Alex Sipiagin Live at Bird's Eye

For his third Criss Cross album, pianist Misha Tsiganov presents a nine-tune program of four original compositions and kaleidoscopic arrangements of two Wayne Shorter classics, two Great American Songbook standards, and a Russian folk song. As on Artistry of the Standard Criss 1367) and Spring Feelings (Criss 1384), the St. Petersburg native – a U.S resident since 1993 – teams with trumpeter Alex Sipiagin and tenor saxophonist Seamus Blake, both leaders of multiple Criss Cross dates and internationally renowned practitioners of their respective instruments. Joining Tsiganov for the first time on Playing with the Wind are bassist Matt Brewer (Mythology, Criss 1373, and Unspoken, Criss 1390) and drummer Dan Weiss, who apply their virtuosic chops to Tsiganov's elegant charts with an open, poetic attitude.

For his third Criss Cross album, pianist Misha Tsiganov presents a nine-tune program of four original compositions and kaleidoscopic arrangements of two Wayne Shorter classics, two Great American Songbook standards, and a Russian folk song. As on Artistry of the Standard Criss 1367) and Spring Feelings (Criss 1384), the St. Petersburg native – a U.S resident since 1993 – teams with trumpeter Alex Sipiagin and tenor saxophonist Seamus Blake, both leaders of multiple Criss Cross dates and internationally renowned practitioners of their respective instruments. Joining Tsiganov for the first time on Playing with the Wind are bassist Matt Brewer (Mythology, Criss 1373, and Unspoken, Criss 1390) and drummer Dan Weiss, who apply their virtuosic chops to Tsiganov's elegant charts with an open, poetic attitude.

For his third Criss Cross album, pianist Misha Tsiganov presents a nine-tune program of four original compositions and kaleidoscopic arrangements of two Wayne Shorter classics, two Great American Songbook standards, and a Russian folk song. As on Artistry of the Standard Criss 1367) and Spring Feelings (Criss 1384), the St. Petersburg native – a U.S resident since 1993 – teams with trumpeter Alex Sipiagin and tenor saxophonist Seamus Blake, both leaders of multiple Criss Cross dates and internationally renowned practitioners of their respective instruments. Joining Tsiganov for the first time on Playing with the Wind are bassist Matt Brewer (Mythology, Criss 1373, and Unspoken, Criss 1390) and drummer Dan Weiss, who apply their virtuosic chops to Tsiganov's elegant charts with an open, poetic attitude.

We are very happy to announce the release of our CD - WIND DANCE with the music of the extremely inspirational trumpet player, composer and arranger Alex Sipiagin. Our collaboration with this amazing artist has brought us a big musical satisfaction, and the opportunity to work with and discover a great rhythm section comprising of Misha Tsiganov as pianist and exquisite arranger for big band, the extremely lyrical bassist Makar Novikov and the versatile and magician-like drummer Sasha Mashin. A big thank to Will Vinson who is featured as guest soloist and who's solos up-lift us. We wish to thank Liliana Staicu, Gilda Radulescu, Tiberiu Comandasu Editura Casa Radio, Radio România for all their support and our sound team - Florin Tudor, Andrei Barbu and Dan Popescu who worked with us on recording, mixing and mastering the material.

Russian-born trumpeter Alex Sipiagin's tenth recording as a leader apart from his chores with the Mingus Big Band gives homage to his first and greatest influence, Woody Shaw. On this split program of originals and selections from Shaw's repertoire, Sipiagin plays a more basic brass horn than did his highly advanced, harmonically futuristic idol, but there's an added wrinkle to this program that Shaw never really explored. Electric guitarist Adam Rogers is along for the ride, drastically morphing these tunes to a fusion style that Shaw only touched upon - refer to the early-'70s album Blackstone Legacy. In sparser frameworks, Sipiagin and this piano-less quartet bring new meaning to Shaw's influential music, which has stood the test of time for some four decades…

On August 21, 1976, Lynyrd Skynyrd took the stage at Knebworth Park in England as part of a daylong festival. With Ronnie Van Zant on vocals and the Rossington/Collins/Gaines triple guitar attack, Lynyrd Skynyrd delivered an electric performance in front of a crowd estimated between 150,000 and 200,000, which has gone down as one of the band's greatest performances.