Stalin-era jazz band

[robcat2075]

The post-revolution period in Russia was a crazy, try-anything time for the arts, a bit like in Wiemar Germany. Official control would be increasingly asserted in the later 20s and early 30s.

In the meantime, someone got off some jazz recordings.

Internet experts place this recording in 1935, based on label information, which would pretty much be the tail end of the permissive period for musical styles. Contains brief trombone solo.




This one is said to be 1953 or later, again based on the label info. It's almost like they picked where they left off after a 20 year freeze.

[Trombo]

Jazz was never completely banned in the USSR. All jazz orchestras in the USSR were financed by the state. When the Cold War began, all jazz orchestras began to be called variety orchestras, but continued to perform jazz from the swing era. Among the most famous orchestras of that era are the orchestras of Viktor Knushevitsky, Eddie Rosner, Oleg Lundstrem, etc. You can find many of these posts on youtube.
For example, the State Orchestra of the USSR Viktor Knushevitsky (1939):

[Trombo]

I want to say separately about the trombonist who plays solo in Tsfasman's orchestra. This is probably Ivan Klyuchinsky. He played first in the Tsfasman orchestra, and then in the 1940s in the Knushevitsky orchestra. He recorded many records with his ensemble. But it's certainly not jazz:

[Trombo]

Real jazz in the USSR began after the Moscow Festival of Youth and Students (1957). Jazz bands and soloists from all over the world, including the USA, performed there. After that, jazz in the USSR began to develop rapidly.
Here is Vadim Ludvikovsky jazz band:








Trombone solo - Konstantin Bakholdin (1936-1987).

[Samdance]

Real jazz in the USSR began after the Moscow Festival of Youth and Students (1957). Jazz bands and soloists from all over the world, including the USA, performed there. After that, jazz in the USSR began to develop rapidly.
Here is Vadim Ludvikovsky jazz band:

This is a great band!!! Swinging hard!

[Trombo]

Real jazz in the USSR began after the Moscow Festival of Youth and Students (1957). Jazz bands and soloists from all over the world, including the USA, performed there. After that, jazz in the USSR began to develop rapidly.
Here is Vadim Ludvikovsky jazz band:

This is a great band!!! Swinging hard!

This jazz band was officially called the Concert Variety Ensemble of the All-Union Radio and Central Television of the USSR. When the BBC called it the best jazz band in Europe in its jazz program, the leadership of the All-Union Radio and Central Television Jazz Band fired first the arranger and composer Vadim Lyudvikovsky, and then fired his band in 1973.

[robcat2075]

...When the BBC called it the best jazz band in Europe in its jazz program, the leadership of the All-Union Radio and Central Television Jazz Band fired first the arranger and composer Vadim Lyudvikovsky, and then fired his band in 1973.

It's lucky they have a job in the salt mine they can fall back on.

[BGuttman]

...When the BBC called it the best jazz band in Europe in its jazz program, the leadership of the All-Union Radio and Central Television Jazz Band fired first the arranger and composer Vadim Lyudvikovsky, and then fired his band in 1973.

It's lucky they have a job in the salt mine they can fall back on.

Problem is, getting fired in the Soviet Union often involves an extended [very cold] "vacation". Read Solzhenitsyn's "One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich".

[AndrewMeronek]

Wow, this is cool!

[2bobone]

A close parallel to the Stalin era recordings mentioned were the recordings of "Charlie & His Orchestra", a series of 78RPM recordings done as part of a Nazi propaganda scheme. I ran across a cache' of recordings at an apartment in Washington, D.C. at an estate sale. They attracted me because of their pristine condition. I bought them for $1 apiece, took them home and listened to some really great "JASS" recordings. As I did research into the origin of the recordings, I discovered that it was an orchestra specifically organized by the Nazis to produce propaganda recordings. They started off with the orchestra doing a "vamp" while "Charlie" spouted off some snide comments about Winston Churchill or "Herr" Roosevelt and "Charlie's" hope that they both would perish in short order ! Further research revealed that the personnel of the orchestra included several players who were Jewish and were tolerated to participate in the recording, but not tolerated in the spoken intros. The recordings were in several languages. Imagine my amazement when I discovered one particularly difficult to understand recording to be in Esperanto !! When WWII was over and the process of cleaning up the mess was initiated, it was common knowledge that households in which these recordings were found were assumed to be VERY supportive of the regime and were scrutinized for connections with the Nazi cause. Because of that, multiple discs were turned into Frizbees, even though that device was not to be invented for over another decade ! Perhaps they were the inspiration for the Frisbee ? How the dozen that I found had managed to survive the purge is a mystery. In any case, there were terrific Jazz musicians at the time working to keep life and limb together. Another fascinating musical fact to enjoy despite the disrespect that it encompasses. I checked, and there are recordings of "Charlie & His Orchestra" to which you can listen to on "YouTube". Music survives it all --------.

[Trombo]

A close parallel to the Stalin era recordings mentioned were the recordings of "Charlie & His Orchestra", a series of 78RPM recordings done as part of a Nazi propaganda scheme.

What parallel can there be between the Stalin era (1923-1953) and the Hitler era (1934-1945)?
Russia, the USA and Great Britain were allies and fought against Germany in World War II (and World War I as well). Jazz has always been loved in Russia, although music critics in the 1930s and 40s were divided into 2 camps: some considered jazz to be the progressive, revolutionary music of the oppressed African-American slaves, the latter considered jazz to be bourgeois and harmful music, "the music of fat capitalists" in the words of the writer Maxim Gorky . But jazz was loved by Stalin (1879-1953) and jazz was always heard in the USSR, and in Germany it was banned from 1935 to 1945. From the point of view of Nazi ideology, jazz music was considered unacceptable, since a significant part of jazz performers were African Americans (negroes) or Jews. Jazz was called "negro music" or "degenerate music" - by analogy with "entartete Kunst" (degenerate art).
In the USSR, after the war in the 1940s and 50s, the film "Sun Valley Serenade" was very popular, where the Glenn Miller Orchestra was filmed. In Germany, this film did not enjoy such success after the war. Until now, Germany has a cool attitude towards American mainstream jazz, preferring its own avant-garde jazz to it. In Russia, on the contrary, American mainstream jazz has always been loved, although during the Cold War era this love led to the dismissal of good musicians. Jazz-loving musicians were fired because they were thought to be USA sympathizers, which they were.

[Trombo]

It's lucky they have a job in the salt mine they can fall back on.

Problem is, getting fired in the Soviet Union often involves an extended [very cold] "vacation". Read Solzhenitsyn's "One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich".

Bruce is absolutely right. It's not funny at all. Vadim Ludvikovsky (1925-1995) was never able to find a job as a band leader for the rest of his life. He was saved from poverty by the fact that he was a member of the Union of Composers. He started drinking heavily and died of alcohol problems.
Other musicians of his band later found work in other jazz bands (Georgy Garanyan's band, etc.) and other orchestras of the All-Union Radio of Central Television. Several musicians later emigrated to the USA.
In memory of the outstanding band leader Vadim Ludvikovsky, a monument was erected in his homeland in Kursk in 2019.

[Bigbasst]

Wow, this is cool!

I agree.

[iranzi]

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Such great thread!
Thank you robcat2075 and 2bobone for music recommendations.
And an especially massive thank you! to Trombo for writing about jazz in Stalin-era Soviet Union

[2bobone]

2bobone wrote: ↑Tue Feb 08, 2022 9:40 pm
"A close parallel to the Stalin era recordings mentioned were the recordings of "Charlie & His Orchestra", a series of 78RPM recordings done as part of a Nazi propaganda scheme."

"Trombe wrote : Thurs. Feb. 10, 2022 5;12 AM"
"What parallel can there be between the Stalin era (1923-1953) and the Hitler era (1934-1945)?"

Although this thread is a couple of years old and seems to have been revived, I'd like to address the question -------.

The obvious parallel to be drawn is that music is far more powerful in its ability to sway opinion than most would think. Governmental interference in the performance of and the composing of controversial works is well documented. The banning of major chords by the church," lest it excite the passions", to the suppression of Shostakovich's output by the Soviet board of composers led by mediocre musicians of the period. Music enfolds a mystery that is construed by those in power as a competing force. I have seen friends who are church musicians reprimanded for being "too worldly" in the presentation of their artistry because of a pastor's jealousy in the competition between musical content and that of the spoken word. Music always wins. It touches the soul in ways that the clergy only wish they could equal. The subject is far deeper than can be addressed in this forum but I don't think that there are many, if any, amongst ourselves who can explain the mystery of music and why it has such a profound effect upon us all. I certainly haven't figured it out ----- and never expect to !

[brassmedic]

In America, you play jazz. In Soviet Russia, jazz plays you.

[iranzi]

2bobone wrote: ↑Tue Feb 08, 2022 9:40 pm
"A close parallel to the Stalin era recordings mentioned were the recordings of "Charlie & His Orchestra", a series of 78RPM recordings done as part of a Nazi propaganda scheme."

"Trombe wrote : Thurs. Feb. 10, 2022 5;12 AM"
"What parallel can there be between the Stalin era (1923-1953) and the Hitler era (1934-1945)?"

Really great thread!
Another parallel should be made with Russian Federation. where musicians are persecuted, along with artists and other cultural workers. Especially viciously since the start of the full-scale invasion. Quite a few ended up in prisons and penal colonies. Some died there or were killed.

RIP Pavel Kushnir.

___________
Just discovered a thread here called “Should we play Russian composers? or something like that. Good thing it’s locked. I’m half russian half ukrainian, first language russian, grew up in soviet union in late 70s & ‘80s, left in mid '90s. relatives still living in russia and in ukraine (well, most vulnerable ones managed to escape in time from either place). It was great to read what all those i admire on here have said in that thread!