Juraj Schweigert, Slovak Bluesman of 2015, started playing diatonic harmonica in his early twenties, since then, Juraj has mastered the instrument and managed to play it fully chromatically.
His advanced technique and skill make him a very versatile player allowing him to move within different styles of music including blues, jazz, country, world or fusion. In 2014, he was awarded a prize for individual performance and mature concept by the Slovak Jazz Society at the New faces of Slovak jazz competition. His first CD Novelty Shop released in October 2015 documents Juraj’s musical prowess and aesthetics. It was nominated for the best self-produced CD prize awarded by the Blues Foundation based in Memphis. With the band Groove Time, he took part in the 6th European Blues Challenge in Torrita di Siena as a representative of the Slovak Republic. He was a runner-up blues harmonica category at World Harmonica Festival 2017 and placed 5th in jazz and melody category. The latest release entitled Spin-Off (February 2021) explores blues fusions with funk, groove, soul and jazz.
Juraj leads his own band The Groove Time based in Bratislava and has also cooperated with a number of other musicians such as Stanislav Pocaji’s Aftertee, Juraj Turtev’s Blues Club, Peter Lipa Band and Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra and other musical projects. Juraj also hosts a popular monthly blues jam session in Bratislava.
