He attended the Jindřich Jindřich Elementary Art School in Cheb, then the conservatory in Pilsen, majoring in piano with Professor Eduard Spáčil. During his basic military service, he was a member of the Jaroslav Dudek Dance Orchestra and already at this time he founded the jazz group Zelený kvartet with his colleagues František Kop, Jaromír Honzák and Martin Šulc, which in 1985, when the group was expanded by violinist Martin Zbrožek, changed into the famous group Naima. The group became a great discovery and was awarded the best jazz group of the year three times in a row (1987–89).