Miroslav Vitous -

Miroslav Vitous (born Dec. 6 1947) is a Czech jazz-rock bassist, active on the international scene from the late 1960s. After moving stateside on a musical scholarship, he backed Miles Davis for a round of 1967 live dates. His early backing credits include albums by Roy Ayers, Chic Corea, and Herbie Man.

In 1970, Vitous cut his first two bandleader albums and co-founded Weather Report for a three-album run. After subsequent work behind Flora Purim, Larry Coryell, and Terje Rypdal, Vitous resumed his solo career with the Warner release Magical Shepherd. He rounded the decade with credits behind Alphonse Mouzon, Lenny White, and Fumio Karashima.

Background

Miroslav Vitous was born in Prague on December 6, 1947. He started on violin at six. He moved to piano three years later and took up bass at fourteen. Prague Conservatory grounded him in classical study and placed him in jazz work at the same time. His early approach fused Czech folk modes with the techniques of Ron Carter, Gary Peacock, and Scott LaFaro.

While enrolled at the conservatory, Vitous worked in a trio with drummer Alan Vitous and pianist Jan Hammer. He also played in a Dixieland band led by singer-trumpeter Jirí Jerinek. His first-prize finish at the 1966 Vienna jazz competition earned him a scholarship to the Berklee School of Music in Boston, where he studied and practiced but declined an invite from Cannonball Adderley due to visa issues.

In mid-1967, Vitous landed gigs with Bob Brookmeyer and Clark Terry in Chicago. He impressed Miles Davis, who hired him for a Village Gate run with Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, and Tony Williams. The engagement led to further work with Art Farmer and Freddie Hubbard and placed Vitous in New York sessions circles.

Vitous earned early credits on 1968/69 albums by Chick Corea (Now He Sings, Now He Sobs), Jack DeJohnette (The DeJohnette Complex), Roy Ayers (Stoned Soul Picnic, All Blues), and Herbie Mann (Windows Opened, The Inspiration I Feel, Memphis Underground).

Infinite Search

Miroslav Vitous released his debut album, Infinite Search, in January 1970 on Embryo. It features five originals and an Eddie Harris cover.

Infinite foregrounds Vitous in a quartet with tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson, guitarist John McLaughlin, keyboardist Herbie Hancock, and drummer Jack DeJohnette. He leads with abrupt register jumps, bowed accents, and fast directional turns; enmeshed with their clipped replies, bright solo flashes, and hard rhythmic pressure.

“Freedom Jazz Dance” runs on interlocking ensemble lines, hard pulse, and sudden solo breaks. “Mountain in the Clouds” careens through cymbal splash, clipped accents, and terse momentum. “When Face Gets Pale” uses a softer electric texture, quiet support, and contoured replies around the lead line. “Infinite Search” relies on brushwork, soft chord color, sparse repetition, and measured motion. “I Will Tell Him on You” states its theme cleanly, then presses into quick exchanges, high tension, and a firm return to the opening line. “Epilogue” ends with spacious harmony, calm pulse, and ivory resonance.

A1. “Freedom Jazz Dance” (10:54) — Harris
A2. “Mountain in the Clouds” (1:51)
A3. “When Face Gets Pale” (7:38)

B1. “Infinite Search” (6:49)
B2. “I Will Tell Him on You” (11:00)
B3. “Epilogue” (6:57)

Vitous recorded Infinite Search at A&R Recording Studios in New York on October 8, 1969, with producer Herbie Mann and engineer Dave Green. Joel Brodsky photographed the sleeve, Haig Adishian handled the design, and original US copies used a die-cut gatefold. Atlantic later reissued the session as Mountain in the Clouds and The Bass, both with the added track “Cérečka.”

Purple

Miroslav Vitous released his second album, Purple, in late 1970 on CBS/Sony.

Purple presents Vitous in lead trio and rhythmic duo settings, backed throughout by Dreams drummer Billy Cobham. The tracklist blends three originals with pieces by Ron Carter (“Mood”) and Wayne Shorter (“Dolores”). Side A features keyboardist and eventual Weather Report co-founder Joe Zawinul. Vitous himself plays e-piano on “It Came From Knowhere” and “Water Lilie,” the latter with John McLaughlin.

“Purple” rides a forceful drum attack through terse bass-sax exchanges and a late bowed return over doubled electric piano. “Mood” sets brushes under a slow pulse and wide spacing, then lets bowed lines and piano replies unfold with close attunement. “Water Lilie” opens in quiet space with light hi-hat time under guitar chords. Three parallel Vitous parts move through the piece in near-independent motion. “Dolores” narrows to bass and drums in a drier mix, with bright cymbal answers and tom figures filling each pause. “It Came from Nowhere” pushes overlapping bass and keyboard parts through looser exchanges that leave the structure rough at the edges.

A1. “Purple” (9:40)
A2. “Mood” (7:34) — Carter

B1. “Water Lilie” (8:57) — the root of “Morning Lake” on Weather Report.
B2. “Dolores” (4:10) — Shorter
B3. “It Came From Knowhere” (5:18)

Vitous recorded Purple at Apostolic Studio in New York City on August 25, 1970, and produced the album himself. CBS/Sony issued it as a Japan-only LP, and Yuzoh Satoh handled the photography.

Green Line

In 1971, the Japanese Victor World Group label issued Green Line, a quartet date co-billed to its four performers: Steve Marcus, Sonny Sharrock, Miroslav Vitous, and Daniel Humair.

They work through four long pieces with a bare lineup and no keyboard layer. Marcus alternates tenor and soprano while Sharrock cuts themes into jagged guitar fragments. Vitous answers with both anchor figures and upper-register motion, and Humair breaks the beat into clusters that render the music unstable from one passage to the next.

Each piece comes from a different pen: Humair wrote “Melvin,” Eleanor Marcus wrote “Mr. Sheets at Night,” Vitous wrote the title track, and Sharrock wrote “The Echos.” “Melvin” opens from a choppy figure into wider tenor space, “Mr. Sheets at Night” starts from lighter soprano lines and brushwork, the title track sits on a cyclical bass motif, and “The Echos” presses furthest into density and free motion.

A1. “Melvin” (8:48) — Daniel Humair
A2. “Mr. Sheets at Night” (7:05) — Eleanor Marcus
B1. “Green Line” (6:11) — Miroslav Vitous
B2. “The Echos” (10:49) — Sonny Sharrock

The group recorded Green Line at Victor Studio in Aoyama, Tokyo, on September 11, 1970, with producers Fujiya Jimbo and Tetsuya Shimoda and engineer Norio Yoshizawa. Original copies came in a gatefold sleeve, and Tadayuki Naito handled the artwork, photography, and design.

Magical Shepherd

Miroslav Vitous released his third solo album, Magical Shepherd, in March 1976 on Warner Bros.

Vitous arranged Shepherd around keyboards and rock instrumets. Herbie Hancock expands the field with Rhodes, clavinet, ARP Odyssey, and string synth colors. Jack DeJohnette rotates with fellow drummer James Gadson. Airto Moreira adds percussion around vocal lines from Cheryl Grainger and Onike.

“Basic Laws” opens with wordless female calls, bass notes, and stray synthesizer tones, then locks into a slow pulse with fixed rhythm figures, small key shifts, and whispered vocal loops near the close. “New York City” runs at a quicker pace through wah-toned keyboards and brief vocal interjections, then opens into a spacious late passage with looser keyboard and guitar detail.

“Synthesizers Dance” uses syncopated rhythm, wider spacing, and unusual lead timbres of restless motion. “Magical Shepherd” starts with a horn-like call and percussive chatter, then shifts through a female vocal sequence, a free guitar-led stretch, and a choral reprise. “From Far Away” centers Cheryl Grainger’s vocal over synth bass, wah rhythm guitar, and Arp strings in a short interlude. “Aim Your Eye” closes with a firm pulse, background vocal chants, and saw-toned synthesizer chords that add friction to the beat.

A1. “Basic Laws” (11:46) — Vitous, Lee, Grainger
A2. “New York City” (9:32) — Vitous, Lee, Grainger

B1. “Synthesizers Dance” (5:09) — Vitous
B2. “Magical Shepherd” (6:09) — Vitous, Lee, Grainger
B3. “From Far Away” (2:30) — Vitous, Head
B4. “Aim Your Eye” (6:57) — Vitous, Lee, Head

Vitous recorded Magical Shepherd at Wally Heider Recording Studios and Funky Features in San Francisco with co-producer David Rubinson. David Rubinson, Fred Catero, Jack Leahy, and Richard Greene handled engineering, and Catero Sound Company handled the remix stage.

Magical Shepherd features sleeve photography by Herb Greene. The cover shows Vitous inside a dim room with peeling walls, furnished with a tabeltop skull and candle. He sits in a shaggy fur garment, holds his double-neck bass and stares through the window to a purple nebula. Greene also photographed mid-Seventies covers for Airto Moreira (Identity), Cold Blood (Thriller!), Courtial (Don’t You Think It’s Time), Herbie Hancock (Thrust, Secrets), Santana (Moonflower), and Wah Wah Watson (Elementary)..

Warner promoted “New York City” on a one-sided 12-inch. It reached No. 13 on Billboard’s disco chart.

Majesty Music

Miroslav Vitous released his fourth album, Majesty Music, in November 1976 on Arista.

Vitous employs short forms and tight rhythmic cells in a compact studio setting. Conguero David Earl Johnson accents a rotation of drummers—Lenny White, Gerry Brown, Bobby Goldman—while Miroslav balances contrabass with a multi-keyboard arsenal: Fender Rhodes, clavinet, Mini-Moog, 360 System. He co-wrote “See You, November” with reedist Jaroslav Jakubovic, who composed two tracks and juggles flute and multi-sax. Four tracks feature Isreali jazz singer Rimona Francis on e-piano and synth strings. Kenny Bichel does likewise on “Do You, Don’t You, Won’t You.”

“X Rated” snaps with syncopated attack, bright vocal bursts, and a glossy electronic sheen over a dancing pulse. “See You, November” settles into warm conga motion, soft spacing, and a hushed upper line that keeps the surface calm. “Majesty Music” scatters its parts through droning sustain, rough attack, and restless crossfire. “New Orleans” rides an easy beat with slippery keyboard color, floating syllables, and a distant hazed surface. “Do You, Don’t You, Won’t You” keeps a light dance pulse under layered electronic color and clipped vocal play, then turns sharply toward a choral tag. The last two feature electric bassist Francisco Centeno.

“Best Friends” charges ahead with high-speed interplay, hard tenor cries, and a late turn toward smoother phrasing. “Streams and Fields” works as a brief interlude built from bowed resonance, soft washes, and half-formed vocal lines. “Folks” opens in reflective space, then settles into a comfortable mid-tempo glide with echoed replies and relaxed contour. “Mount Shasta (Part II)” threads odd electronic noises, broken accents, and baritone swells through a jagged rhythmic pattern. “Requiem for My Mother” closes in slow, respectful motion, with sustained chords, spare notes, and a plaintive upper line.

A1. “X Rated” (3:25) — Vitous
A2. “See You, November” (3:29) — Vitous, Jakubovic
A3. “Majesty Music” (4:33) — Vitous
A4. “New Orleans” (3:20) — Vitous
A5. “Do You, Don’t You, Won’t You” (2:55) — Jakubovic

B1. “Best Friends” (4:10) — Vitous
B2. “Streams and Fields” (3:05) — Vitous
B3. “Folks” (4:31) — Vitous; dedicated to the memory of Duke Ellington.
B4. “Mount Shasta (Part II)” (3:45) — Vitous
B5. “Requiem for My Mother” (5:08) — Jakubovic

Vitous co-produced Majesty Music with engineer Jack Malken at Secret Sound Studios, the NYC facility of Moogy Klingman and Todd Rundgren, who booked the premise just beforehand for L, the second solo album by Gong alumnus Steve Hillage.

Rysard Horowitz designed the sleeve while Jaroslav Jakubovic painted the back-cover: a silhouetted impression of Vitous with his standup bass against the sunset.

Miroslav

Miroslav Vitous released his fifth album, Miroslav, in 1977 on Arista/Freedom.

Vitous overdubs bass and keyboards in duo settings. Drummer–percussionist Don Alias joins on the first five tracks. Armen Halburian enters on the closing piece. Vitous stacks contrabass, piano, Fender Rhodes, Mini-Moog, and ARP string ensemble into a spare, studio-built texture.

“Watching the Sunset Run” rides cymbal wash, layered bass lines, and taut rhythmic urgency, with brief keyboard color deepening the surface. “Bassamba” starts with solo flourishes, then settles into a compact samba pulse where bowed lines carry the theme over spare harmonic support. “Tiger in the Rain” places electric piano at the front and keeps the motion measured, with small percussion details and later keyboard layers adding pressure across the span.

“Concerto in E Minor” unfolds through conga pulse, bowed lines, and sustained string color, then shifts to a new rhythmic figure before closing on plucked bass. “Pictures From Moravia” states its central line through bowed and keyed voices, rises to a hotter middle stretch, then brightens with added synth color. “Sonata for a Dream” opens with sparse metallic percussion and broad piano chords, then widens through layered synthesizer lines and a stronger dynamic arc.

A1. “Watching the Sunset Run” (8:07)
A2. “Bassamba” (3:01)
A3. “Tiger in the Rain” (9:00)

B1. “Concerto in E Minor” (5:34)
B2. “Pictures from Moravia” (4:53)
B3. “Sonata for a Dream” (5:39)

Vitous cut five tracks in July 1977 at Red Gate Studio in Kent, New York. He recorded “Sonata for a Dream” in December 1976 session at Secret Sound. Miroslav was co-produced by Michael Cuscuna and engineered by Gene Perla.

Howard Fritzson designed the cover with photography by James Moore and liner notes by Nighthawk.

Guardian Angels

In 1979, Trio Records (Japan) issued Guardian Angels, a collaborative set between Miroslav Vitous, drummer George Ohtsuka, guitarist John Scofield, keyboardist Kenny Kirkland, and saxophonist Mabumi Yamaguchi.

Vitous sets acoustic and electric bass against a fully electric keyboard field on this Tokyo session. Kirkland’s arsenal includes piano, Fender Rhodes, Yamaha CP-70, Yamaha CS-50, and Mini-Moog.

“His Meaning / Rising / Resolution” opens with angled chords, then gives the center to an extended bass line before the tempo eases and the theme returns through sax, guitar, and broad keyboard harmony. “Inner Peace” keeps a slow, pensive pulse, with piano laying the base while sax and bass pass contoured lines across the upper register. “Guardian Angels” narrows the texture to bowed low lines, sustained synth tones, and periodic string swells in solitary layers.

“Off to Buffalo” locks into a guitar-led vamp with clipped keyboard replies and a blunt rhythmic churn. “Eating It Raw” pushes syncopated rhythm through guitar-led passages and several sharp turns in the line. “Shinkansen” starts with solo percussion, then breaks into fast pace, intricate weave, rapid lead exchanges, and hard electric-bass surges.

A1. “His Meaning/Rising/Resolution” (8:30) — Vitous
A2. “Inner Peace” (6:01) — Kirkland
A3. “Guardian Angels” (5:45) — Vitous

B1. “Off to Buffalo” (5:07) — Scofield
B2. “Eating It Raw” (7:51) — Scofield
B3. “Shinkansen” (6:09) — Kirkland

Vitous recorded Guardian Angels at Onkio Haus in Tokyo on November 9–11, 1978, with engineer David Baker and assistant engineer Takashi Ogawa. Kaz Harada coordinated production, and Vitous handled the music direction.

Breakfast handled the design, and Shigeru Uchiyama shot the photography.

Terje Rypdal / Miroslav Vitous / Jack DeJohnette

In 1979, ECM issued the first of two collaborative albums co-billed to Terje Rypdal, Miroslav Vitous, and Jack DeJohnette.

Rypdal blends guitar, organ, and guitar-synth across a wide field with little harmonic clutter. Vitous answers on double bass and electric piano, while DeJohnette breaks the pulse into skittering cymbal patterns and loose accents that keep the trio in constant motion.

“Sunrise” opens with fast drum scatter and organ haze before Rypdal takes the front over suspended bass. “Den Forste Sne” lowers the motion and places bowed bass under restrained chord work. Vitous brings “Will” and “Believer” to the album’s center, one with a gentler lilt and the other with heavier guitar pressure. “Flight” and “Seasons” close as group improvisations, one cut by clipped syncopation and the other broken into smaller points of detail.

A1. “Sunrise” (8:26) — Rypdal
A2. “Den Forste Sne” (6:35) — Rypdal
A3. “Will” (8:01) — Vitous
B1. “Believer” (6:23) — Vitous
B2. “Flight” (5:25) — DeJohnette, Vitous, Rypdal
B3. “Seasons” (7:22) — DeJohnette, Vitous, Rypdal

The trio recorded Terje Rypdal / Miroslav Vitous / Jack DeJohnette at Talent Studio in Oslo in June 1978 with engineer Jan Erik Kongshaug and producer Manfred Eicher.

First Meeting

Miroslav Vitous released his sixth solo album, First Meeting, in January 1980 on ECM.

Vitous leads a quartet built on the contrast between bowed and plucked bass. John Surman shifts between soprano saxophone and bass clarinet. Kenny Kirkland places fluid piano lines against Jon Christensen’s light cymbal work and dry drum punctuation.

“Silver Lake” opens from loose edges and tightens into a long arc where bowed bass, piano arpeggios, soprano saxophone, and cymbal shimmer interlock. “Recycle” brings Surman to bass clarinet over a firmer drum center and darker low-register traffic. “Beautiful Place To” and “Trees” leave more air around piano chords and soprano lines. The collective title track clears a path toward the solo bass statement of “Concerto in Three Parts” and the fuller quartet lift of “You Make Me So Happy.”

A1. “Silver Lake” (10:49) — Vitous
A2. “Beautiful Place To” (5:06) — Vitous
A3. “Trees” (6:06) — Vitous
B1. “Recycle” (10:08) — Vitous
B2. “First Meeting” (4:44) — Surman, Christensen, Kirkland, Vitous
B3. “Concerto in Three Parts” (5:28) — Vitous
B4. “You Make Me So Happy” (4:33) — Vitous

Vitous recorded First Meeting at Talent Studio in Oslo in May 1979 with engineer Jan Erik Kongshaug and producer Manfred Eicher.

To Be Continued

In September 1981, ECM issued To Be Continued, the second collaborative effort between Terje Rypdal, Miroslav Vitous, and Jack DeJohnette.

Rypdal sets the trio in an electric frame with guitar and occasional flute. Vitous shifts between acoustic bass, electric bass, and piano. DeJohnette gives the record a broader rhythmic pull.

“Maya” opens at a slow, shadowed tempo with long guitar sustain and wide spaces. “Mountain in the Clouds” rides DeJohnette’s propulsion around Vitous’ bass writing, and “Morning Lake” extends that line in a broader span. The title track turns toward Vitous’ piano color, while “This Morning” crosshatches electric bass and flute inside a denser rhythmic grid. “Topplue, Votter & Skjerf” and “Uncomposed Appendix” close the album in shorter forms, the last of them reduced to a bare coda with piano and voice.

A1. “Maya” (6:17) — Terje Rypdal
A2. “Mountain in the Clouds” (4:57) — Miroslav Vitous
A3. “Morning Lake” (7:21) — Miroslav Vitous
B1. “To Be Continued” (9:11) — Jack DeJohnette
B2. “This Morning” (5:22) — DeJohnette, Vitous, Rypdal
B3. “Topplue, Votter & Skjerf” (3:47) — Terje Rypdal
B4. “Uncomposed Appendix” (1:50) — Terje Rypdal

The trio recorded To Be Continued at Talent Studio in Oslo in January 1981 with engineer Jan Erik Kongshaug and producer Manfred Eicher.

Miroslav Vitous Group

Miroslav Vitous Group released its self-titled album in February 1981 on ECM.

Vitous sets the quartet around double bass and long, open ensemble exchange. John Surman juggles bass clarinet with soprano and baritone saxophone. Kenny Kirkland adds ivory-laden harmonic contrast. Jon Christensen pulse-breaks with loose cymbal patterns and dry accents.

“When Face Gets Pale” returns to Vitous’s early book in a tighter quartet frame. “Gears” leans on a swinging line that never settles into fixed footing, “Sleeping Beauty” turns darker and more cinematic, and “Eagle” closes with arco bass against Surman’s bass clarinet in the album’s most reduced texture.

A1. “When Face Gets Pale” (5:46) — Vitous
A2. “Second Meeting” (4:52) — Christensen, Kirkland, Surman, Vitous
A3. “Number Six” (5:50) — Surman
A4. “Inner Peace” (7:21) — Kirkland
B1. “Interplay” (9:56) — Christensen, Kirkland, Surman, Vitous
B2. “Gears” (6:29) — Vitous
B3. “Sleeping Beauty” (4:59) — Christensen, Kirkland, Surman, Vitous
B4. “Eagle” (1:54) — Vitous

The group recorded Miroslav Vitous Group at Talent Studio in Oslo in July 1980 with engineer Jan Erik Kongshaug and producer Manfred Eicher.

Trio Music

On October 4, 1982, ECM released Trio Music, a collaborative effort between Chick Corea, Miroslav Vitous, and Roy Haynes.

Corea, Vitous, and Haynes treat the set as a double program. The first record opens the trio into short collective pieces and duet episodes, while the second turns to Thelonious Monk material in a piano-trio frame that gives Vitous and Haynes more defined harmonic and rhythmic ground than the freer first half.

A1. “Trio Improvisation 1” (3:19) — Corea, Vitous, Haynes
A2. “Trio Improvisation 2” (3:47) — Corea, Vitous, Haynes
A3. “Trio Improvisation 3” (3:04) — Corea, Vitous, Haynes
A4. “Duet Improvisation 1” (4:29) — Corea, Vitous
B1. “Duet Improvisation 2” (5:19) — Corea, Vitous
B2. “Trio Improvisation 4” (4:37) — Corea, Vitous, Haynes
B3. “Trio Improvisation 5” (7:40) — Corea, Vitous, Haynes
C1. “Slippery When Wet” (5:52) — Corea
C2. “Rhythm-A-Ning” (5:05) — Thelonious Monk
C3. “’Round Midnight” (5:12) — Cootie Williams, Monk
C4. “Eronel” (4:35) — Monk
D1. “Think of One” (4:22) — Monk
D2. “Little Rootie Tootie” (4:45) — Monk
D3. “Reflections” (6:43) — Monk
D4. “Hackensack” (6:12) — Monk

The trio recorded Trio Music at Mad Hatter Studios in Los Angeles in November 1981 with engineer Bernie Kirsh and producer Manfred Eicher. Original vinyl copies used a gatefold sleeve.

Trio Music reached No. 17 on Billboard’s Jazz Albums chart.

Esprit des Vents

Michel Séguin avec Miroslav Vitous released Esprit des Vents in 1983 on JAM in Canada.

Séguin builds the record from hand percussion, djembe, flutes, and chant, while Vitous adds bass and keyboards to the center of the ensemble. Guest players widen the field with additional African percussion, and the vocal layer extends beyond Séguin’s own parts to a larger cast that includes Eric Roberts, Harold Fisher, Kathleen Dyson, Marc Séguin, Michel Séguin Jr., and Slim Williams.

“Ouverture d’Esprit” opens with Séguin alone on flute and percussion. The title track adds Vitous on double bass and Doudou N’Diaye Rose on percussion, while “Waouwa” and “Bon Gris Gris” push the album deeper into voice-and-percussion writing. “Lion Man” loads congas, bass drum, djembe, percussion, and gong into one of the densest arrangements on the record, and the brief “Procession” leads into the closing “Défoulement.”

1. “Ouverture d’Esprit”
2. “Esprit des Vents”
3. “Waouwa”
4. “Mayou”
5. “Bon Gris Gris”
6. “Babushkin”
7. “Centaur”
8. “Lion Man”
9. “Procession”
10. “Défoulement”

Sessions occurred with producer Jacques Migneault and mixing engineer Gaétan Pilon.

Journey’s End

Miroslav Vitous released Journey’s End on April 1, 1983, on ECM.

Vitous keeps the quartet in a spare acoustic frame. John Surman answers on soprano saxophone, baritone saxophone, and bass clarinet, John Taylor supplies piano, and Jon Christensen breaks the time into light patterns that leave the bass and reeds room to widen or contract each piece from within.

“U Dunaje U Prešpurka” reaches back to material Vitous had played with the Junior Trio with Jan Hammer. Surman brings “Tess” as a ballad tied to Thomas Hardy, and “Carry On, No. 1” grows from Christensen’s drum design into the album’s clearest collective statement. The rest of the record sustains a reflective pull without losing the quartet’s capacity for sudden motion and sharper contour.

Track sequence and timings follow the original issue.

A1. “U Dunaje U Prešpurka” (9:18) — Vitous
A2. “Tess” (5:56) — Surman
A3. “Carry On, No. 1” (5:08) — Surman, Taylor, Christensen, Vitous
B1. “Paragraph Jay” (6:16) — Surman
B2. “Only One” (7:14) — Vitous
B3. “Windfall” (6:17) — Taylor

Vitous recorded Journey’s End at Talent Studio in Oslo in July 1982 with engineer Jan Erik Kongshaug and producer Manfred Eicher. ECM later reissued the album in its Touchstones CD series.

Special Guests

In 1986, the German Inak label issued Special Guests, top-billed to guitarist Biréli Lagrène with Larry Coryell and Miroslav Vitous. Original Jazzpoint editions carried the fuller live title, Freitag 2. Mai Samstag 3. Mai 1986 Mühle Hunziken, which identifies the Swiss venue and the May 2–3, 1986 recording dates.

The trio works without drums or keyboards. Lagrène and Coryell split the guitar field between acoustic, electric, and twelve-string colors, while Vitous holds the center on acoustic bass. The program alternates Lagrène originals with standards tied to bop and post-bop repertory, so the set shifts between tight head statements, long guitar exchanges, and solo passages that leave the bass to redirect the line from underneath.

A1. “PSP No. 2” (6:23)
A2. “Berga” (7:13)
A3. “All the Things You Are” (8:48) — Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein II
A4. “Albi” (9:10)
B1. “Solo No. 1” (5:23)
B2. “Wave” (7:15) — Antônio Carlos Jobim
B3. “Gloria’s Steps” (4:52) — Scott LaFaro
B4. “All Blues” (7:29) — Miles Davis

The trio recorded & Special Guests live at Mühle Hunziken on May 2–3, 1986. Jazzpoint first issued the material in Germany that year and later reused it for CD and digital editions under the shorter & Special Guests title.

Nouvelle Cuisine

In 1987, the French-Canadian Justin Time label issued Nouvelle Cuisine, a collaboration between Miroslav Vitous and Jean Vanasse, the former percussionist of L’ Orchestre Sympathique.

Vanasse and Vitous reduce the music to vibraphone and double bass. The duo uses the stripped setting to widen the interval space between attack and resonance, with Vanasse carrying the upper register in ringing patterns while Vitous answers with bowed and plucked lines that give the album both pulse and harmonic weight. The book mixes originals with standards and one revived Vitous title, so the record moves between chamber-like duet writing and looser jazz interplay without enlarging the personnel.

A1. “Paris 75001” (5:25)
A2. “When Face Gets Pale” (5:15)
A3. “Tom Boy” (7:05)
A4. “Le Bout du Tunnel” (2:43)
B1. “Thanks Billy” (6:30)
B2. “Comme en Prison” (5:02)
B3. “Double V” (4:43)
B4. “La Barbiere” (7:36)

Vanasse and Vitous recorded Nouvelle Cuisine at Studio 1913 in Montreal. Discogs credits available through indexed listings identify Denis Houle as engineer, while the release data ties the album to Justin Time catalog number JTR 8406.

Emergence

Miroslav Vitous released Emergence on October 1, 1986, on ECM. The album consists of solo bass performances and was recorded at Tonstudio Bauer in Ludwigsburg in October 1985.

Vitous treats the bass as a full-range solo instrument and builds the record from arco swells, hard plucked accents, and rapid shifts between upper-register line and low-register foundation. The four-part “Atlantis Suite” breaks the center of the album into short connected movements, “Wheel of Fortune (When Face Gets Pale)” runs with more volatile momentum, “Regards to Gershwin’s Honeyman” and “Alice in Wonderland” pull the program toward song reference, and “Variations on Spanish Themes” closes in a longer arc that points toward Iberian material without leaving the solo format.

1. “Epilogue” (8:07) — Vitous
2. “Transformation” (5:55) — Vitous
3. “Emergence of the Spirit” (4:52) — Vitous
4. “Matter and Spirit” (1:55) — Vitous
5. “The Choice” (2:14) — Vitous
6. “Deconstruction Into Energy” (6:57) — Vitous
7. “Wheel of Fortune (When Face Gets Pale)” (6:06) — Vitous
8. “Regards to Gershwin’s Honeyman” (3:21) — Vitous
9. “Alice in Wonderland” (3:38) — Sammy Fain, Bob Hilliard
10. “Morning Lake For Ever” (5:20) — Vitous
11. “Variations on Spanish Themes” (8:38) — Vitous

Vitous recorded Emergence at Tonstudio Bauer with engineer Martin Wieland and producer Manfred Eicher. ECM issued the album as catalog number 1312.

Dedicated to Bill Evans and Scott LaFaro

Larry Coryell and Miroslav Vitous released Dedicated to Bill Evans and Scott LaFaro in 1987 on Jazzpoint. The sleeve credits the project as a “Quartet,” a nod to the two musicians named in the title rather than to an expanded performing lineup.

Coryell and Vitous keep the album in duo form throughout. Guitar and bass handle the entire harmonic and rhythmic frame, and the repertoire draws from Evans-associated material, standards from the broader piano-trio book, and Miles Davis titles that sat close to Evans’ orbit. The result is a compact, acoustic recital built from head statements, short harmonic turns, and open spaces where Vitous can answer Coryell’s lines as an equal front voice.

1. “Some Day My Prince Will Come” (4:56) — Frank Churchill, Larry Morey
2. “Nardis” (3:37) — Miles Davis
3. “Solar” (4:18) — Miles Davis
4. “Some Other Time” (5:17) — Leonard Bernstein, Betty Comden, Adolph Green
5. “Corcovado” (4:46) — Antônio Carlos Jobim
6. “Autumn Leaves” (5:32) — Joseph Kosma, Jacques Prévert
7. “My Romance” (5:33) — Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart
8. “Stella by Starlight” (6:52) — Victor Young, Ned Washington
9. “The Peacocks” (6:23) — Jimmy Rowles

Coryell and Vitous recorded the album digitally on May 13, 1987, at Calren Studios in March-Hugstetten, West Germany. They produced the session themselves, Eduardo Galimany engineered it, and Jürgen Schwab handled the cover photography and design.

Quatre

In 1989, the Italian Gala label issued Quatre, a collaborative between Enrico Rava, Miroslav Vitous, Franco D’Andrea, and Daniel Humair.

The quartet placed trumpet and flugelhorn, piano, acoustic bass, and drums in a fully acoustic frame and cut the album in Italy during two 1989 sessions.

Rava states the front lines in short phrases and leaves wide openings for D’Andrea’s piano replies. Vitous holds the center on acoustic bass, while Humair redirects the pulse with quick accents and lighter brush detail. The program stays with original material and favors concise themes that open into longer quartet exchange.

A1. “Mode for Versace” (7:55)
A2. “F. Express” (8:20)
A3. “Small Events” (1:30)
A4. “Autoscontri” (5:25)

B1. “Flee Jazz” (7:05)
B2. “Merano” (8:00)
B3. “Quatre” (9:27)

Sessions occurred in February and May 1989 at Psycho Recording Studios, Milan, with producer Luciano Linzi and engineer Marty Jane Robertson.

Return

In 1989, the Czech Panton label issued Alan Vitouš Featuring Miroslav Vitouš, a collaboration between Miroslav and his percussionist older brother Alan. The 1992 French CD edition retitled the album Return, a reference to Miroslav’s return to his country of origin.

Alan Vitouš sets the record around drums, percussion, recorder, and occasional vocals. Miroslav Vitouš answers on double bass and keyboards, and the album adds Jan Štolba’s tenor saxophone on one track only. The sequence places one extended centerpiece beside a run of shorter duo pieces and compact sketches.

A1. “Návrat” [“Return”] (6:28)
A2. “Zpěv železných pastýřů” [“Iron Shepherds Singing”] (15:32)
A3. “Hallo and Goodbye Waltz” (1:53)

B1. “Čas běží” [“Time Runs”] (4:17)
B2. “Tak povídej” [“So Talk”] (2:37)
B3. “Vzpomínka” [“Memory”] (3:19)
B4. “Tátovi” [“For Father”] (3:02)
B5. “Rozřešení” [“Resolution”] (3:33)
B6. “B. S. V. Z.” (3:32)
B7. “Otevírání” [“Openings”] (2:43)

Alan and Miroslav Vitouš recorded Return at Smetana Theatre Studio in Prague in December 1988.

David Pohribný and Milan Knížák handled the cover, and Lubomír Dorůžka supplied the sleeve notes.

Earthcake

Quatre released Earthcake in 1991 on Label Bleu. The group retained the same lineup as Quatre: trumpet Rava, pianist D’Andrea, and drummer Humairon with Vitous on double bass.

D’Andrea retains open harmonic ambience while Rava threads bright upper-register calls. Vitous shifts between anchor figures and exposed counterlines, and Humair breaks the beat into restless detail. The record stays with seven pieces and gives each player room to redirect the ensemble without thickening the instrumentation.

“Three” opens with a playful charge and sharp trumpet inflections. “Mercing” turns inward and settles into a hazier, more suspended texture around Vitous’ writing. “Ballerina” restates the opening motif at the close and leaves the center open for longer improvisation, while the bass-and-brush dialogue remains one of the album’s defining sounds.

1. “Three” (9:45)
2. “Mercing” (8:18)
3. “Ballerina” (5:43)
4. “Earthcake” (8:52)
5. “Akagera” (8:10)
6. “Euroblues” (5:19)
7. “Monasterio à St Chiara” (3:16)

Quatre recorded Earthcake over three days in January 1991 for Label Bleu.

Star

Jan Garbarek, Miroslav Vitous, and Peter Erskine released Star on October 1, 1991, on ECM. Garbarek handled soprano and tenor saxophone, Vitous played double bass, and Erskine took the drum chair.

Garbarek foregrounds with long held notes and clipped melodic cells. Vitous answers with both bowed and plucked figures, while Erskine shapes the record through light snare accents and small rhythmic turns instead of a heavy backbeat. The trio leaves broad air around each line and lets the pieces widen through gradual interaction.

The title track opens in thin threads of saxophone over a solemn bass line. “Jumper” breaks into clipped syncopation, “Lamenting” lowers the temperature into a slower saxophone-bass lament, and “Anthem” widens the field with rolling snare under a suspended ensemble wash. “Roses for You” begins from a hushed bass figure before Garbarek extends the line across the trio’s most delicate stretch.

1. “Star” (6:13) — Garbarek
2. “Jumper” (4:18) — Vitous
3. “Lamenting” (6:03) — Vitous
4. “Anthem” (6:13) — Erskine
5. “Roses for You” (5:36) — Vitous
6. “Clouds in the Mountain” (4:35) — Vitous
7. “Snowman” (5:18) — Garbarek, Vitous, Erskine
8. “The Music of My People” (3:42) — Erskine

The trio recorded Star at Rainbow Studio in Oslo in January 1991 with engineer Jan Erik Kongshaug and producer Manfred Eicher.

Discography:

Infinite Search (1970)
Purple (1970)
Green Line (1971 • Steve Marcus, Sonny Sharrock, Miroslav Vitous & Daniel Humair)
Magical Shepherd (1976)
Majesty Music (1976)
Miroslav (1977)
Guardian Angels (1979)
Terje Rypdal / Miroslav Vitous / Jack DeJohnette (1979 • Terje Rypdal / Miroslav Vitous / Jack DeJohnette)
First Meeting (1980)
To Be Continued (1981 • Terje Rypdal / Miroslav Vitous / Jack DeJohnette)
Miroslav Vitous Group (1981 • Miroslav Vitous Group)
Trio Music (1982 • Chick Corea, Miroslav Vitous & Roy Haynes)
Esprit des Vents (1983 • Michel Séguin avec Miroslav Vitous)
Journey’s End (1983)
& Special Guests (1986 • Biréli Lagrène, Larry Coryell & Miroslav Vitous)
Nouvelle Cuisine (1986 • Vanasse / Vitous)
Emergence (1986)
Dedicated to Bill Evans & Scott La Faro (1987 • Larry Coryell & Miroslav Vitous)
Quatre (1989 • Rava, Vitous, D’Andrea & Humair)
Return (1989 • Alan & Miroslav Vitous)
Earthcake (1991 • D’Andrea . Humair . Rava . Vitous)
Star (1991 • Jan Garbarek, Miroslav Vitous & Peter Erskine)