Andrew Valentine (Andrew Arnautov) was born in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, in 1967. After graduating from Gnesinych College of Music in 1990, Andrew permanently moved to the United States. In 1991 he was granted a full scholarship at Berklee College of Music. He entered there as a composition major, but his bass teacher was well-known Latin bass player Oscar Stagnerro. While living in the states Andrew performed with: Roy Hargrove, Victor Mendoza, Kenwood Denard, Bobby Sinabria, Tom Browne, Alfredo Reyes, Paul Wertico, Ron Freeman, recorded an album "Noble Cause" with Ken Rhodes Trio, appeared as a special guest on "Greg Hyslop Trio" CD. Performed at the jazz festivals, among others, 1995: Detroid Jazz Fetst (Detroid, Michigan) "Jazz at the Conch Chell" (Tortola, British Virgin Islands) with Tom Browne, "Jazz at 4th Street" (Winston-Salem, North Carolina), where Andrew appeared as a band leader. In 2002 Andrew relocated to Kiev, Ukraine. While living in Ukraine, Andrew Valentine’s group twice (2005, 2006) appeared at "Jazz Bez" festival (Lvov, Ukraine, Pszemyszl, Poland), "Koktebel Jazz 2005", where the group appeared with a featured guest, a trumpet legend Lew Soloff (USA), and "Cherkassy Jazz Festival 2006". In 6 years of living in Kiev Andrew shared stage with: Eric Marienthal, George Haslam, Lew Soloff, Frenk Lacey, Ronnie Burrage, Francois Jeanneau, Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne, Johnny V, Pyatras Vishnyauskas, Leonid Ptashka, recorded an album "Mark Soskin Quartet Live in Kiev".information from: http://www.myspace.com/valentineandrew
photo from: http://www.jazz.com.ua/gallery/show/1425
