Concert with The Tsiganov Brothers Quintet

Saturday night's concert on the campus of Amherst College featured an evening with the incredible Russian jazz ensemble: The Tsiganov Brothers Quintet.

Misha Tsiganov has been playing piano since the age of six. A graduate of the Mussorgsky College of Music, he has participated in many international jazz festivals and recorded on several albums. In 1990, he was a prize winner at the All-Russia Jazz Competition. In 1991, he moved to the US after being invited by Gary Burton to study at the prestigious Berklee College of Music. Since 1998, he has been working with Norman Heldman's band Tropique, and has traveled to numerous jazz festivals around the globe, performing with jazz greats such as Joe Chambers, Clark Terry, Wynton Marsalis, Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker, Dave Valentine, Gary Bartz, Ira Coleman, Richie Cole, Chico Freeman, Ray Vega, Valery Ponomarev, Vincent Herring, Johny Colon, Graig Handy and many others. His piano playing can be heard on Chico Freeman's album, Out of Many Comes the One, on NGFOOT with Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker and Dave Valentine, and on his own band's album Tsiganov Brothers.

Alexei Tsiganov (vibes) was born in St. Petersburg. He graduated from the Mussorgsky College of Music (St. Petersburg), and in 1991 moved to Boston. He studied at the Berklee College of Music with Gary Burton and at the New England Conservatory with Dave Samuels. He has performed and recorded with Jerry Bergonzi, Bob Moses, Avery Sharpe, Chico Freeman, Norman Hedman and others.

Alex Sipiagin (trumpet) was born in in Yaroslavl. In 1983, he moved to Moscow, where he graduated from the Gnessin College of Music (Moscow). In 1991, he moved to New York, where he has since recorded five albums on Criss Cross Records. Alex has performed and recorded with the Mingus Big Band, the George Grunz Big band, the Gill Evans Orchestra, Michael Brecker, Dave Holland, David Sanborn, Michael Franks and others.

Dmitri Kolesnik (bass) was born in St. Petersburg. A graduate of the Mussorgsky College of Music (St. Petersburg), he moved to New York in 1991. He recorded the album Blues For Dad on Boheme Records. He studied with Ron Carter and his book, The Ron Carter Collection, was published by the Hal Leonard Corporation. Dmitri has performed and recorded with Richie Cole, Lenny White, Bill Ware, Paul Bollenback, Ravi Coltrane, Ralph Peterson, the Duke Ellington Big Band and others.

Oleg Butman (drums) was born in St. Petersburg and graduated from the Mussorgsky College of Music. In 1988, he moved to Moscow, and then two years later moved to New York. He has performed and recorded with John Faddis, Billy Taylor, Grover Washington, Richie Cole, Joe Lock, Eddie Gomez, Grag Handy, Mark Whitfield, Valery Ponomarev and others.

For further information, phone Russian Life at 802-223-4955.