Alex Fokin RadioBand

The State Academic band "Alex Fokin RadioBand" of the State Television and Radio Committee of Ukraine is the unique orchestra of the soloists-instrumentalists, with really exceptional store of various, professionally designed musical ideas. Each stage performance of the orchestra is the outstanding event in the musical life of Ukraine, for the star collection of the collective counts the mutual appearances together with the worldwide famous performers and orchestras, like: Jonathan Butler (USA), Roy Ayers (USA), Eric Marienthal (USA), Freddie Ravel (USA), Walfredo Reyes Jr. (USA), Kim Sanders (USA), Gregory Manning (USA), Ray Gaskins (Great Britain), electronic music band Schiller and his founder Christopher von Deylen (Germany), David West, Russian jazz big-band under the guidance of Oleg Lundstrem, maestro Raimond Pauls.
Alexander Fokin has developed long ago his own vision on the modern masterly orchestral culture. He is convinced that in order to gain the respect from the music world, each leader is supposed to fulfill the main task, which is to gather and organically unite in the band both the young talents and the elderly and eminent performers. Thus, thanks to this kind of unification that is actually the result of the many years music talents selection process, the famous orchestra now has the mighty powerful and explicit rhythm – section while the front line of the wind instruments' players is formed of the bright talented soloists-performers. Of course, the mutual success is also being favoured by the brilliant arrangements of the orchestra's leader.
The State orchestra "Alex Fokin RadioBand" was officially founded on the 1st December 1999 year.
At present, the "RadioBand" is a unique European orchestra, so called "Swedish cast" or combo that gained its recognition as one of the best collectives in the world.
The leading motive principle of the successful sounding of the orchestra and its definitive feature is the audio- and video- recordings made only in the "live mode" format. This is the universal orchestra that plays serious, compound instrumental music in the following styles: jazz, funk, fusion, latin as well as popular and dance music. The musicians play their own original arrangements of the world musical creations' best standards, also the author's music, instrumental versions of the popular music hits, etc.
Alexander Fokin has provided into life his old dream creating the unique European-class band. Apart from the rhythm-section, the combo's cast is necessarily supposed to include: 6 wind instruments players: 3 saxophones, 2 trumpeters and 1 trombonist. This musical collective is bigger than ensemble, yet smaller than classic big-band, but in the ideal, it should sound like the full-fledged big orchestra.
It is done for a reason, because the skill of playing each of the musical instruments becomes definitive for the sounding of the whole orchestra. Another specific feature is that the alike orchestral cast's format prevents musicians from the "hiding behind the back of the colleague" and each member of the orchestra performs even the second parts with equal responsibility for the sound quality, as if playing the "solo".
The cult orchestra is the all-time best school for the young musicians' training and rehearsals – to play by the side of the experienced colleagues in the first-class conditions especially provided for the sake of the creativity process itself, actually, makes very good results.
"Alex Fokin RadioBand" is a magic sight of the rhythms and striking aggressive drive; the real passion and at the same time, shrewd grace; it is the virtuoso mastery and technique, refined image and tremendous artistry.
information, photo from the official site: http://radioband.org/en/

Songs:

InterJazz. Live Recording from Ukraine. Volume 2.


...when a concert comes to an end, music does not disappear, its vibrations just pass to other frequencies, into other forms. And each of those who have heard it – and among the audience there are a lot of musicians – becomes its follower and continuer.
Domestic price: 250.60UAH, International price: $17.90USD

V Jazze tol'ko devushky – 3. (Girls in Jazz)


With such music, it is easy to start one’s day, it is easy to go through it, easy to meet evenings and midnights. Nevertheless, whatever you might do, it is characteristic of female singing to harmonize the space – and here, on the disc, this property is revealed very brightly and convincingly. Ladies, be proud!
Domestic price: 306.60UAH, International price: $21.90USD

Drum Kolo. (2CD). /digi-pack/


Another volume of the audio reference book by the "Jazz Kolo" project is, as you see, focused on masters of drumkit playing. It is nice to see that this time there again appears so much material that the compilers did not manage to squeeze everything into one disc. It is nice to see that there is enough space both for "veterans" of the Ukrainian jazz, and for the absolutely young generation..
Domestic price: 488.60UAH, International price: $34.90USD