Peter Lipa

Peter Lipa (born May 30, 1943) is a Slovak singer, composer, and promoter of jazz. He has been called the Father of Slovak Jazz. Lipa is regarded as the most significant figure in the Slovak jazz scene. He developed a unique vocal style that focused on the lyrics. His music is influenced by performers including Jimmy Rushing, Ray Charles, Al Jarreau, Joe Cocker, and Bobby McFerrin, and is a mix of jazz and blues. He was the first jazz singer to use Slovak.

Life and career
Lipa was born in Prešov to Hungarian parents and has worked in Czechoslovakia, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. His roots are in blues, soul, and classical music and his work rock and jazz standards.

In 2003, he released an album called Beatles in Blue(s) with versions of sixteen songs by The Beatles. He and his arrangers and musicians intended to create the most unusual renditions they could imagine. Some songs, such as "Every Little Thing" and "I Wanna Be Your Man", are recorded so differently from the original versions that only the lyrics remain. In each case, the tempo, rhythm, chord changes, and melody are new.

Three of his studio albums have been listed among The 100 Greatest Slovak Albums of All Time, such as Lipa spieva Lasicu (2005), at number fifty-eight, ...v najlepších rokoch (2001), at number sixty-three, and Naspäť na stromy (1995), at number eighty-one. His album 68 (2012) peaked at number forty-eight on the Czech Albums Chart.

Studio albums

 * 1983: Neúprosné ráno (OPUS, #9115 1460; aka Moanin')
 * 1987: Škrtni, co se nehodí (Supraphon, #1115 4206) with Luboš Andršt Blues Band
 * 1987: Je to stále tak (OPUS, #9315 1940; aka That's the Way It Is)
 * 1987: Peter Lipa a T+R Band with T+R Band (OPUS)
 * 1992: Svíčka a stín (Panton, #81 1223-2 331) with Eva Olmerová and Jana Koubková
 * 1995: Naspäť na stromy (East West Promotion, #1994-001) with Andrej Šeban, Juraj Griglák, Juraj Bartoš and Gabo Jonáš
 * 1998: Čierny Peter (BMG Ariola) with Andrej Šeban, Juraj Tatár, Gašpar and Marcel Buntaj
 * 2001: ...v najlepších rokoch (Millennium Records & Publishing, #834 006)
 * 2005: Lipa spieva Lasicu (Platinum, number #11 on the CZ Top 50 Prodejní. )
 * 2005: Jana Kirschner, Peter Lipa, Boboš Procházka with Jana Kirschner and Boboš Procházka
 * 2012: 68 (number #48 on the CZ Top 50 Prodejní. )

Export and English albums

 * 1984: Moanin' (OPUS, #9115 1461)
 * 1988: That's the Way It Is (OPUS, #9313 1988)
 * 1988: Blues Office (Supraphon, #1115 4255) with Luboš Andršt Blues Band
 * 1995: Up to date with T+R Band
 * 1997: Boogie Up (PolyGram / EmArcy) with Peter Breiner
 * 2000: Bistro (BMG Ariola) with Band
 * 2003: Beatles in Blue(s)

Live albums

 * 1984: Blues z lipového dřeva (Supraphon, #1115 3109) with Luboš Andršt Blues Band


 * Notes

Awards

 * Notes
 * A The award credited to Andrej Šeban and shared with another album produced by himself, Part I by Made 2 Mate.
 * B The award credited to Gratex company.
 * C The award credited to Adnan Hamzić.
 * D The award shared with Juraj Tatár, Martin Gašpar and Peter Lipa Jr.
 * E The award credited to Ľuboš Války a Juraj Kupec.
 * F The award credited to Marek Ormandík.
 * G Ľudovít Štúr Order denotes a state decoration, bestowed by the president of the country.