O.J. Žlábek & His Harpriders

The O.J. Žlábek Band is a group of young musicians who play Chicago and West Coast blues with elements of New Orleans blues, funk, and soul. They have been active primarily on the Prague blues scene since 2018.

In 2023, they won the Czech Blues Challenge, qualifying for the European Blues Challenge 2024, where they represented the Czech Republic and competed against the best blues bands in Europe.

The lineup consists of Ondřej Žlábek (harmonica), Jiří Maršíček (electric guitar), Jan Svorník (bass guitar/double bass), and Marcus Jurkovič (drums). They have been playing together since 2022 and recorded their debut album at Faust Records Studio in August 2024, which they launched on April 4 at the legendary Jazz Dock club alongside special guests such as Jan Kořínek, Marcel Flemr, and Osian Roberts, with whom the O.J. Žlábek Band has performed over the years.

In April 2025, they won the Blues Aperitif competition, which serves as a qualifying round for the largest blues festival, Blues Alive, where they performed on November 16, 2025.

They will also have the honor of performing at Blues Alive during its 30th anniversary edition, which will take place in 2026, on the main stage.