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NEW: JAZZ FESTIVALS IN RUSSIA - A BRIEF GUIDE
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FAQ: IS THERE JAZZ IN RUSSIA, REALLY?	JAZZ.RU MAGAZINE: NOW PRINTED!
The answer is "YES". The first jazz concert in Russia took place in Moscow on October 1, 1922. The band was local, called no less than The First Jazz Band of the Republic, led by not a musician, but a dancer, one Valentin Parnakh (1891-1951), who also was a gifted poet, poetry translator, and literature historian, and spend seven years (from 1915 to 1922) in Western Europe. That band was later employed by the great theatre director, Vsevolod Meyerhold, in one of his plays where the sounds of live jazz should represent the "Western reality." The band included piano, saxophone, clarinet, trombone and a trap set. One of the musicians known to be a part of this band was pianist Yevgeny Gabrilovich (1899-1993), later a successful playwright and movie screenplay writer. (On the picture: portrait of Valentin Parnakh, by Pablo Picasso, 1919) The first American jazz bands to perform in Russia were drummer Benny Payton's Jazz Kings in 1926, with the great Sidney Bechet (then clarinet, not yet soprano sax) on board. The hot New Orleans-style band spent several months performing in theatres and ballrooms in Moscow, Kharkov, Odessa and Kiev; Bechet reportedly had to extend his Soviet visa for a while, because he needed a few weeks in a hospital to recuperate after too close acquaintance with Russian vodka. That same year, London-based  Sam Wooding Orchestra toured Russia (Moscow and Leningrad) as part of European musical revue Chocolate Kiddies. The band also consisted of African-American musicians, but, according to historical sources, sounded less hot than the Jazz Kings. The first Russian jazz band to be recorded was pianist Alexander Tsfasman's Moscow-based AMA Jazz, in 1928 (the band could be heard in one of Russian Jazz Podcast series.) The most interesting recordings of early Russian jazz were made in the late 1930, the most notably by Tsfasman, Alexander Varlamov, and the fresh émigré from Poland, which was captured by Nazi Germany, trumpet virtuoso Eddie Rozner. (On the picture: Alexander Tsfasman, 1938) During the World War Two, jazz music was regarded as the music of the allies (U.S. and Soviet Union were allies against Hitler) and thus widely spread. When the Cold War began, Soviet authorities' attitude towards jazz changed. After that, the first significant recordings of Russian jazz were made only in late 1950s... more on the subject: True story of new jazz in Moscow: The answer is blowing in the wind, string and percussion instruments, by Andrei Solovyov "Golden Years of Soviet Jazz. A brief history of new improvised music in Russia", by Alex Kan. My Escape to America, by Leonid Pereverzev (announcing the forthcoming 2011 book, "Leonid Pereverzev. An Offering to Duke Ellington, and Other Jazz Texts") Grigory Shabrov: In Memoriam, by Oleg Stepurko (dedicated to the memory of one of the pioneers of the Soviet jazz rock fusion) FUNNY FACTS: Benny Goodman Big Band performed in Moscow in 1962 at the Soviet Army Sport Palace. At the height of U.S.A.-U.S.S.R. spy scandal (American U2 spy plane was just shot off the Russian sky) the KGB was suspicious of "capitalist provocations," so only a handful of tickets went into Moscow's jazz fans' hands; several thousand tickets were distributed among "ideologically tested" blue collars through the Party committees at Moscow's industrial facilities. Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev was present at the concert, but soon got bored by the alien music that he hated, and left during the intermission. The concert was recorded, and released by RCA in 1962 (never reissued on CD, though.) Louis Armstrong never performed in the U.S.S.R, though producer George Avakian tried hard to arrange his Soviet Union tour. Ekaterina Furtseva, Soviet Union's culture minister, refused because she felt that "he was going to be too popular." In 1958, Louis Armstrong addressed to his Russian fans a few words in Russian through the Radio Liberty airwaves, and played his trumpet along with the recording of U.S.S.R's 1957 #1 hit, "Five Minutes" (from the Carnival Night movie), which was, coincidentally, the first Soviet recording that involved overdubbing technique (singer Lyudmila Gurchenko sang in an empty studio, listening in earphones to previously recorded Eddie Rosner Big Band.) The recording of this "double overdub" exists, and is released by Russian label SoLyd Records in 2006 (as a bonus track on "The Liberty of Jazz" CD, SLR 0363). by Cyril Moshkow FURTHER LISTENING: October 4, 2009: Cyril Moshkow, the publisher and editor of Jazz.Ru, Russia's only Jazz magazine, appeared on WPFW in Washington, DC as a guest of Larry Appelbaum's Sunday radio show, Sound of Surprise, for a two-hour dialog about the state of jazz in Russia. Many Russian jazz recordings can be heard during the conversation. LISTEN: part 1 (wma, 25.7 Mb, 1:13:47); part 2 (wma, 14.2 Mb, 0:40:47) September 30, 2009: The Open World Leadership Center and the Library of Congress Music Division cosponsored the Russian-American Jazz Summit. Conversations on the American influence in Russian Jazz were led by two world-renowned jazz experts, Russian Cyril Moshkow and American Larry Appelbaum, at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. WATCH ON YOUTUBE (62 min.)	The first printed jazz magazine in post-Soviet Moscow, proudly titled Jazz.Ru Magazine, hits the shelves seven times a year since 2007 #2-2013 (48): On the cover: Earl Hines in Moscow (cover photo by Gulnara Khamatova) as reported by magazine's editor Cyril Moshkow from the Triumph of Jazz festival in Moscow Saxophonist Ralph Bowen interviewed by Diana Kondrashina Anatoly Kroll: Mind and Heart Anna Filipieva interviews Russia's prominent bandleader, composer, pianist, and educator on the occasion of his 70th birthday Jazz Over Volga River festival in Yaroslavl: festival reviewed, and headliner Alex Sipiagin interviewed Producer Gerry Teekens interviewed on 30 years and 350 releases of his Criss Cross label (by Cyril Moshkow) History: saxophonist Igor Vissotsky on his forty years in the U.S., and what the early Soviet jazz émigrés encountered in America Near Jazz: Grigory Durnovo interviews Norwegian electronic artist Maja Ratkje In Memoriam. Vladimir Ratner, New York-based pianist from Moscow (1942-2013) Germany-based veteran Soviet saxophonist Alexander Pishchikov releases in Russia his first new album in ten years: "Aspiration," ArtBeat, 2013 - Anna Filipieva interviews the artist... ...and much more! #1-2013 (47): On the cover: Dave Brubeck (cover photo by Pavel Korbut) as seen by, and spoken about, by his son, trombone and bass player Chris Brubeck Peter Vostokov & The Big Jazz Orchestra play Tchaikovski/Ellington/Strayhorn: an interview with the leading trumpet player from Russia's younger jazz generation 9th Rostov Jazz Festival: Cyril Moshkow, Jazz.Ru editor, reviews the gathering of the southernmost regional Russian jazz scene 'RUSSIAN JAZZ': a two-volume hardcover collection of Jazz.Ru articles on Russian jazz is published in St.Petersburg SibJazzFest-2012: a review of the Siberia's best jazz festival Yuri Galkin: The British Graduate. Jazz.Ru interviews the bassist who recently returned to Moscow after a 7-year stint in London. Marina Vishnyakova and her Atlantic Experience: Russian jazz violinist who gradually makes it in Philadelphia Tampere Jazz Happening 2012: Anna Filipieva reviews Finland's grandest jazz festival News From Helsinki: the presentation of Finnish jazz scene in Moscow reviewed Sergey Khutas "Moscow...Sky": an interview with Russian bassist on his debut album as a leader Saxophonist Nikolai Vinstkevich interviewed on his work with his father, pianist Leonid Vinskevich, and the role the Jazz Province festival (which he helps his father to produce) plays in their lives (by Anna Filipieva) In Memoriam. Soviet jazz veteran saxophonist Emil Geigner passes away at 91; we also bid farewell to jazz radio host Moisei Rybak (1934-2013) and Siberian jazz drummer, Sergei Kushilkin (1962-2013)   EARLIER ISSUES
FAQ: ARE THERE ENGLISH BOOKS ABOUT JAZZ IN RUSSIA?
The answer is "YES" and "NO". Yes, because three such books do exist. No, because they are out of print, and the newest is 14 years old. Here they are, in alphabetical order: Feigin, Leo. Russian jazz : new identity. London ; New York : Quartet Books, 1985. ISBN: 0704325063 Minor, William. Unzipped souls: a jazz journey through the Soviet Union. Philadelphia : Temple University Press, 1995. ISBN: 1566393248 Starr, S. Frederick. Red and hot: the fate of jazz in the Soviet Union, 1917-1980. New York : Oxford University Press, 1983. ISBN: 0195031636
FEATURED IN RUSSIAN JAZZ CHANNEL ON YOUTUBE:
NEW! Welcome to the official YouTube channel of Jazz.Ru, Russia's jazz magazine and jazz web central! KONDAKOV-VOLKOV-GUYVORONSKY TRIO (THE KVG TRIO) Andrey Kondakov (piano, percussion,) Vladimir Volkov (bass) and Vyacheslav Guyvoronsky (trumpet) perform their composition based on the Russian classical romance song, Alexander Dargomyzhsky's "I Still Love Him" (1851,) during the Moscow premiere performance of their "Dargomyzhsky, Dargomyzhsky" suite at DOM Culture Center, Moscow, Russia, on January 14, 2011 Published with artists' permission IVAN FARMAKOVSKY QUARTET Pianist Ivan Farmakovsky and his band (saxophonist Dmitry Mospan, bassist Anton Revniouk, and drummer Donald Edwards) perform Ivan's original "Soul Inside Out" at the Moscow House of Music on November 10, 2010  with artist's permission HERMAN LUKIANOV AND KADANS Herman Lukianov and his KADANS perform Lukianov's "Constant Value" during the June 26, 2010 Jazz.Ru: New Sound series concert at the Union of Composers jazz club, Moscow, Russia (Herman Lukianov - tenor horn, Alexey Kruglov - as, Anton Zaletayev - ts, Alexey Becker - p, Makar Novikov - b, Alex Zinger - dr) from the series' producer, with artist's permission
RUSSIAN JAZZ PODCAST:
October 4, 2009: Jazz.Ru editor Cyril Moshkow appears on Washington, DC WPFW as a guest of Larry Appelbaum's in his Sunday radio show, Sound of Surprise, for a two-hour dialog about the state of jazz in Russia! LISTEN...>>>> EARLIER IN RUSSIAN JAZZ PODCAST: Jazz.Ru editor Cyril Moshkow tells the story of unique Muscovite jazz accordion player Vladimir Danilin, who celebrates his 60th birthday on December 2, 2006. Danilin started his career playing at the dances in his native town of Lyubertsy, near Moscow, in late 1950s, and by the early 1960s he was already playing jazz clubs in Moscow. Jazz in its pure mainstream form was (and still is) all what he was interested in. This was also true when Vladimir Danilin switched to the piano, and spent many years in the country's most popular jazz big band of the late 1970s - early 80s, Oleg Lundstrem Orchestra. And this stayed true, when Danilin returned to his primary instrument, the accordion, in early 1990s and continues on this instrument ever since...>>>>
FEATURED ARTIST SITES:
IVAN FARMAKOVSKY (PIANO) Ivan, now in his 30s, "paid his dues" when playing in Igor Butman Quartet and Big Band in late 1990s; in 2008, after a few years in a country's most popular rock band (the one which better must not be named,) he resumed his high-profile jazz career by recording an album in New York City with Igr Butman on sax, Gene Jackson on drums, Ugonna Okegwo on bass and Ryan Kisor on trumpet. The very same band, except that now it's the great Eddie Henderson on the trumpet, presented the freshly released "Next To The Shadow" album at the Moscow House of Music on April 21, 2009; "The Way Home" (on Butman Music), recorded by Farmakovsky's working band, followed in October, 2010. IGOR BUTMAN (SAXOPHONE) Igor has a rare gift: he is not only a brilliant performer, he is also an able promoter of his own work and of the genre in general. He easily makes friends with musicians, politicians, businessmen, and media people, and thus pushes jazz as a genre further than it has ever been in Russia. He is the first Russian jazz musician to release albums on Universal label, and a successful jazz event producer: his Triumph of Jazz festival, held each February since the year 2000, is a must-see on Moscow jazz scene. Igor Butman also runs jazz clubs: Moscow's premier jazz club, called Le Club, the only jazz club in Russia ever mentioned in Down Beat's Top 100 jazz clubs in the world, worked under his artistic direction from 1999 to 2007; currently, the new Igor Butman Club presents world-class live jazz played by both Russian masters and visited Americans. ARKADY SHILKLOPER (HORNS) The horn virtuoso, who started his career in the Bolshoi Theatre orchestra and the Moscow Philharmonic Symphony, switched to jazz and improvised music in the 1980s, and since then recorded for ECM, Jaro, and Quinton, worked with Three O, the Vienna Arto Orchestra, the Moscow Art Trio, the Pago Libre band, and in many settings under his own name. Master of French horn, alphorn, and flugelhorn, this virtuoso innovator works now in Germany, though his Russian fans still see him many times a year...>>>>

NEW: JAZZ FESTIVALS IN RUSSIA - A BRIEF GUIDE

English pages of Russian jazz musicians and journalists:

• Academic Band - trad jazz band from the city of Ulyanovsk
• Alexey Batashev - Russia's most famous jazz critic
• Igor Boiko - jazz fusion guitar player, composer and teacher based in Moscow
• Igor Butman - simply Russia's best saxophone player, called "Moscow-New York jazz bridge"
• Mike Ellis-Mordvinoff - New York-based sax player of Russian origin
• Extra Trio Plus - St.Petersburg's best young jazz ensemble
• Gregory Fine - a brilliant straight-ahead jazz pianist from the Mid-Russian city of Samara
• Alexander Fisher - Vienna-based Russian trumpet player, past member of Oleg Lundstrem Orchestra and "Allegro" ensemble, teaching at the Vienna Konservatorium now
• NEW Arcady "FreeMan" Kirichenko - Moscow and New York based new improvised music vocalist and tuba player
• George Garanian - veteran alto saxist and bandleader who recently conducted for Oregon's "Oregon In Moscow"
• Anatole Gerasimov - formerly Duke Ellington's sax player, now back to his native Moscow
• Yuri Goloubev - outstanding classical and jazz string bass player
• NEW Michael Green - Moscow-based jazz producer, art director of Hermitage Garden Jazz Festival
• Enver Izmailov - an unique tap guitarist who plays in crossover style between jazz and his Asian heritage
• Oleg Kireyev - saxophone virtuoso who gained international reputation and is regarded by critics as one of Russia's best sax men
• Dmitri Kolesnik - New York-based acoustic bass player
• Andrei Kondakov - one of Russia's best piano players
• Alexey Kozlov - Russia's most popular veteran jazz musician, godfather of Russian jazz rock
• Boris Kurganov - alto sax player, now based in New York City
• Lev Kushnir - one of Russia's outstanding jazz piano players
• NEW Evgeny Lebedev - Muscovite pianist who shares his time between playing on Moscow jazz scene and getting his Berklee College of Music education
• Nikolay Levinovsky - New York-based pianist and bandleader, formerly one of ex-USSR's most famous jazzmen
• Eugene Maslov - New York-based pianist, currently signed with Blue Canoe Records
• Alexander Oseichuk - Moscow-based alto sax player and godfather of Russian jazz education
• Svetlana Panova - Muscovite female jazz singer
• Valery Ponomarev - NYC-based trumpet player, ex-Art Blakey Jazz Messengers
• Andrey Razin and the Second Approach project - an innovative group led by classically trained pianist which explore mixtures of jazz, ethno, classical etc.
• NEW The Rooms - Moscow-based jazz group led by piano player and singer Ekaterina Chernousova
• Andrei Ryabov - Russian guitar player based in NYC, in the 80s - one of USSR's leading guitar improvisers
• Ruslan Sirota - Boston-based pianist and composer from Israel
• Arkady Shilkloper - simply, world best improvising French horn player, a native of Moscow, now based in Wupperthal, Germany
• Igor Tiourlik - St.Petersburg-based pianist and teacher
• Dmitry Ukhov - music writer, chairman of Moscow Jazz Journalists Association
• Grigori Voskoboinik - St.Petersburg double bass player specializing in both classical music and jazz
• Ed Zizak - Moscow-based drummer, member of Igor Butman Quartet and Big Band

OTHER ENGLISH RESOURCES ON JAZZ.RU:

Lev Kushnir's Virtual Jazz Agency (invite Moscow's best musicians to perform at your event!)

Veteran Jazz Writer Leonid Pereverzev (1930-2006): Obituary in English
My Escape to America, by Leonid Pereverzev (announcing the forthcoming 2011 book, "Leonid Pereverzev. An Offering to Duke Ellington, and Other Jazz Texts")

A Brief Guide to Jazz Festivals in Russia
"Golden Years of Soviet Jazz. A brief history of new improvised music in Russia". By Alex Kan.

If you have any questions on Russian jazz, Russian jazz artists, festivals, clubs, organizations, labels etc., don't hesitate to ask this portal's editor, Muscovite jazz journalist Cyril Moshkow.

Contact: Jazz.Ru editor
Our editorial phone is +7(495)945-8910
Our mailing address is: Cyril Moshkow, P.O.Box 10, Moscow 125284 Russia

ALBUM REVIEW QUERIES POLICY

Dear label/musician,
thank you for your interest in Jazz.Ru Magazine.
We do accept albums (both CDs and digital releases) for review. Please note that, however open we are, Jazz.Ru Magazine cannot guarantee a review publication, as too many releases compete for too few magazine pages. All CDs and/or digital releases sent to us for review are screened by our editors, and if they feel that a review of this material can be informative and/or educational for our readers, they assign a writer to review it. Some reviews appear in Web version, some in print. It is the sole responsibility of our staff editors to decide whether the album is going to be reviewed, and where, how, and how soon a review will appear. If a writer is assigned to write a review, usually it appears in the Web version within two weeks, and in print within six weeks.
Please allow at least four weeks for the delivery, as Russian post is famous for being the slowest in the world.
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WRITERS' QUERIES POLICY

Dear writer,
thank you for your interest in Jazz.Ru Magazine.
Currently, our staff writers and a regular stable of experienced and proven freelance writers provide much of our content in house. Jazz.Ru Magazine assumes no responsibility for unsolicited queries or manuscripts.
We are interested in new authors and their ideas, but story queries should be submitted in writing via e-mail first. Provide a short focused outline of the proposed article (150 words). The query should convey your tone and style. Include a brief bio and attach copies of previously published work.
Please note than Jazz.Ru Magazine is published only in Russian language. In cases with stories originally written in languages other than Russian, the translation service can be provided by the magazine staff (if the original language is English, German, French, Polish, Ukrainian, or Bulgarian,) or performed by a third party (all other languages,) but the translation expenses must be covered by the writer in any case. Only our "stable" writers' output is translated at the magazine's expense.

Please note that Jazz.Ru magazine does not accept submissions for fiction or poetry.
Thank you again for your interest in Jazz.Ru magazine.
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photos on this page by: Pavel Korbut, Constantine Krupenin, Cyril Moshkow