The Orchestra was founded by Vladimir Tolkachev in 1985 from the students of Novosibirsk State Conservatoire. For several years its name was “Eurosib International”. In 1994 the orchestra entered Novosibirsk State Philharmonic Society.
The orchestra works in different genres. One of the directions is free-form music: 40-minutes variations by V. Tolkachev on the theme of G. Gershwin's "Summertime", V. Chekasin’s “Concert for orchestra”. Big band also realizes ambitious projects: staging of the jazz concert version of Gershwin’s opera “Porgy and Bess” with American singers, choir and string orchestra; first performance in Russia of Ellington-Strayhorn’s “Shakespeare suite”, compositions by Tchaikovsky, Glazunov and Stravinsky with participation of musicians of the symphony orchestra; jazz versions of “West Side Story” with string orchestra and chamber choir and of the ballet “Nutcracker” in Duke Ellington’s transcription; musical “De-Lovely”; program “Frank Sinatra’s songs” etc.
Big Band took part in more than 30 international jazz festivals: Pori and Imatra (Finland), Montreux (Switzerland), Vienne and Megeve (France), Hannover (Germany); several times performed in Paris at the famous Lionel Hampton jazz club.
Famous foreign soloists and vocalists collaborated with the orchestra: Bobby Watson, Donald Harrison, Valery Ponomarev (all three are ex-members of the legendary ensemble “Jazz Messengers”), Ernie Watts (twice winner of the Grammy award), Dee Dee Bridgewater (three times winner of the Grammy award), Ann Hampton Callaway, Kevin Mahogany, Nicole Henry, Bobby Harden, Tommy Campbell, Fantine (USA), Mina Agossi, Andre Villeger, Jean Loup Longnon (France), Bianca Morales, Pekka Toivanen (Finland), John Downes, Anthony Strong (Great Britain), Benjamin Herman (Netherlands), Robert Anchipolovsky, Leonid Ptashka (Israel), as well as stars of Russian jazz: Igor Bril, Igor Butman, Vladimir Chekasin, Anatoly Kroll, Daniil Kramer, Arkady Shilkloper and others.
In 2008 Vladimir Tolkachev Big Band performed at the main stage of Pori Jazz festival in the same program with world jazz super-stars: Chick Corea, Dave Weckl, Randy Brecker, Al Di Meola, Lenny White.
In 2013 and 2014 the orchestra toured to South Korea and performed at the largest and the most famous hall of Seoul Art Center.
“We have not even expected that in your country there is such an outstanding Big Band!”
ITAR-TASS correspondent V. Kutahov summarizes
the opinions of the audience at Seoul Art Center (July 2013.).
“Vladimir Tolkachev Big Band is said to be one of the best Big Bands in Russia. After seeing them I can say they are one of the best bands I have heard, a true Big Band and with tightness and style of the great bands of the past”.
Jason Park, "Evening news", Manchester, July 2008.
“Talented scouts of the Jazz Musical Initiative have found a treasure in Novosibirsk, and Vladimir Tolkachev's Jazz Band was named the Top-ensemble of the Festival”.
“Hannoversche allgemeine zeitung”, № 50, 28.02.2002.
“What the people in the audience have heard from the banks of the Ob River - destroyed the cultural prejudices in their western minds... I pinch myself to believe in the reality of the situation: So that's what it is - musical Siberia!”
“Hannoversche allgemeine zeitung”, №99, 29.04.2002.
Viktor Tregubov Manager of Big Band
E-mail:
bandvt@mail.ru
Video:
www.youtube.com/user/jazzbandnsk/videos?view=1