Vyacheslav Ganelin

Vyacheslav Ganelin (born December 17, 1944 in Kraskovo near Moscow) is a Lithuanian Jewish jazz musician and composer. He plays piano, organ, bass, guitar, percussions and was one of the pioneers of free jazz in the Soviet Union.

Youth

In 1948 his family moved to Lithuania, where he learned to play piano in the music school, and later at the Vilnius Conservatory where he graduated in 1968.

In 1961 he debuted as jazz pianist in a concert, after partial cultural liberalization under the rule of Nikita Khrushchev.

Career

Togehther with percussionist and Jazz drummer Vladimir Tarasov and saxophonist Vladimir Chekasin in 1970-1971 he formed the Ganelin Trio, which achieved critical acclaim in Soviet Union and abroad. The trio performed together until 1987, when Vyacheslav Ganelin emigrated to Israel.

Vyacheslav Ganelin is continuing his solo career, playing with various artists including Petras Vyšniauskas, Arkadiy Gotesman, and Klaus Kugel.

As a composer Ganelin wrote music for movies and worked with many film directors, including Vadim Abdrashitov.

References

* [http://wm01.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:giftxqt5ldae~T1 Ganelin Trio] , Allmusic.com

External links

*imdb name|0304245
* [http://www.ce-review.org/99/4/music4_jahnke.html Jazz in Lithuania]