Moscow Jazz '65 - Youth Ensemble

 

Jazz '65

Jazz '65

Moscow Youth Jazz Ensembles

Melodiya USSR Records Firm

Stereo C 01159-60

Moscow Youth Jazz Ensembles

V. Kull's Quartet

Vladimir Kull - piano

Alexei Kuznetsov - Guitar

Vladimir Smolianitsky - bass

Alexander Salganik - drums

Evening Song (V. Soloviev-Sedoi)

G. Garanian's Sextet

Georgi Garanian - alto-saxophone

Alexei Zubov - tenor saxophone

Konstantin Bakholdin - trombone

Victor Prudovsky - piano

Adolf Stanovsky - bass

Alexander Goretkin - drums

In The Folk Style (U. Naissoo)

Ballad (G. Garanian)

When There Is A Lack Of Technique (K. Bakholdin)

I. Brill's Trio

Igor Bril - piano

Alexei Isplatovsky - bass

Vladimir Zhuravsky - drums

That's How I Want  You To Be (A. Fliarkovsky)

Horse-riders (V. Zhuravsky)

Awakening (I. Brill)

Yu. Chugunov's Quintet

Yuri Chugunov - tenor saxophone

Vladimir Arefiev - guitar

Sergei Berezin - piano

Byacheslav Rakhmattulin- bass

Gennadi Lebedev - drums

Waltz (Yu. Chugunov)

V. Prudovsky's Trio

Victor Prudovsky - paino

Adolf Satanovsky - bass

Alexander Goretkin - drums

Don't Be Blue (V. Muradeli)

From the back cover: This is a recording of the best performances by Moscow youth jazz ensembles which appeared at the "Jazz '65" Festival held under the auspices of the USSR Composer's Union and Moscow City Komsomol Committee in April 1965, at the "Yunost" Concert Hall. The Festival was a great creative assembly of performers, musicians  and young people of Moscow. The jury headed by composer Vano Muradely, included prominent Soviet composers, music critics, variety orchestra conductors, and representatives of Moscow Komsomol. The entrants demonstrated a great diversity of styles – from the traditional to the most up-to-date jazz. More than half of the pieces performed were original compositions of the participants. Another important showcase for the Festival are many improvisations on themes of popular tunes by Soviet composers. Young participants demonstrated vivid gifts, great enthusiasm and original ideas in arranging and performing jazz. In addition to many professional musicians and students of music who took part in the Festival, a good number of students of technical schools, engineers and scientist also performed.

Vladimir Kull's Creative personality is reflected in the style of performance of his quartet. Kull's play is usually light and melodically lyrical. The guitarist Alexei Kuznetsov is a versatile musician noted for his particularly skillful handling the instrument. He has been working for quite some time in the USSR Radio Variety-Symphony Orchestra. Rhythmically diverse lively accompaniment is proved by Vldimir Smolianitsky (bass) and Alexander Salganik (drums). Like Kull, both of them are engineers by profession and have won popularity at the youth club-cafes "Romantic" and "Blue Bird". This troop is known for its partiality for dance rhythms. The record presents a bossa-nova version of V. Soloviev-Sedoi's "Evening Song" arranged by V. Kull.

Jazz fans have long been devotees of Georgi Garanian's Sextet. In 1957, Garanian, Zubov, Bakholdin and Goretkin (then students of technical colleges and members of the orchestra under composer You. Saulsky) performed to win silver medals at the International Jazz Contest during the Sixth World Youth Festival. Later Garanian, Zubov and Bakholdin became leading musicians in O. Lundstrem's orchestra; they frequently appeared on the air and made recordings. For the "Jazz '65" Festival they got together with Prudovsky's trio. All the members of the sextet are brilliant musicians and their performance is marked by brilliance, diversity of moods and harmony. This equally applies to U. Naissoo's unusual set "In The Folk Style", Garanian's deeply emotional, moody "Ballad" and Bakholdin's full of humor, virtuoso "When There Is A Lack Of Technique". Alto saxophone Garanian is a gifted arranger whose jazz experience proved him authority in this sphere; his virtuoso improvisations are always interesting in form. Alexei Zubov, tenor-saxophone, is known for his energetic, emotional improvisations; with hie fine sense of swing, he is able to play with equal success in small and large groups. Trombonist Konstantin Bakholdin wins over audiences by his temperamental style of performance and creativity.

The young pianist Igor Brill's Trio has been performing for several years. This is a well-knit gourd whose members are talented composers and arrangers of popular voices by Soviet Composers. Recorded are the jazz arrangement of A. Flarkovsky's song "That's How I Want You To Be" performed by I. Brie, quick rhythmic piece "Horse-riders" composed by V. Zhuravsky, and I. Bril's composition "Awakening" reflecting the main tendency of the trio. Igor Boil is a graduate of the Moscow Conservatory Music School. His performance is marked by nobility, lyricism and fullbodied tone. Alexei Isplatovsky (bass) is a student of Moscow conservatoire; resourcefulness  and fine, rich sonority are characteristic features of his solo efforts. Vladimir Zhuravsky is the most experience performer of the three, with many years of concert activity behind him. His energetic, diverse rhythms are an interesting contrast to the lyrical technique of the pianist.

Yuri Chugunov's Quintet is comparatively young even though most of its members have been playing jazz for some time. Their style is marked by soft, calm lyricism and is an example of "cool jazz". Chugunov has been playing the saxophone for over six years; he makes arrangement and original jazz compositions. Recorded is his thoughtful, slightly sorrowful "Waltz". All the other members of the quintet are amateur musicians, Guitarist Vladimir Arefiev and pianist Sergei Berlin are engineers, while Vyacheslav Rakhmattulin (bass) and Gennady Lebedev (drums) are college students. All of them were frequent performers at the "Sail" youth club.

Also included is an arrangement of V. Muradely's popular "Don't Be Blue" set by pianist Victor Prudovsky for his jazz trio. Victor is a young pianist whose energetic style and musicianship make the listener follow intently the development of his effective improvisation. Two other members of the trio are Adolf Satanovsky, an experienced bass player with an excellent feeling for ensemble, and Alexander Goretkin (drums), a temperamental and sensitive musical. The fine cooperation of the three in providing steady beat and vivaciousness contribute greatly to the trio's success.