Branko Križek
Branko Križek
Matěj Benko trio

Branko was born in Prague and started playing drums at the age of fourteen. Shortly after he began taking lessons from the czech drumkit teacher legend Miloš Veselý followed by studies at jazz conservatory of Jaroslav Ježek. In his early years Branko played rock/alternative music with Oswald Schneider and pop with known singer Alice Springs. Collaboration with singer Vesna Cáceres and the band Anima accentuated his talents for Latin- American and Afro-Cuban music. After that he began to work with many jazz and fusion musicians and bands to name: singer Eva Emingerová, jazz-fusion band Free Steps, r´n´b and soul project Night Dive, smooth-jazz band Foley, latin-jazz project with Matěj Benko trio, singer Elena Sonenshine & Jocose jazz, the legendary singer Jana Koubková, "Tribute to Edit Piaf" with the well-known musical singer Radka Fišarová, prominent czech jazz pianist and composer Emil Viklický. With swing singer Jan Smigmator he collaborated on an album alongside Mitch Winehouse. At around 2013 Branko, pianist Jára Bárta and bassist Jan Greifoner founded the New Trio. In 2016 this trio started to work with young talented singer/actor Tereza Krippnerová. In the 1990s, Branko performed on several drum shows. Here, in 1998, he met the famous japanese drummer Akira Jimbo. In 1997, he performed on Zildjian Day infront of legendary drummer Dennis Chambers. Currently Branko is endorsed by Mapex, Anatolian (cymbals), Pellwood (signature drumsticks 8C)


Mapex drums have amazing sound and great design. They perfectly suit jazz and fusion styles I play.

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