Prague is graced with plenty of jazz this fall, with the hip Agharta festival already well under way. Next up is the venerable International Jazz Festival (IJF), an annual late-October affair which this year brings nine straight nights of more-or-less traditional jazz, plus a closer five days later Nov. 5.

While some of the IJF's programming appeals more to those nostalgic for the golden age of jazz, it's no longer just a festival for the old fogeys. The opening ceremony Sunday, Oct. 23 features Czech president and jazz fan Václav Klaus offering a toast to the festival's success. He'll be followed by the film Jazz Legends, which features footage of stars such as Louis Armstrong and Ray Charles in highlights of famous Prague concerts.

Highlights from the next five nights of music, all at Reduta:

On Oct. 24, there's modern folk-new age jazz by the Springhill Quartet (from the United States). Jazz crooner and provocateur Ester Kocicková, paired with Lubomír Nohavica, opens Oct. 26 for Pavel Smetácek's Traditional Jazz Studio, with guest soloists Andrea Mardchione (from Italy) contrabass and James Hastings (from the UK) on tenor sax.

Kaftet (from Poland) plays avant-garde jazz Oct. 27. The Fritz Pauer Trio (Austria) teams up with the local Apollon Quartet for a "unique fusion of classical music and jazz" Oct. 28.

The following night features piano jazz "associated with the Orient and mysticism" by American Michael Arnowitt. In case you're wondering, there's not a full moon that night.

The festival concludes with three bigger shows. Sunday, Oct. 30, features two generations of local stars: a trio with veterans Martin Kratochvíl, Tony Ackerman and guest Zangi Savle Mece (from Iran) is opening for younger stars Yvonne Sanchez, Dan Bárta and Robert Balzar at Lucerna Music Bar.

On Halloween night, the IJF brings Albie Donnelly's Supercharge to Lucerna for a frolicking night of rhythm 'n' blues. Donnelly is a big Englishman from Liverpool with trademark dark sunglasses and a bushy beard. On vocals and sax, he leads his show through soul, blues and swing.

Opening for Albie will be Saskia Larro, a vivacious trumpet player from Amsterdam who is returning to Prague after playing last year's IJF. She not only plays jazz but has also released two albums of "acid dance rap music."

Asked about the latter, Saskia explains, "It's a combination of groovy beats with jazzy riffs and jazzy improvised solos on top of it and freestyle rap vocals." This year she will be joined by a Czech band — the Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra — and her boyfriend Warren Byrd on piano and vocals. They'll be playing mainly jazz, bossa nova styles and boogaloo-funk grooves, along with some ballads and blues.

Gospel is at the root of early jazz, so fittingly, the Johnny Thompson Singers conclude the IJF with a concert at U Salvatora church Nov. 5. The Thompson Singers are well-known ambassadors of American gospel, constantly touring Europe. Their spiritual event will bring the 29th edition of IJF to a graceful conclusion.