that dates back to the days when the famous jazz drummer and percussionist Dodo Šošoka ran the Art Jazz Gallery.
Another chapter in our story is our regular Christmas concerts for the Permanent Representation of the Slovak Republic and the Slovak community in Brussels. We also perform regularly at the Guitar Museum in Piešťany, another unique venue with an amazing atmosphere. In addition to private and corporate events, we have annual concerts in Bratislava at the traditional Cultural Center on Vajnorská Street. "
By Robert Matejovic
Original article.
Dimenzie číslo 1, 2025
Page 68-69
Page 70-71
Blues Rock Generations
Novy Popular, January 6, 2025
EN Translation:
Blues Rock Generations Continue Their Unique Project
Bridging Generations
The band Blues Rock Generations from Piestany was founded in 2021 and is truly
intergenerational. It features a stable lineup, including Štefan Adamec (born in 1953),
an acoustic guitarist and vocalist, alongside two irreplaceable younger members:
lead guitarist Jakub Adamec (born in 2009) and drummer Samuel Kolník (born in
2008).
A Love for Music and Poetry
For the eldest founding member, Stefan, blues and blues rock have been lifelong
passions. Back in the 1960s, he led his own band called News. Meanwhile, Jakub
and Samuel have been friends since first grade and are now high school classmates.
Both studied classical guitar at the local music school, and Samuel also pursued
foundational training in acoustic drums.
Blues Rock Generations specializes in performing iconic blues and blues-rock tracks
in their own arrangements, alongside creating original music. Jakub and Samuel,
who have wholeheartedly embraced this musical style, take the lead in selecting
songs for their repertoire. When it comes to original creations, Štefan composes the
music, while the lyrics are derived from the poems of Alexander Gustafik, written in
English during his student years in New York.
A Unique Musical Project
The band remains highly active and approaches its work as a meticulously planned
project. Every year, they release two albums in both CD and LP formats, each limited
to 100 copies. Last year, they unveiled albums No. 5 and No. 6. Each album includes
ten tracks, typically featuring two original songs and one instrumental piece (since
album No. 2). Albums No. 1 through No. 5 are also available on USB drives.
Starting in January 2024, all of Blues Rock Generations' albums and tracks are
accessible on major music streaming platforms, including YouTube, Spotify, Amazon,
Apple Music, Tidal, and Deezer. The band collaborates with music distribution
services like TuneCore and BandLab. They record in their own studio and release
albums under their registered brand name, "Blues Rock Generations."
Their five-year project documents the growth of the younger members through
recordings of blues and blues-rock classics. The band also maintains a
comprehensive and visually appealing website rich with information, audio, and video
samples.
Active Concert Schedule
Live performances are equally important for Blues Rock Generations. In 2024, they
played 28 concerts, including regular monthly performances at the La Musica music
café in Piestany on the second Thursday of every month. The band also performed
during the 100th anniversary of the Kosice Marathon, held repeated concerts at the
Guitar Museum in Piestany, and gave an acoustic performance at Belgium’s largest
beer distributor in Brussels.
Notably, they held their third Christmas concert for the Slovak community and the
Permanent Representation of Slovakia to the EU in the iconic Bouche à Oreille
concert hall. The band is increasingly sought after for private events, whether for
individuals or companies.
On Saturday, October 26, 2024, they celebrated their fourth annual concert at the
Culture Center on Vajnorska Street in Bratislava. This event included the premiere
and releasing of albums No. 5 and No. 6, which were showcased live and streamed
globally via YouTube. The band delivered an energetic and emotionally rich
performance of 24 songs, featuring both covers and original compositions. Highlights
included hits like "Drive" (Joe Bonamassa & James House), "Hide Away" (Freddie
King & Sonny Thompson), and original tracks such as "Loving You Now," "Dear Life," and "Soy Albatros."
Future Plans
In 2025, Blues Rock Generations will continue their established concert schedule,
including regular shows at La Musica, their annual performance in Bratislava,
appearances at the Kosice Marathon, and Christmas concerts in Brussels. They also
plan to release album No. 7, dedicated to blues classics, and album No. 8,
commemorating the three pioneers of rock and roll who tragically passed away in a
1959 plane crash.
The ultimate goal of their project is to release a double album in 2026 featuring their
original compositions. Album No. 9 will present acoustic versions, while album No. 10
will offer electric renditions.
Blues Rock Generations builds a bridge between generations—not just between a
grandfather and his grandson but also by bringing young audiences back to nearly
forgotten genres like blues and blues rock. The younger members hope to inspire
others to discover the timeless beauty of authentic, heartfelt music.
By Ruzena Sipkova
Blues Rock Generations
SK Press December 12, 2022
EN Translation:
Blues Rock Generations in Piestany
The bluesrock project continues successfully
The Blues Rock Generations band from Piestany, which was formed spontaneously at the beginning of 2021, consists of two generations of musicians: the older one is represented by Stefan "Stevo" Adamec (1953), who plays the acoustic guitar and sings, the younger ones are represented by Jakub "Kubo" Adamec (2009) - solo guitar player and Samuel "Samo" Kolnik (2008) – drummer. They play regularly at La Musica restaurant in Piestany. It is their home scene, so to speak, and they are slowly becoming known to music fans outside their city - for example, on October 27, 2022, they played a successful concert in the Bratislava - Nove Mesto Cultural Center on Vajnorska street. However, their activities are not limited to concerts - this year they have already released two albums - Blues Rock Generations No. 1 and No. 2. There are ten songs on each of them, eight covers and two own. The intention of the project is to release two albums each year, on CD and vinyl. The cover of each album will have the same image, only in a different color version (Twilight image by Stefan Polak). The band plans to do this over a period of five years. The main intention is to document how the younger members of the band will gradually grow in age and musically, and also to collect the best blues and blues rock songs. Blues Rock Generations have their own music studio, they release their albums themselves and do the mastering and production themselves. On Thursday, November 10, 2022, for the second time, I went to the concert of the Blues Rock Generations band at the La Musica restaurant in Piešťany. As I have always felt music in my element, and coffee go well together.
The concert started at exactly 7:30 p.m. The musicians played with gusto and were rewarded with encouraging applause from the audience. Samo Kolník this time did not play on electronic drums, which he is more used to, but on an ordinary drum set, which was a continuation for him. Kubo Adamec, as is his custom, took care of the variety of the band's sound - during the evening he alternated between four guitars, three electric (most often it was a Gibson Les Paul Tribute) and one acoustic. Štefan Adamec remained faithful to the acoustic guitar and crowned the compositions with pleasant and soulful singing. In the first set, songs from the album Blues Rock Generations No. 1. It started with Jimi Hendrix's impressive Red House. With the song Taxman, written by George Harrison, the band got even more excited and confidently rode the blues rock wave. Music brings delicious relaxation. For example, we listened to the compositions of two blues kings - Born Under A Bad Sign by Albert King and The Thrill Is Gone from the repertoire of B.B. King. There were also the Blues Rock Generations band's own compositions: Please Love and Feelings Of Winter (for all of this musical group's own compositions, the music is composed by Štefan Adamec and the lyrics are based on poems by Alexander Guštafík). During the first song, I was energized by the brisk sound of the guitars. The second was a break from the energetic mood and Kubo Adamec played acoustic guitar in it. The set ended with the sharp song Outside Woman Blues from the studio of Blind Joe Reynolds and with a nice solo by Kubo Adamec
.
The second set started with another energizing Year Of Gain, followed by songs from Blues Rock Generations No. 2. After the slow blues Have You Ever Loved A Woman (author: Billy Myles), John Lennon's song Revolution came next. It was a big success, as was the following Foxy Lady by Jimi Hendrix. Then Carlos Santana's instrumental composition Samba Pa Ti refreshed us. Their own compositions again resonated very positively: the energetic The Latest Friend and the ballad The Road. Joe Bonamassa's Notches was nourishing blues rock. Silence came with the blues song Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out, which was written by Jimmie Cox back in 1923. Kubo Adamec played acoustic guitar in it (almost a hundred years later). It was replaced by the blues-rock noise Before You Accuse Me (author: Bo Diddley). The second set closed with Come On In My Kitchen - a classic by Robert Johnson. Kubo shined in it playing the guitar using the slide technique with a bottleneck.
After a short break, Blues Rock Generations played two more songs: Black Magic Woman from Peter Green's author's workshop and the extensive and varied American Pie (author: Don McLean), during which Samo Kolnik diligently encouraged the audience to clap to the rhythm.
That evening we enjoyed a fine two-hour concert, played with youthful energy under the direction of an experienced musician. I can only wish the band Blues Rock Generations that its enthusiasm and inspiration will last, because it is a real enrichment of the Slovak blues scene.
Author: Ruzena Sipkova
SK Press October 24, 2022
EN Translaton:
A memory of a nice concert despite the bad weather:
Lately I've been enjoying concerts in Piestany and the weather is annoying. That was also the case on Thursday, June 16, 2022, when a concert by the Blues Rock Generations band from Piestany was held on the terrace of the La Musica restaurant. I had never heard them play live before and I was curious. I was also attracted by the nice website of this band and the music videos on it. That's why I set out on a journey to the spa town, where I always treat myself to therapeutic exercise: I walk from the station to Teplicka Street and back in the same way.
On that very day, the meteorologists predicted storms, and by the time I reached the destination of my journey, the sky was already looking like that. An hour before the concert, when the musicians were rehearsing, rain and wind poured down, and here and there some distant lightning and thunder. However, this did not deter the bluesrockers or their large audience on the covered terrace.
The Blues Rock Generations band consists of: Jakub "Kubo" Adamec (2009) - lead guitars, Samuel "Samo" Kolník (2008) - electronic drums and Štefan "Števo" Adamec (1953) - acoustic guitar and vocals. It is therefore a connection of two generations of musicians and a return to the older generations of musical genres - to blues and rock. According to Štefan Adamec, Jakub's grandfather, both boys (classmates in the 7th grade of the elementary school in Piešťany, who also attend the local music school) discovered old songs and started playing them spontaneously.
Štefan Adamec knows these songs from the 60s, when he had his own band News. At the moment, he is mainly dedicated to the project "Blues Rock Generations", but he also performs with his own project "Classic Acoustic Songs" as a soloist. The concert on the terrace of La Musica restaurant opened shortly before 7:30 p.m. solo with his own song Albatros, sung in English and Spanish, because according to him, every good band has an opening band. Albatross is a poem set to music, carved into a rock on Cape Horn.
After a pleasant lyrical introduction came the music performed equally joyfully, but significantly more energetically. Electric guitar and drums unmistakably moved the concert into blues rock. The musicians played with ease and insight, Stefan Adamec's singing sounded natural and convincing. During the evening, Jakub Adamec gradually replaced four guitars, three electric and one acoustic, on which he performed impressive solos. Together with Samuel Kolnik, they proved that they are trying in music school and in music practice. The concert began with the song Outside Woman Blues, which was recorded by Blind Joe Reynolds in 1929. It is also known by the band Cream. Even older is the blues standard Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out. Composed by entertainer and songwriter Jimmie Cox in 1923, the song is about to celebrate its 100th birthday. However, it is timeless, it was also recorded by Eric Clapton, for example. The rain was quite a pleasant backdrop for me in Piestany while listening to music, because I was sitting on the terrace under the roof.
The band's repertoire also included three famous songs by Robert Johnson from the 1930s (Sweet Home Chicago, Crossroads and Stop Breaking Down). After a bunch of other well-known songs, the most interesting of which was the gentle ballad It's Probably Me (authors: Sting, Eric Clapton and Michael Kamen) with a very nice playing of Štefan Adamec on the acoustic guitar, it was time for the own songs of the musical group Blues Rock Generations. All of them were created in 2021, the music was composed by Stefan Adamec and the lyrics are based on poems by Alexander Gustafik. They were the slow Feelings Of Winter, in which Jakub also played on the acoustic guitar, the really rock Please Love and the equally forceful Year Of Gain and The Latest Friend. They sounded full-blooded and melodic to me. Other songs were also taken over. With the song Sunshine Of Your Love, I was already sure that the members of the Blues Rock Generations band really like songs from different periods of Eric Clapton's career (for example, from his time in the band Cream). During the entire concert, the audience rewarded the musicians with big applause and at times shouts: "Bravo!" Jimi Hendrix's composition Red House was a considerable success, during which enthusiastic applause was heard after the electric guitar solo. Next, two songs by George Harrison - Taxman and While My Guitar Gently Weeps (from The Beatles Revolver and The White Album) were played. After them, the song Foxy Lady by Jimi Hendrix was a return to harder music. The hard-working band Blues Rock Generations played 24 songs in two hours (with one short break). They ended her performance with a long and diverse song American Pie from the author's workshop of singer and songwriter Don McLean. At the beginning, Stefan Adamec asked the audience to join in the chorus. He willingly complied, and drummer Samuel Kolnik incited the audience's strong applause to the rhythm.
After the end of the event, I had multiple joys: I enjoyed a nice concert, it didn't last so long that I had to leave during it, and moreover, the weather was raging and when I walked to the station (also with the donated CD Blues Rock Generations: No. 1), it wasn't even raining anymore. In addition, I was happy that blues and blues rock music also appeals to the young generation and that it has an open path to the future together with them.
Author: Ruzena Sipkova