Moscow trumpeter and band leader of the Big Jazz Orchestra Pyotr Vostokov will present the program “Jazz in Butterflies” at the Central House of Artists. In an interview with JazzPeople, Peter did not reveal all the secrets of managing an orchestra, but he was happy to talk about it as a single musical organism and shared why exactly swing captured his heart and soul 6 years ago.
– Peter, one of distinctive features The Big Jazz Orchestra is the use of old instruments. Tell us more about them. And how does their “age” affect the sound of a big band?
– Since we are engaged in the restoration of quite ancient, but quite youthful music, the first thing we are concerned with is its correct sound. It's about about non-standard, by modern standards, drum kit. It is based on a real big drum (BB) of quite impressive size. Its presence is very important to ensure the correct balance between the bass and the rest of the orchestra. BB completely duplicates the double bass part (which makes it possible not to overhear the latter) and the pianist’s left hand part. These are also cymbals of various purposes and sizes, wood and tempo blocks, all sorts of percussion and noise tramps, which have long gone out of use in a standard big band.
Another example is a rhythm guitar whose part never sounds right on modern instrument. This led us to purchase a real "can" from the 1950s-60s. As for wind instruments, the choice of instrument is a personal matter for the musicians, their convenience and the search for a sound that suits them. Few people risk resorting to something authentic, although I myself play a 1924 Martin Handcraft and am quite satisfied with this instrument. The important part is the sound of the brass, it is the use of the correct time for our music mutes.
swing is one of the highest achievements in the culture of the 20th century
– You created BDO together with jazz singer Daria Antonova in 2010. Why did you choose the era of swing and the jazz gold rush?
– In fact, we play quite different music - from sweet jazz of the 20s to rock music of the 70s. But our heart belongs precisely to the era of big orchestras of the 30s and 40s. Since I began to get involved in orchestral jazz and led an orchestra myself, I have become personally convinced that this particular music has artistic qualities. It is one of the highest achievements in the culture of the last century.
This is due to so many things: a truly golden repertoire, a way of writing for orchestra that has never been seen before or since. Incredible, I would even say inaccessible performance of the people who created and once recorded it with such genuine enthusiasm on records, extreme accessibility and, of course, the influence that it had on everything that came after. All this makes me personally continue to keep this music alive every day by performing it in concerts. Our director and permanent vocalist Daria Antonova completely shares the orchestra’s repertoire policy with me.
– Your programs are dedicated to the famous jazz classics of the last century. Does this mean that these musicians are your inspirations to whom you pay tribute?
– Of course, everything we do is my biggest inspiration in music. Otherwise we wouldn't be making so much effort. The choice of programs is usually determined by some anniversary dates, or commercial moves. For example, we play Ellington’s Nutcracker at the Moscow Conservatory, and Base’s James Bond in the Kremlin. There is nothing unusual here.
– What rules do you, as a band leader, follow so that the band remains well-coordinated on stage and does not lose mutual understanding outside of it?
“Everyone here has their own secrets.” Mine is to pay musicians money (Laughs).
Interviewed by Victoria Mall
Photos courtesy of interview guest Peter Vostokov
February 3, 2019 for the first time in its history Big Jazz Orchestra p/u trumpeter Petra Vostokova will perform at Great Hall of the Moscow State Conservatory. Pyotr Tchaikovsky with the program “From the New World”.
So - "From the New World"- was the name of Symphony No. 9, which the Czech composer wrote in 1893 based on material from several years of work in the USA Antonin Dvorak (Antonin Dvořák, 1841-1904). It was Dvorak who was the first of the major figures in world musical art to prophetically recognize the artistic potential of African-American music - music that would permeate the next century with its influences musical art around the world and, in particular, gave birth to the art of jazz.
Dvorak, in particular, wrote:
In the Negro melodies of America I find everything necessary for the creation of a great and noble music school. They are plaintive, tender, passionate, melancholic, solemn, religious, brave, cheerful, joyful - whatever... American musician understands these melodies, and they awaken feelings in him...
The concert program includes new musical art of the 20th century from the American continent, born at the intersection of “white” and “black” traditions, European classics and African-American rhythms: “ Rhapsody in Blue"("Rhapsody in Blue") George Gershwin in the rarely performed original 1924 version, Duke Ellington's series of "railroad" miniatures from the 1930s. (" Track 360», « Daybreak Express», « Happy Go-Lucky Local»…), « Ebony Concerto"("Ebony Concert") Igor Stravinsky, which the great Russian composer wrote in 1945 for a jazz orchestra Woody Herman, as well as themes from West Side Story Leonard Bernstein (« West Side Story", 1957) and jazz versions of Russian classic melodies.
Concert host - editor-in-chief"Jazz.Ru" Kirill Moshkov - about the orchestra:
The Big Jazz Orchestra is an association of young musicians of a high level of skill, graduates of the Russian Academy of Music. Gnesins, who trained in American and European jazz colleges. Under the leadership of the outstanding Russian jazz trumpeter Peter Vostokov's orchestra explores the original sounds of historical scores of the greatest jazz big bands, restoring the authentic sound of the 1920s - 1960s in all its vibrant diversity, in full accordance with the era and style, but not as museum exhibits, but as a living, exciting sound fabric that is still relevant today.
Concert in two parts of 50 minutes each with intermission.
February 3, Sunday, 19:00: Great Hall Conservatory named after P.I. Tchaikovsky - Bolshaya Nikitskaya st., 13/6 (metro station named after Lenin Library / Okhotny Ryad). Tickets online (300 ₽ - 2800 ₽)
VIDEO: Peter Vostokov's Big Jazz Orchestra performs the original 1924 version of George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue"
Small Hall of the Moscow State Conservatory. P.I. Tchaikovsky October 2, 2018. Piano part: Valery Grokhovsky.
Biographical information: Peter Vostokov born and raised in Moscow. Graduated in 2009 Russian Academy music named after Gnesins. Graduate of the Russian-American educational project “Open World-2006”, participant of the “Lionel Hampton International Jazz Festival” in the United States. Winner of Do#J 2007 and “New Generation” 2010. Vostokov was a member of many metropolitan jazz groups, including Igor Butman’s Big Band and chamber orchestra them. Oleg Lundstrem. He played with Anatoly Kroll's "Akademik-Band", in Alexey Kozlov's "Arsenal", with the ensembles of Vagif Sadikhov, Ivan Farmakovsky and Viktor Eponeshnikov. Today, Peter Vostokov teaches trumpet class at the Academy. Gnessins at the pop-jazz department.
Big Jazz Orchestra under the direction of Peter Vostokov
Concerts of the Great Jazz Orchestra of Peter Vostokov resurrect golden era jazz fever, takes you back to the days of swing and crowded dance clubs. This was made possible through the use of original scores of the time, retro instruments that recreate the authentic sound. The orchestra's programs are dedicated to the “giants” of jazz: Jimmy Lunsford, Dizzy Gillespie, Duke Ellington and others. Music that sounded 40, 50 and even 70 years ago in the hands of young jazzmen comes to life; it is no longer “mothballs”, but retro, requiring the right approach to be fully revealed.
Peter Vostokov himself says that his orchestra was created to support the beloved music of the 20-40s of the last century, its traditions. Numerous scores and recordings help to fully reveal the mood of that era. He calls the Lunsford Orchestra one of the brightest and most significant groups of the swing period, whose name began to be forgotten over time. That's why one of the concert programs dedicated specifically to him, his innovations: solo electric guitar, playing the trumpet in an extremely high register, performing various tricks on stage. Lunsford's music is distinguished by incredible energy, danceability and accessibility, and thanks to the Big Jazz Orchestra it continues to live and be heard on concert stages.
The composition of the Big Jazz Orchestra is unique; it includes young talents, students and graduates of the most famous Russian music universities, soloists of jazz bands, laureates of festivals and competitions.
- Creators and directors: Petr Vostokov (musical director, trumpet), Daria Antonova (director, vocals).
- Saxophone, clarinet: Roman Sekachev, Andrey Krasilnikov, Ivan Baryshnikov, Alexander Yazykov, Sergey Baulin.
- Rhythm section: keyboards by Andrey Zimovets, double bass by Nikolai Zatolochny, drums and vocals by Egor Kryukovsky, guitar by Maxim Shibin.
- Trumpet: Sergey Ponomarev, Pavel Suyazov, Pavel Ivanov.
- Trombone: Sergei Serov, Sergei and Anton Gimazetdinov.
The orchestra's debut took place in 2010 on the stage of the capital's House of Journalists. Already at the end of the same year, the group played at the celebration of the 13th anniversary of Jazz.RU, and six months later won the Grand Prix of Usadba Jazz and became a laureate of Gnesin-Jazz. 2012 became a very busy year, the young team took part in three of the largest festivals in Russia at once: “Jazz in the Hermitage Garden” (August), “ Russian stars world jazz" (November) and April "All the colors of Moscow jazz". Today the Big Jazz Orchestra can be heard far beyond Moscow; the group actively tours and conducts active festival activities.
The orchestra's directors are constantly searching for original scores, collaborating with museums, publishers and institutions, and transcribing gramophone recordings. The team strives to bring music to listeners in the version in which it was intended, with the same vibrations, sound balance, touches, which can only be done on original ancient instruments.
Five years of the Big Jazz Orchestra. How did it all start? Why are you, being a very popular young musician who has played in the most famous jazz bands, have you decided to create your own orchestra? This is a large-scale enterprise, the benefits of which are doubtful, but the difficulties are close and obvious.
By the time the orchestra was organized, I had graduated from the Gnesin special school, worked for Igor Butman and the Lundstrem Orchestra. But I wanted to create something of my own and play exactly the music that I like. There was an idea to gather in one group my friends, musicians of the same age, scattered in a variety of places and groups. So the Big Jazz Orchestra appeared, among other things, to play “with its crowd.”
- How old were you when you organized yourself?
- Wasn’t it scary to set off on your own, or did you have no idea how it would turn out in the end?
We had no idea. Initially it was just an idea. It wasn’t even my idea, but our singer, Daria Antonova’s. We tried to gather friends, like-minded people, had a good time, was productive, and made a program. After the first concert, it became obvious that we had to continue further! So we started playing every month Central house journalist. The first year all concerts took place only there.
- How did you get to Domzhur? Someone called you or you just came and said: we’re so cool, we want to give a concert with you...
Before appearing at the House of Journalists, we performed at the photo center on Gogolevsky Boulevard. Not only as musicians, but also as organizers. Afterwards, some difficulties arose with the premises, and the director of this center personally took us to the director of Domzhur, introduced us, and we moved there. We got a fairly large stage and hall, and decided to take advantage of the luck that had befallen us to organize a real jazz orchestra. In fact, we started everything together with our soloist Dasha Antonova - we prepared concerts, invited groups and performed ourselves, we had a quartet with baritone saxophonist Roman Sekachev. Without this site, which became our rehearsal base for a long time, we probably would not have gotten off the ground very soon. Or never at all. But we're lucky!
- It's clear. Well, now about the most important thing, that is, about the music. Your most favorite music belongs to the era of the 20-40s of the last century, the “Golden Era of Jazz”. Is it mostly swing?
Not only swing. I like the most different music this time. We try to play not only swing, hot music, but also “sweet” music, we do programs of Afro-Cuban music dating back to the 40-50s. By and large, the orchestra's repertoire is compiled according to my tastes.
- That is, your tastes change, and your repertoire also changes?
Yes. You can say so... Now a certain policy has developed for our orchestra. Initially, we only tried what I liked and wanted it to sound like. Now everything is a little different... We are systematically engaged in restoring music. In its correct meaning and sound.
- How do you know what it should be? What sources do you use? Sheet music, video, something else?
We take it from completely different sources... The music is quite beloved by the public, so many people play it, but most often they do not take the performance very seriously. And as a result, it doesn't sound the way it should. There are a lot of subtleties that we have devoted a lot of time to and continue to study them...
- Study authentic performance?
Yes. The point is not, as many people believe, that we copy some records. No. The point is to understand the source material, to achieve the original sound of a swing orchestra. But it does not coincide with modern understanding! There are rules chamber music that we are trying to follow are the rules of live music playing. We sit down and play at such a volume that everyone can hear everything - both the musicians and the audience. It is important to create the sound of a live band. This determines a lot. That is, not just everyone plays forte, piano, and so on.... There are rules for acoustic music. There are touch points. Other articulations.
- And you want your musicians to adhere to the style of performance that was at the time this music was created?
It’s just that what we play won’t sound good any other way. Many people think that there is no need to copy old version, if everything is on the records. I don't agree. I believe this is real classical music of our time.
- Do you mean the jazz that was played in the 20-40s?
Certainly. This is such a classic and needs to be performed correctly. Because jazz music more than worthy of this.
- Which ones? Give an example, please... The most beloved, the most inspiring.
Our orchestra tries primarily to play the music of the Jimmy Lunceford Orchestra. This is my favorite “black” orchestra. Another source of inspiration is the “white” Boyd Raeburn Orchestra. Unfortunately, it is little known, but this is absolutely amazing music! And we are very glad that we are playing it according to the original notes. We made a separate program with Boyd Raeburn's compositions and now use individual numbers in our main program.
- Where do you get the original notes from??
In the case of Boyd Raeburn, the painted sheet music, their parts, with manual edits exist in an American university library and, in principle, are available. And we started playing music, for example, by Jimmy Lunsford, by looking for notes that were published at that time or taken from an old recording. But after some time we realized that the notes were taken incorrectly. And they began to take them off themselves. This is mainly what Anton Gimazetdinov is doing now. So many old music, which we play, was shot and made entirely by us, and no one can play the same. We are proud of this and such compositions form the basis of our repertoire. I wouldn't want to play what everyone else is playing. And for someone else to play our music.
- That is, originality, uniqueness is the main meaning?
I just think that every group has its own repertoire, this is normal. Even if it consists of someone else's music. Because this music is worthy of being played today. We do this, get great pleasure and start making good money from it. More than Boyd Raeburn, at least.
- In five years, have you reached self-sufficiency?
Yes. For the first 2-3 years, a lot of money and effort were invested, the guys played with full enthusiasm and, naturally, many problems arose because of this. Now, for the last couple of years, everything is happening as it should be. In principle, everything is fine with us and the most important thing is that everything is going uphill. I want this to be a collective that brings income to the musicians, so that the performers are more attached to the Orchestra both from the musical and simply from the human side... So that this is their main job.
- So for you, leading the Orchestra is the only thing that absorbs your time and energy?
No, I still do a lot of things... But all my emotions, all my mental strength
dedicated specifically to the orchestra. I get up in the morning and think about what will happen tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, and every day. In my opinion, since the day of the first concert there has not been a single day in my life when I did not spend several hours on these thoughts. Seriously. For me, the Big Jazz Orchestra has long been the main job in my life... That's why I'm happy.
The Bel Canto Foundation organizes concerts in Moscow, in which the Great Jazz Orchestra of Peter Vostokov participates. On this page you can see a poster of upcoming concerts in 2020 with the participation of the Peter Vostokov Big Jazz Orchestra and buy a ticket for a date convenient for you.
The golden jazz rush, the time of swing and kilometer-long queues at dance halls - this is the atmosphere that the Big Jazz Orchestra resurrects at its concerts. Recreating the authentic sound of the music of that time, using original scores and old instruments, the orchestra presents its listeners with unique programs dedicated to the “outstanding giants” of orchestral jazz. different eras and directions: from the sweet jazz of the 20s by Paul Whiteman to the rock of the late 60s by Buddy Rich, from entertaining dance swing to serious works of large form - Duke Ellington's suites, from the classic mambo of Tito Puente and Perez Prado to jazz interpretations of the group's music The Beatles.
The composition of the Big Jazz Orchestra includes young talents - like-minded people in music, students and graduates of leading music universities in Russia, soloists of leading Moscow jazz big bands, laureates of numerous jazz competitions and festivals. The creators of the orchestra - jazz singer Daria Antonova and famous trumpeter Pyotr Vostokov.
The orchestra made its debut in October 2010 on the stage of the Central House of Journalists in Moscow. And already in April 2011 he received the Grand Prix at international competition young performers "Usadba-Jazz". In the same year he became a laureate of the first international jazz festival of young performers “Gnesin-Jazz”. From 2012 to the present, the orchestra has been a resident of the legendary jazz club “Esse” and a regular guest at various Russian and international jazz festivals(“Jazz in the Hermitage Garden”, “Russian Stars of World Jazz”, “Koktebel Jazz Party”, “Jazz-May”, “Jazz Parking Festival”), performs in the most prestigious halls of the capital, including the Moscow Conservatory, International House Music, State Kremlin Palace.
The Big Jazz Orchestra actively tours throughout Russia and abroad.
Poster for concerts of the Big Jazz Orchestra of Peter Vostokov
Reviews from concerts
It was with great pleasure that I visited the Cathedral on Christmas Eve for the Nutcracker gala concert. Tchaikovsky’s magical music in amazingly beautiful arrangements for organ and jazz orchestra completely immersed me in the world of childhood fairy tales. I would especially like to mention this wonderful Big Jazz Orchestra of Peter Vostokov - its musicians simply work wonders! The very atmosphere of the sacred space of the Cathedral further enhanced the magical effect of the Christmas mood!
Ekaterina Bobrievich
Attended the Classics and Jazz concert. Organ-orchestra. I really enjoyed the music, the festive atmosphere, and the light installation! The music of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky sounds extraordinary, as in classic version, and performance by organ and jazz orchestra. Thanks to the Bel Canto Foundation for organizing such unforgettable concerts.
