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ANDREJ POLEVIKOV PROJECT ETHNIC MOOD

ANDREJ POLEVIKOV PROJECT ETHNIC MOOD

 

 

Andrej Polevikov – keyb

Denis Murashov  – bg

Darius Rudis  – dr

 

Giedrė Kilčiauskienė – voc

Girmantė Vaitkutė – voc

Vytautė Pupšytė – voc

Laura Budreckytė – voc

 

Uniting quite a few professional jazz musicians and exponents of other genres this project was formed for a recording of an album, which was released last autumn. The project’s rhythm group and vocalists bring the album to Birštonas Jazz.

 According to the leader, the inspiration for Ethnic Mood came from Lithuanian folksongs. The musicians present a refreshing synthesis of folklore and jazz offering interesting and unexpected sonorities anchored in national culture. Tailored to individual features and abilities of the performers Andrej Polevikov’s arrangements are imbued with distinct flavour and mood.

20 years ago Andrej made his big-stage-debut in Birštonas Jazz, thus it is rather symbolic that he celebrates this anniversary with colleagues who accompanied him on his very start. Each member of the project is associated with the University of Applied Sciences – is either graduate of or pedagogue at the University.   

Pianist, composer and arranger Andrej Polevikov is well versed in various styles –from traditional jazz to pop and contemporary music. The jazz community admires his virtuosity and in-depth knowledge of jazz traditions as well as his artistic investigation of jazz standards in which he always discovers new colours.

Andrej’s respect for jazz classics and its creators can be felt in his piano playing, compositions and arrangements. It is obvious in his projects Jazz Miniatures, Glorious Gershwin and Blue in Bossa.

He earned Master Degree from the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre in 2008. He was twice a winner of the Jazz Improvisation International Jazz Piano Competition organised by the LAMT: in 2007 (second prize) and 2009 (first prize).

However, his main creative energies are channelled into collaboration with jazz vocalists. The list of his stage partners includes Daiva Starinskaitė, Kristina Žaldokaitė, Jazzu, Neda Malūnavičiūtė, Vilija Matačiūnaitė and Sounds in G gospel choir.

The keyboardist teamed-up with many a Lithuanian jazz virtuoso including Remigijus Rančys, Pranas Kentra, Domas Aleksa and Darius Rudis. He made jazz festival appearances in Lithuania, Latvia, Germany and Luxembourg, performed in the United Kingdom, Estonia, Poland, Russia, Belarus, Turkey, Sweden, Belgium and France. 

Polevikov teaches at the University of Applied Sciences.

Deniss  Murashov, a graduate of the University of Applied Sciences, is a musician of wide horizons. The bassist feels at ease in variety of jazz styles – from swing standards and Gypsy to original contemporary music. He partakes in different projects including The Swing Cats, The Ditties and Home Jazz Band, collaborates with younger generation jazzmen Remigijus Rančys, Leonardas Pilkauskas, Paulius Volkovas, Gediminas Augustaitis and Dominykas Vyšniauskas to name but a few.

He combines his performing career with pedagogical work.

Darius Rudis has studied percussion at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre as well as Groningen Conservatoire (the Netherlands); he also took private composition lessons. The drummer can be heard in most various music styles from reggae, flamenco, gospel, pop, Brazilian music to modern jazz and club music.

Rudis has collaborated with the most creative Lithuanian jazz representatives including Vladimir Tarasov, Dainius Pulauskas, Vytautas Labutis, Leonid Shinkarenko, Arūnas Šlaustas, Egidijus Buožis, Jan Maksimovich, Kęstutis Vaiginis and Baiba Skurstene. He shared the stage with Happyendless, Rojaus tūzai, Skamp, Pieno lazeriai, Jazzu and Leon Somov, and numerous Lithuanian pop music celebrities.

The drummer took part in international projects with Germans Bernd Homann, Wolfgang Lackerschmid and Hendrik Meurkens, Americans Philip Hamilton, Chielli Minucci, Frank Marocco, Victor Mendoza, Austin Becker, Niki Haris, Gene Perla and Sheila Charles, Bulgarian Anatoly Vapirov, Finn Aleksi Tuomarila as well as Dutch, Turkish, Estonian, Brazilian, Argentinean and South African improvisers.

He appeared in jazz festivals in Switzerland, Finland, France, Greece, Germany, Belgium, Moldova, Luxembourg, Sweden, the Netherlands, the UK and Spain among other countries.

Giedrė Kilčiauskienė is Polevikov’s regular stage partner, a member of his Quartet. Their joined projects Jazz Miniatures and Blue in Bossa earned great acclaim in Lithuania and abroad. In 2013, Jazz Miniatures recorded an album, and in 2016 the Quartet released VII featuring original compositions.

The soloist has performed in various clubs in Belgium, France and Germany, also appeared in Luxembourg festival. Some years ago she was a soloist with Empti and Pieno lazeriai alternative music groups.

Giedrė can easily sing Lithuanian anywhere – her unique voice and superb artistry turns the unfamiliar language into magic and mysterious sorcery.

She teaches at the University of Applied Sciences, her Alma Mater.

Girmantė Vaitkutė has studied piano, violin and flute as a child. However, after she joined gospel choir Sounds in G she realised that her biggest passion is singing. As a back vocalist she shared the stage with renowned Lithuanian performers including Jurga Šeduikytė, Česlovas Gabalis, Povilas Meškėla and Rosita Čivilytė.    

In 2009, Girmantė decided to embark on her solo career and introduced a programme Good Songs from Good Films at the Tamsta music club in Vilnius. A successful debut encouraged her to go on. Her wide repertoire spans from Lithuanian folksongs to jazz and pop standards.

In 2014, the singer released her first solo album Mood. Since then she has been indulging her aficionados with her original music.  

Vytautė Pupšytė, a former student of jazz vocal at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre, is active on both jazz and alternative music scene. She is a co-founder of Jing’a’ling with which she won Garažas (Garage) competition organised by Tamsta music club, appeared in Tamsta muzika, Vilnius Mama Jazz, Kaunas Jazz and Elektrėnai Jazz festivals, as well as Sostinės dienos (Capital Days), toured in France, Russia and Latvia.

Vytis Smolskus, the group’s keyboardist, is her main artistic partner. The tandem also collaborates in Sielos ūsai.

In 2014, Vytautė won second prize in Riga Jazz Stage international competition. With various formations she toured in Germany, Denmark, Finland and Belarus.

Vocalist Laura Budreckytė graduated from Birštonas School of Arts and the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre, where she studied jazz vocal. The singer also honed her skills at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, took part in master classes led by Bobby McFerrin, Jeff Cascaro and Brian Melwin. 

In 2012, Laura won the international competition of jazz vocalists Jazz Voices and was voted the best performer of the free programme. In 2013, she garnered Grand Prix at the Riga Jazz Stage.

Consequently, the soloist appeared in prestigious festivals Pori Jazz (Finland) and Rigas Ritmi (Latvia). She also gave performances in Spain, France, United Kingdom, Belgium and Bulgaria as well as around Lithuania.

Laura is a member of CinAmono and The Schwings. She teaches at the University of Applied Sciences.

 

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acc. nr. LT 43 7181 6000 0014 4640

comp. code 190025748

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