Trumpet/Flugelhorn virtuoso Alex "Sasha" Sipiagin makes his Blue Note debut as a leader on June 21 to release his latest CD, Generations (Criss Cross, May '10), a tribute to the late trumPeter Woody Shaw. Shaw's influence has long been implicit in Sipiagin's playing - not only in the Russian-born trumpeter's work as a leader, but also in his scorching solos with Dave Holland's Big Band and Octet, the Mingus Big Band, the late Michael Brecker's Sextet and Quindectet and many more. With Generations, his eighth Criss Cross release as a leader, Sipiagin displays an astonishing combination of technique, lyricism, and warmth in his soloing over the nine tracks (four originals, four penned by Shaw). Joining Sipiagin will be veteran pianist Dave Kikoski, bassist Boris Kozlov, and the young drummer Marcus Gilmore.
WHEN: Monday, June 21, 2010; Sets at 8:00pm & 10:30pm
WITH: Alex Sipiagin, trumpet; David Kikoski, piano; Boris Kozlov, bass; Marcus Gilmore, drums
COST: $15 @ table / $10 @ bar
WHERE: The Blue Note; 131 W 3rd. St, New York, NY 10012
MORE: Doors open at 6:00pm. There is a $5 food/beverage minimum.
Trumpet/flugelhorn virtuoso Alex Sipiagin is joined by pianist Dave Kikoski, bassist Boris Kozlov and drummer Marcus Gilmore for the group's debut at the Blue Note. Sipiagin's on night only will celebrate the release of his latest CD, "Generations," on the Criss Cross label.
Alex Sipiagin was born on June 11, 1967 in Yaroslavl, Russia, a provincial city 150 miles from Moscow known for being home to one of Russia's most famous opera singers, Leonid Sobinov, also Alex's great-grand uncle. At 12 years of age, he began playing in a children's orchestra, studying under the great symphonic trumpeter and teacher, Mikhael Tsamaiev, his first inspiration. It was shortly after entering a local musical college at age 15 that Sipiagin was introduced to and inspired by what few and rare taped recordings were available in Russia of bebop and other jazz music. He knew he had to go to Moscow for a chance to learn more, and at 16 auditioned for the Moscow Music Institute, where he beat out 50 other students to get in. There he combined his classical studies with explorations into jazz. At 19 and after receiving his Baccalaureate, Sipiagin served the mandatory 2 years in the Russian army and then, upon release, continued his classical training and music studies at the Gnessin Conservatory in Moscow, earning tuition on pop gigs and recording sessions.
In 1990, Alex won first place in a Russian young jazz players' competition in Rostov City. That same year, with "Glasnost" in fully sway, he visited the United States for the first time, performing with a Russian student jazz band, Green Wave, when they were asked to headline the Corpus Christi Jazz Festival in Texas. He caught the attention and ears of many and was invited to participate in the International
Louis Armstrong Competition sponsored by the Thelonius Monk Institute in Washington D.C. Other trumpeters competing were those who would later become today's prominent players such as Ryan Kisor, Scott Wendtholt, Nicolas Payton, and others. Alex placed 4th in the competition, and was presented a Bach trumpet by the legendary
Clark Terry, the trumpet which he still plays to this day.
Following a challenging year, in 1991 Alex decided to pursue jazz to the next level and moved to New York City. He sat in on jam sessions until he snagged his first jazz gig in 1992, playing every Monday night at Sweet Basil with the Gil Evans Band directed by Miles Evans. Then in 1993 he became a member of Gil Goldstein's Zebra Coast Orchestra, which replaced the Gil Evans Band slot on Monday nights at Sweet Basil. In 1994, Sipiagin became a regular member of the George Gruntz Concert Jazz Band while performing also with drummer Bob Moses' band, Mozamba. Trumpeters
Earl Gardner and Randy Brecker introduced Sipiagin to become a member of the Mingus Big Band in 1995, of which he is still a regular member, as well as the Mingus Dynasty and Mingus Orchestra. Since 2000, Dave Holland has invited him to be a regular member of his big band and currently with his various small groups, and in 2003 he recorded with Michael Brecker's Quindectet, which he has heavily toured with alongside Michael Brecker's Sextet. Alex has also performed with
Eric Clapton,
Dr. John, Aaron Neville and
Elvis Costello,
Michael Franks, Dave Sanborn,
Deborah Cox, legendary producer
Phil Ramone, and many of the recordings he has been involved in have won Grammy's.
As a soloist, Sipiagin has 11 recordings out to his credit, most notably with Criss Cross, and has toured extensively throughout Europe, Japan and Russia with his group. Since 2006, he has joined the impressive roster of modern artists on the Grammy award winning innovative internet company ArtistShare, releasing "Out of the Circle" which came out a year later on the Sunnyside label.
Today, Sipiagin lives in the North Fork of Long Island and continues to perform and tour with the Dave Holland groups, Mingus groups (and various others) as well as with his own solo projects worldwide.
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