ELINA VASILTCHIKOVA (JAZZ VOCALIST)

"If you are the special connoisseur who enjoys: A tasteful choice of standard and original material, Impeccable intonation and voice control seldom heard since the early years of Ella Fitzgerald, A sensuous delivery of spell binding love songs Brilliant and competent musical accompaniment, Then you must add Elina's latest CD (I Never Felt This Way Before) to your collection." Reggie Workman The personnel on this record are: Elina Vasiltchikova-vocal Joe Locke-vibes Chembo Corniel-percussion Misha Tsiganov-piano Valtinho Anastacio-percussion Cafe-percussion Alex Sipiagin -trumpet Andrei Ryabov-guitar Gary Schreiner-harmonica Dmitri Kolesnik-bass Boris Kurganov-sax Oleg Butman-drums Mike Campenni-drums Rouslan Khaine-bass People, who know Elina, associate her with the word beautiful and everything that it entails. One will often hear such expressions as beautiful voice, beautiful singer, beautiful person in regards to her, and these words fully describe Elina's Art. Born in Baku, Azerbaijan (former USSR), Elina Vasiltchikova has been performing in the US since 1990. For the past 10 years, along with her singing career, Elina worked as an educator. She has brought up a generation of talented vocalists while teaching "Voice Technique Class" at the Jazz Faculty of The New School University. Her new album is titled "I Never Felt This Way Before". The name of this album was anything but accidental: Elina was never before so ready to put her heart, talent, feelings, and all of her musical and life experiences into a single project. This collection of songs is a world of personal self-expression and self-actualization that you are fortunate enough to be able to explore. "My album includes songs that are deeply personal and emotional." Elina says," Songs that I have chosen are revealing the story of my life." This project includes rarely performed jazz standards, as well as Elina's original score. The first song, "Adios My Love" and the very last one, "I Never Felt This Way Before", were both written by the singer. In the last song, Elina also plays the piano. Elina's love for music started when she received a toy piano as gift from her grandfather at the age of four. She performed in the kindergarten and played in front of the family and friends. Later her parents insisted that she auditioned for music school. At the age of twelve Elina put together a vocal ensemble, which was successful enough to win prizes at numerous prestigious festivals that were held in the Opera Theatre, Drama Theatre, and other venues in the city where she was born. At the Music School, she trained in classical piano. Later on, she continued her education at Music College of "Asaph Zeinallu". Her passion for classical music manifested itself in performing pieces by Rakhmaninov, Bach, Vivaldi, Brahms, Chopin, Beethoven, Griegg, and other greats. This infatuation also made it a difficult feat when it came to choosing between continuing to play piano or singing. Ultimately, Elina realized that her real passion was voice. Eventually, Elina graduated from School of St. Petersburg Music Hall. At the age of twenty, she became a principle vocalist, actress, and a dancer of the above named Theatre. There she adapted the image of jack-of-all-trades. It was a wonderful experience for the young artist to perform on this world-famous stage, but it was not enough for Elina, whose passionate love for jazz eventually lead her to Moscow. The extent of Elina's performances is very broad: she collaborated with Jazz Big Band of Oleg Lundstrem, a brilliant pianist Leonid Chizhik, the Moscow State Orchestra of Radio & Television, St. Petersburg Orchestra of Radio & Television, "Friderikhstate Palace" (Germany), and played at venues in Italy, Germany, USA, Russia, Poland, Mongolia, and other concert halls all over the world. In The US Elina worked and performed with such musicians as Joe Locke, Harvie Swartz, Benny Golson, Kenny Barron, Ron Carter, Marvin "Smitty" Smith, Reggie Workman, Cliff Korman, Valtinho, Mike Campenni and members of Arturo Sandoval's band - Otmaro Ruiz and Aaron Serfaty. She also performed with Misha Tsiganov, Andrei Ryabov, Igor and Oleg Butman, Dmitri Kolesnik and Alex Sipiagin (Mingus Band). Elina's soothing velvet voice is sure to touch your heart. From the first sound, the notion of her great stage appearance and performance will amplify your perception of the art of music, word, and movement that this singer is so easily able to deliver to you.

 

VIDEOS

 

ELINA - I NEVER FELT THIS WAY BEFORE (2005)

Combination of jazz standards and original material with the Brazilian influence

Elina Vasiltchikova-vocal
Joe Locke-vibes
Chembo Corniel-percussion
Misha Tsiganov-piano
Valtinho Anastacio-percussion
Cafe-percussion
Alex Sipiagin -trumpet
Andrei Ryabov-guitar
Gary Schreiner-harmonica
Dmitri Kolesnik-bass
Boris Kurganov-sax
Oleg Butman-drums
Mike Campenni-drums
Rouslan Khaine-bass
 

1. Adios My Love
2. Acorda, Meu Amor
3. Solitary Moon
4. Just One of Those Things
5. Dindi
6. A Thousand Beautiful Things
7. What a Little Moonlight Can Do
8. Don't Explain
9. Moonlight
10. More Love
11. Come Back As a Flower
12. Make Sure You're Sure
13. I Never Felt This Way Before
 

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