Viacheslav Preobrazhenski : iSOUND.COM™

Biography

Many non-Russians who have come into contact with Viacheslav have had difficulty in pronouncing his name and for this reason he has become known usually as VP or Slava. Slava’s professional career began at the age of fourteen. He has graduated in the best Soviet musical college Gnessin (1974), and he’s paid his dues by going through a whole course of jazz and commercial ensembles. Later Slava found himself in a big band "The All Stars" under the famous conductor/composer Iury Markin’s talented leadership. In the eighties he was invited to join the celebrated (and the best Soviet) Oleg Lundstrem big band as a soloist. For 5 years he played on tours to Asia, Africa and Europe with Lundstrem`s big band. On and off the road Slava still took active part in concerts, recordings and club dates, All Union and International Jazz Festivals not only as a soloist for the big band but also as a leader of "The Ensemble Of Soloists" which Slava set up with others outstanding virtuosos. The following stage in Slava’s creative activity as a nature jazz musician was the work he accomplished under the Anatole Kroll’s widely praised jazz orchestra. This stage is characterized by Slava’s creative searching and preference for small ensembles, where his individuality shone in a new light. During this time Slava jammed/gigged with well known jazz artists. In 1990 during a brief visit to Sweden he performed together with well known Swedish jazz musicians and the world famous American bassist Red Mitchell at the Castle Hotel’s East Meets West Jazz Summit. In attendance were the vice consuls and cultural attaches from both the United States and Soviet Embassies. Slava has also recorded with Red for television. Next year Slava invites Red and Horace Parlan - one of the most outstanding jazz artists of the continent to do the first trip to post Soviet Russia. There they made the album "We All Hope" with Russian Chamber Orchestra (1992). They have recorded for television and made a film about this tour. In 1993 Slava arranged a new recording with well known Swedish and international jazz musicians such as Nils Sandström (ten. sax), Horace Parlan (piano), Sture Nordin (bass) and Ronnie Gardiner (drums). This album was called "Russian Blue" on Gemini Records label, release date - May 1994. A new album "Day By Day" was recorded in December 1999 on Slava`s Dolphin Music label with well known Swedish musicians: Bo Skuba (piano), Jörgen Smeby (bass) and Bo Söderberg (drums). Release date - March 2000. “Nightfall” was recorded in September 2002 on Dolphin Music label with Bo Skuba (piano), Ivar Lindell (bass) and Patrik Jansson (drums). Release date – September 2003. Slava is also available on LP’s: “Back Address”, “Only Yesterday” and as soloist with Oleg Lundstrem big band on LP “In Swing Time”. In the last few years Slava has settled in Stockholm and has played with many of the major Swedish jazz artists. In addition he teaches jazz improvisation and ensemble at one of the largest centres of cultural education in Scandinavia, Kulturama in Stockholm.