PAVEL JIRKA

Pavel came to America from Czechoslavakia in the early eighties, having honed his talent in the underground music scene.  In his former country, musicians had to get a permit to start a band, and their music was heavily censored by the government.  In Yugoslavia with a tourist group, Pavel fled his native country, eventually making his way to the United States.   Playing guitar with MAMADOU, Pavel finds some reminders of his home country, saying he is amazed at how similar African harmonies are to Czech folk music.