Music is always a great gift, and in a country as culturally rich as this one, you need not sort through the racks of mind-numbing mainstream pap. There are plenty of local labels supporting a wealth of talented Czech musicians in every category — classical, pop, rock and world music, with some old standbys and new entries in jazz as well.

Here's a selective list of recommendations for every taste, featuring some of the latest releases and others that have been on the shelves for a while but are still worth picking up. This is, for the most part, an adventurous selection. But why settle for the ordinary when you can sample something new — and support your local artists, too.

CLASSICAL COMPLETE SHOSTAKOVICH SYMPHONIES

Prague Symphony Orchestra

Conducted by Maxim Shostakovich

Supraphon

The masterwork of the season: A handsomely packaged set of all 15 Shostakovich symphonies, performed by Prague's own FOK orchestra and conducted by the composer's son. There is simply no better interpreter of Shostakovich's work than his devoted son Maxim, who has been coming to Prague since the mid-'90s to make these recordings with an orchestra that he says has a great feel for the music. That comes through on these discs, some of which fairly explode with the percussive power of seminal works like the Leningrad (No. 7) and Babi Yar (No. 13) symphonies. A world-class recording in every respect and a fine homage for the Shostakovich anniversary year.

— Kuznik

W. A. MOZART SONATAS FOR PIANO AND VIOLIN

Norbert Heller & Gabriela Demeterová

ICZ

Sure, you've heard Mozart sonatas before, but not like this, with two of the country's premier classical musicians performing them on period instruments. Heller plays a pianoforte and Demeterová plays a 1795 violin made by Kašpar Strnad, even using original gut strings and a period bow to help achieve a clean, authentic sound that is clear and precise without losing any warmth. This is the culmination of a three-year project to record the complete Mozart sonatas — a total of 16 on five discs. Heller and Demeterová have produced a nice cap to the Mozart anniversary year, meticulously reproducing the sound the maestro himself likely heard when he was playing and composing.

— Kuznik

PAVEL HAAS QUARTET

Supraphon

An impressive recording debut by yet another of the talented young string ensembles that Prague produces with remarkable regularity. Winners of the Prague Spring 2005 competition, this group is already well-traveled (Vienna, Tokyo, Florence) and can play, as evinced by the choice of two difficult pieces for this disc: Janáček's Intimate Letters and their namesake's String Quartet No. 2. That's classical music for connoisseurs, and it's executed with great craftsmanship and attention to detail. Not for the casual listener, but for anyone with an interest in the Czech canon, an exciting and surprisingly mature addition to the collection.

— Kuznik

BAROQUE TRUMPET CONCERTOS

Marek Zvolánek & New Prague Collegium

Cube Bohemia

Here's the perfect music for those winter mornings when you're looking for something bright and uplifting to start the day without becoming overbearing. Zvolánek is a gifted trumpet player who's done stints with the Czech Philharmonic and Prague Radio Symphony orchestras, and sidelines in 20th-century big-band music. The selections here (by Hertel, Haydn, Richter and Tartini) call for a dazzling array of technical skills, and Zvolánek shows that he can hit trills and impossibly high registers with the same confidence and fluidity that he brings to lyrical passages. In all, a delightful dip into the golden age of the trumpet and another impressive performance by a talented young Czech musician.

— Kuznik

JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH VIOLA DA GAMBA SONATAS

Petr Nouzovský, Monika Knoblochová

Cube Bohemia

A very tasty classical disc by two award-winning young Prague Conservatory graduates, who took on a daunting assignment — performing three Bach sonatas originally written for harpsichord and viola da gamba, a forerunner to the modern cello. The pieces (BWV 1027-1029) have been transcribed for cello before, but typically recorded by the likes of Glenn Gould and Mischa Maisky. Nouzovský and Knoblochová may not be in that category, but if it weren't for their pictures on the front, you'd swear these were older, more accomplished musicians. Nouzovský's cello lines are clear and strong, and Knoblochová has a deft touch for Baroque harpsichord.

— Kuznik

Jazz

COOKIN' IN BONN

Emil Viklický Trio

Dekkor Records

This group sets the standard for jazz piano trios in Central Europe, and its latest release shows why. Recorded live at the Harmonie Club in Bonn in September 2004, it jumps from the opening chords and never lets up, running through original compositions and standards with equal aplomb. Viklický can cook, but he also shows impressive control and finesse on quieter pieces like "Lover Come Back." František Uhlíř contributes two compositions and some excellent bass work, and Laco Tropp bangs away on the skins — too much at times on solos. A reminder, if any were needed, that Viklický, who also composes for the classical stage and film, may be the single-best jazz musician in the Czech Republic.

— Kuznik

WILD FLOWER

Feng-yün Song and the Trio Puo

Indies Records

As novel as Feng-yün Song's voice may seem to the European ear, Trio Puo's jazz arrangements on this CD are an equal curiosity. In combination, the trio and singer speak of the inherent universality of jazz. Some of the arrangements are perhaps more straight-ahead than one might expect, yet, on tracks like "Horská z Midu" (Mountain Song from Midu) and "Oranžová" (Orange), the images of the lyrics make an artful juxtaposition with impressionistic and intense acoustic-jazz dynamics. Song's third studio effort continues her use of Chinese folklore for inspiration, but this CD has a surprise ending — a solo voice rendition of a traditional Moravian folk song that suits both the season and Song's crystalline voice perfectly.

— Jónsson

VERTIGO QUINTET

Amplion

Vertigo Quintet's eponymous first CD is both softened and sharpened with classical inspirations from Debussy and Scriabin. The group represents a younger generation of Czech and Slovak jazz musicians who have found a satisfying expression that has remarkable subtlety. On the surface it is definitely jazz, perhaps even cool jazz; below the surface, though, rides a contemporary use of tonality and dynamics. These elements are balanced by compositions that can echo Radiohead and Ornette Coleman tastefully and simultaneously. The group's chamber jazz tendencies have drawn comparisons to ECM's signature jazz sound.

— Jónsson

Contemporary

PŘESLETEC

Petr Nikl

Black Point

Somewhere between genius and a fine madness is Petr Nikl's workshop. The eclectic, jack-of-all-arts mastermind has released a double CD of his newest symphonic-choral concoction, a magical collision between didgeridoo, tuba, toy piano, strings, assorted party noisemakers and various "invented instruments," including a bicycle. Nikl's inventive nonsense lyrics, filled with neologisms and riotous wordplay, along with a veritable zoo of squeaks, chirps and howls, are gamely handled by the Lakomé barky choir. But its Nikl's own singular voice that carries the listener through this past-the-mirror world. On one track, "Plazí," Nikl even seems to be channeling Joe Jackson circa Night and Day. The CD case itself is a work of art, and any fan of Nikl's innovative children's books will appreciate this absurdist masterwork before even hearing the ethereal music inside.

— Silvis

MATER

Iva Bittová, Miloš Valent, Marek Štryncl

Indies Records

An interesting project: Contemporary spiritual songs by Slovak composer Vladimír Godár, recorded in a church by Bittová, accompanied by various combinations of strings and the Bratislava Conservatory Choir. The musicians are excellent, and the sound is transcendent — too bad so much of the music is annoying. Godár is a gifted composer and a formidable musical intelligence, reaching deep into Slovak, religious and musical history for inspiration. These pieces all have a melancholy, at times mournful feel, and can range from achingly beautiful to numbingly tedious. It's not for everyone, though connoisseurs of regional contemporary music will have a feast, especially since the recording is technically so good. Best packaging of the year, too, featuring a beautiful full-color, 48-page booklet.

— Kuznik

PASSION PLAY

The Plastic People of the Universe

Globus International/Levné Knihy

The 1978 recording of Plastic People's Passion Play is a specimen of raw, ritualistic rock 'n' roll. It fulfills composer and band member Vratislav Brabenec's mystical intent to provide a universal rite of musical purification, and is one of those rare moments in rock where such efforts are convincing. In 2005, the Plastic People and Agon Orchestra also did a smoother reinterpretation of Passion Play, but the primal beauty and atmosphere captured on this 1978 recording are hard to match.

— Jónsson

Rock & world

RUBIKON

Kryštof

EMI

Since hitting the big-time with its debut hit "Lolita," Ostrava-based Kryštof has become a permanent fixture on the Czech music scene. Rubikon is the band's coming-of-age album, rich in musical textures and instrumentation that includes guitars, trombone, sax, viola and even Mexican-style horns. Beyond the self-importance and abstract nature of some of frontman Richard Krajčo's songs, there are some real gems here, as well as ironic Czech humor. "Revizor" is a classic example — a cynical take on the people we love to hate, ticket inspectors who suddenly appear when you least expect them. Other highpoints include the title track, a single that is currently riding high in the Czech charts, and "Jízda v protisměru," apparently about driving in the wrong lane.

— Scanlon

LEWIS NEPTUNE

Moimir Papalescu and The Nihilists

X Production

If The Cramps, god forbid, had ever dipped their toes into electronic music, they would probably have ended up sounding just like The Nihilists. After their debut offering, Analogue Voodoo, won at the Anděl Music Awards a couple years ago, the band has been working with a renewed confidence that's enabled it to take more risks this time around. La Petite Sonja remains quite a troublesome vixen behind the mic, even on the Lee Hazlewood/Nancy Sinatra cover "Summer Wine," as she teases and tantalizes in a way that only she can. Matěj Papež, operating under the guise of Papalescu, has become Mr. Powerful, trying out loads of new sounds with his electronic gadgets, while Hank Manchini appears to be getting a lot more mileage out of his guitar.

— Scanlon

10 LET NA CESTĚ

Traband

Indies Records

Traband's music cuts to the roots of both American rock 'n' roll and Europe's own legacy of upbeat sounds. What makes this band special is its unrepentant early work in klezmerifying and polkafying punk rock. That took some courage during a time when both forms were considered uncool by locals who still carried leather jackets in their baggage. Over the years, however, Traband has proved its point to countless audiences blissfully confused as to whether to polka or pogo. This live compilation captures 10 years of road-tested material culled from Traband's four CDs.

— Jónsson

TRENDSETTERS, FIRST MOVERS AND FAST FOLLOWERS

Living Room

Championship Records

Borrowing generously from the alternative retro indie scene that swept the United Kingdom in the '80s and '90s, Living Room doesn't quite live up to the "trendsetters" label, but shows a flair for innovation. The Prague-based five-piece has built up a large following since its inception in 2003 but for some strange reason has yet to land a recording contract. Doing it themselves with this self-financed release, they open with the psychedelic blast of "Dirty Pig," which sets the agenda for the whole album. The band likes to target stupid actresses, as in "Scarlett Johansson in my Dirty Kitchen," but they're at their best when they're miserable, as with "(I Don't Wanna See) The Light." What makes Living Room stand out, though, is the way it's able to change the pace and tempo of songs by bringing in extra elements of acoustic guitar, keyboards and, yes, hand-clapping.

— Scanlon

HURRIYA

Al-Yaman

Indies Records

Released in 2004, Hurriya remains one of the better Arabic-influenced hard rock CDs on the planet. The band's members from Yemen, Israel, Palestine and the Czech Republic foretell a rock 'n' roll future worth singing about. Imagine a very organic post-techno update on Led Zepplin's "Kasmir." Combine this with vocals that run circles around many of the strained melismas attempted elsewhere in rock, and you begin to get the picture. Al-Yaman's masterful drumming, electronics and hard-driving sound attracted the collaboration of Trans-Global Underground on this CD's closing track.

— Jónsson

THE BODY IS TOO SLOW FOR ME

Maraca

Indies Records

With songs in Czech, English and Portuguese, Maraca fuses sophisticated pop arrangements with lyrics ranging from Karl Kryl's Salome to Sufi poetry. Although firmly rooted in the Czech earth, the group's latest CD cruises a variety of ethnic neighborhoods. The effect is a nearly seamless journey through the contemporary European musical landscape that effectively melds Czech rock with Asian and Arabic music. At times, the sound is reminiscent of Adrian Belew-era King Crimson, or even Dead Can Dance. Yet Maraca is far more convincing than the latter in terms of world-traveling instrumentals and vocals. Guest artist Amit Chatterjee, formerly of the Zawinul Syndicate, does much to enhance this CD with his searing guitar riffs.

— Jónsson

DYBYCH VĚDĚL ...

Moberg Ensemble

Black Point

On its second CD, Moberg offers contemporary interpretations of Moravian folk music, and seems to be profoundly and comfortably at home. The group's renditions of Moravian folk songs include a generous helping of Slavonic choral work, along with modern clarinet, piano, violin and accordion arrangements. Punctuation is added by the use of an assortment of exotic percussion, lending a distinct Gothic feel. The vocals rise and fall like the rolling mountains of Moravia, full of fog, sunshine and starry nights. Suitable for a cozy candlelit Christmas dinner or as a soundtrack for driving to the Moravian ski slopes.

— Jónsson

HEART

Urban Bushmen

Jahmusic

Push the dinner table aside and clear some floor space for dancing after this CD is unwrapped. If you think convincing reggae can't happen in Prague, let the Urban Bushmen deliver their particularly soulful riddims to your nearest set of speakers or headphones. Founded in 1999, the Bohemian Bushmen have obviously done some homework on the island, and internalized a Caribbean heartbeat bound to make your feet move. Be sure to keep an ear out for their next gig. Until then, don't forget to turn up the bass!

— Jónsson

SALUTE ZAPPA

Various artists

Black Point

Although Frank Zappa's appointment as a cultural emissary for the newly formed Czechoslovak government was squelched by the first Bush administration, his musical influence still reigns supreme in most Czech underground/alternative music circles. In fact, some of these impassioned tracks, by artists like the Richter Band, Moberg Ensemble and MCH Band, are arguably better than the original. A limited-edition release, worth digging through the bargain bins to find.