ST. PETERSBURG SKA-JAZZ REVIEW

Biography

St. Petersburg Ska-Jazz Review is a Russian band formed in 2001 in St. Petersburg as a spin-off project from the ska-punk band Spitfire, in collaboration with members of the Afro-Caribbean-oriented band Markscheider Kunst. The initial concept was a one-off performance at the Sergey Kuryokhin International Festival (SKIF) in April 2001, featuring jazz standards like 'Sidewinder,' 'Corcovado,' and 'Four,' alongside original ska tunes such as 'St. Thomas' and 'Man in the Street.' The lineup included Spitfire members and baritone sax and percussion players from Markscheider Kunst, and the show's success led to ongoing live gigs on the Russian club scene.[1][2]

The band's debut album was recorded in March 2002 at Dobrolet studio in St. Petersburg and released that fall on the independent label Zvezda Records. American vocalist Jennifer Davis joined soon after, contributing to their second album, 'Too Good To Be True,' recorded in April 2004 with mostly original compositions. This album appeared in Russia on Shnur'OK and internationally on Megalith Records and Grover Records, supported by tours in Germany and Switzerland. They also released a live CD/DVD, 'Live at Red Club,' in 2006.[1][2]

Blending ska, jazz, rocksteady, and polyrhythms, the band fuses improvisation, tight orchestration, Eastern and Western elements, and dynamic contrasts for energetic performances that transcend genre boundaries. Their music swings with ska's skank rhythm while incorporating jazz harmonies and hard-driving beats.[1][2]

Fun Facts

• The band began as a one-show idea for the Sergey Kuryokhin International Festival but gained enough acclaim to become a full-time project.
• Jennifer Davis, an American vocalist based in St. Petersburg, Russia, joined after the debut album and helped record three albums plus singles.
• Their second album 'Too Good To Be True' shifted heavily to original material, moving away from jazz covers that defined their start.
• They released a live CD/DVD 'Live at Red Club' in 2006, capturing their energetic fusion of ska skank and jazz swing.

Musical Connections

Key Collaborators

• Spitfire - Parent ska-punk band providing core members and originating the spin-off project (Debut performances and albums) [2001 onward]
• Markscheider Kunst - Afro-Caribbean band contributing baritone sax, percussion players, and initial collaboration (SKIF festival show and debut album) [2001-2002]
• Jennifer Davis - Lead vocalist who joined after debut album ('Too Good To Be True' (2004), live recordings) [2002 onward]
• Konstantin Limonov - Guitarist and backing vocals, Spitfire member (All albums) [2001 onward]
• Andrey Kuraev - Bassist (All albums) [2001 onward]
• Denis Kupcov - Drummer and percussion (All albums) [2001 onward]
• Sergei Egorov - Percussion and backing vocals, from Markscheider Kunst (Debut and subsequent albums) [2001 onward]
• Ilia Rogachevsky - Keys and piano (All albums) [2001 onward]
• Kanev Aleksei / Alexey Kanaev - Baritone sax and backing vocals, from Markscheider Kunst (Debut performances and albums) [2001 onward]
• Grigorii Zontov / Grigory Zontov - Tenor sax and backing vocals (All albums) [2001 onward]
• Vladislav Alexandrov - Trombone and backing vocals (All albums) [2001 onward]
• Sokolov Evgenii / Roman Parygin - Trumpet and backing vocals (All albums) [2001 onward]

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia