George Garanian

If you started to mark the places in which Garanian goes on tour with flags, very soon the globe would turn into a bristled up hedgehog. From France to Kazakhstan, from Izhevsk to Donetsk, from China to Tomsk … Musical horizons of Garanian are as infinite, as geographical. Glenn Miller and Gennady Gladkov, Benny Goodman and Rimski-Corsakov – there is not enough space to name all of them! And one concert is not enough to hear all styles of execution and arrangement that are subject to Garanian. You should watch TV translations of his concerts, buy CDs, listen to the radio. Though … If casually heard melody has set you thinking or smile, if you have closed eyes and for a minute were disconnected from the world or, on the contrary, begun to time steps to the music, does it matter, in what style it is written and even – who is the author? After all you do not know a name of the passer-by who smiled to you in the street. The main thing is that this music has touched your heart.Krasnodar big bandThe history of big band has begun in 1997 with several phrases told Garanian by someone from the government of Krasnodar about a promising orchestra. Garanian has visited a rehearsal of the orchestra and … has lighted up the new project! Less then three months after that Krasnodarski big band created a sensation in Moscow . Triumphal procession of big band on jazz festivals, in the academic halls and at concert has begun. Now this orchestra is one of the most popular in the country and abroad. Krasnodarski big band has released two albums: “Just for fun …” and “When you are smiling …”.The "Melody" OrchestraIn 2004 Garanian has revived the project, which was considered in the USSR as a cult - the band called "Melody". Only Victor Gusejnov and Garanian himself remained from the first members. So this project is a musical paradox: a brand new band with a 35-year history. Despite of their youth, the soloists-improvisators of the new Melody are really brilliant.They can play music almost in any style. Former “Melody” has been named an ensemble-millionaire, because albums of the band were issued by million copies. New “Melody” does not hand over positions: the ensemble has already gotten out the album called “Provereno vremenem” (“Timeless songs”) starring the themes from popular soviet movies, and a double disk “From a melody to a melody”. Initially ensemble “Melody” has been conceived for a studio work. However time has made amendments and now “Melody” is basically a concert collective, to sincere pleasure of its numerous admirers.George Garanian's Moscow Big BandThe "Melody" had further development. In 2006 George Garanian has added 5 musicians to the ensemble - brass and saxophones section - and converted the ensemble to Big Band. Now its repertoire consists of two parts – ensemble MELODY and BIG BAND. Big Band already began to make history participating in some prestigious projects – The presentation of New Year in Moscow biggest hall –Gostiny Dvor, two projects in Great Hall of Moscow Conservatory - Music of American Dancing with Krasnodar Big Band (two big band on stage – wow!) and ambitions program “Mystery of Glenn Miller”, as well as gigs in many Russian and Ukrainian cities, international jazz-festivals in Donezk and China.George Garanian - Denis Matsuev Duet
(saxophone-alto-piano)The long-playing duet was born right after Denis has won International Tchaikovsky competition. Very successful and demanded ensemble, which has a combination of classics and a jazz such as Bizet, Duke Ellington, Gershwin, Schubert in its repertoire.George Garanian has the highest rank in RUSSIA - People's artist of Russia, and he is the only jazz musician who gives the series of seasonal jazz concerts in the most prestigious Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory. He is the local and foreign Jazz Festivals Laureate. In the course of his entire creative activities Garanian”s concerts are always sold out. Garanian was the conductor of the famous Tchaikovsky orchestra in the double CD album «Oregon in Moscow», with renowned American jazz group Oregon . In 2000 this album was nominated to the Grammy award. One more surprise from Garanian - a jazz album “Jazz in tuxedos”. It's been recorded with the orchestra “Virtuosos of Moscow” and pianist Denis Matsuev. It is a unique compilation - Gershwin, Ellington, Mozart, Prokofiev in Garanian's arrangements for a string band. Before you could hear it only from stage – now it is on CDs.