Vladimir Tarasov
A world-famous drummer, resourceful percussionist, composer and visual artist, Vladimir Tarasov is equally at home with many musical styles. But his true affection lies with free jazz and improvised music. His masterly strokes make percussion instruments sound like an orchestra, let alone some unconventional objects, from which he elicits most unexpected sonorities. Together with the members of the GTCh Trio, he laid the foundations of Lithuanian jazz school and partnered many of the world's improvised music celebrities. He was one of the first in Europe to present solo programs for drums and percussion. He is regarded as a conceptual artist whose ideas find their way in various media: he composes for theatre and film, creates visual art and intermedia works, presents performances and installations, collaborates with various artists, including writers, painters and dancers.
Jūratė Kučinskaitė
GTCh Trio - Impression
Monotype VIII
Biography
The drummer and percussionist Vladimir Tarasov (b. 1947) studied at the high school of music in Arkhangelsk. After graduating in 1966, he entered the Leningrad Conservatory; however, soon he was expelled for the 'malicious' dissemination of jazz. Since 1968 he has been living in Vilnius. Here he appeared as a percussion player with the Lithuanian State Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra (present Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra) and "Trimitas" Wind Orchestra. In 1984 he became a soloist of the Lithuanian State Philharmonic Society. Since 1971 he has been a member of the celebrated Trio GTCh (Vyacheslav Ganelin, Vladimir Tarasov, Vladimir Chekasin). His experience with this group is accounted at length in his "Trio", an autobiographical book published in 1998. He was repeatedly hailed the Best Drummer (1980-87) and the Second Jazz Musicians of the Year (1987) of the Soviet Union, as well as the Second Europe's Drummer (1986). In 2012, he was honoured with the Vilnius Jazz Festival Award for lifetime merits to the Lithuanian jazz culture.
In 1984 he started solo performances with his "Atto" series of compositions. In 1991 he founded the Lithuanian Art Orchestra - a variable line-up of musicians coming from both academic and jazz backgrounds. He also composes music for film, drama and dance performances. He taught improvisation courses for ensembles and solo instruments in Podewil (Berlin) in 1991, and at the Bremen Academy of Music in 1994. From 1993 to 1994 he was a fellow composer at the Akademie Schloss Solitude in Stuttgart.
Vladimir Tarasov is equally engaged in visual arts, presenting his work in many personal and group exhibitions, collaborating with artists such as Ilya Kabakov and others. From 1999 to 2002 he was director of the Russian Drama Theatre in Vilnius.
Vladimir Tarasov has recorded more than 100 LPs and CDs with the Trio GTCh, many other artists and orchestras, including also numerous solo performances.
In 2017, he was awarded (together with Vyacheslav Ganelin and Vladimir Chekasin) the Lithuanian Arts and Culture Prize, the highest artistic distinction in Lithuania.
© Zana Lebedeva
Tel: +370 699 28025
Solo
Atto I (Something Has Happened Against the Marine Background)
Vladimir Tarasov - dr, perc
Melodija C60 23565 004, 1986 (LP)
Sonore Records SN 001, 1995 (CD)
Atto II (Monotypes)
Vladimir Tarasov - dr, perc, tabla, electronics
Melodija C60 25693 003, 1987 (LP)
Sonore Records SN 002, 1995 (CD)
Atto III (Drum Theatre)
Vladimir Tarasov - dr, perc, electronics
Melodija C60 28299 009 (LP), 1989
Sonore Records SN 003 (CD), 1994
Atto IV
Vladimir Tarasov - dr, perc, electronics
Melodija C60 29615 005, 1990 (LP)
Sonore Records SN 004, 1994 (CD)
Atto V
Vladimir Tarasov - dr, perc, electronics
Sonore Records SN 005, 1993 (CD)
Atto VI (Little Piece for Children in Six Parts)
Vladimir Tarasov - dr, perc, electronics
Sonore Records SN 006, 1993 (CD)
Atto VII (Water Music)
Vladimir Tarasov - sound installation
Sonore Records SN 007, 1994 (CD)
Atto VIII (Sonore)
Vladimir Tarasov - dr, perc
Sonore Records SN 008, 1994 (CD)
Atto I-XI
Long Arms Records CDLA 05071-82, 2005 (CD Box Set + DVD)
As a member of Trio GTCh
Trio Wiaczesława Ganielina
Pronit Z-SX0628, 1976 (LP)
Con anima
Vyacheslav Ganelin - p, synth, Vladimir Tarasov - dr, perc, Vladimir Chekasin - reeds
Melodija C60 07361 2, 1977 (LP)
Sonore Records SN 0014, 1995 (CD)
Leo Records GY 015, 2001 (CD)
Catalogue
Leo Records LR 102, 1980 (LP)
Leo Records CDLR 102, 1993 (CD)
Concerto grosso
Vyacheslav Ganelin - p, g, tb, perc, Vladimir Tarasov - dr, perc, tp, Vladimir Chekasin - reeds, v
Melodija C60 14433 4, 1981 (LP)
Sonore Records SN 0015, 1995 (CD)
Leo Records GY 015, 2001 (CD)
Con fuoco
Leo Records LR 106, 1981 (LP)
Ancora da capo
Leo Records LR 108-109, 1982 (LP)
Supraphon 1115 3014H, 1986 (LP)
Leo Records CDLR 108, 1997 (CD)
Poi segue
Vyacheslav Ganelin - p, synth, g, tp, fl, Vladimir Tarasov - dr, perc, fl, Vladimir Chekasin - saxes, tb, fl, perc, v
Melodija C60 17485 006, 1982 (LP)
East Wind Records 20647, 1986 (MC)
Sonore Records SN 0016, 1995 (CD)
Non troppo
Enja Records 4036, 1983 (LP)
Hat Hut Records 2027, 1985 (LP)
Leo Records CDLR 112, 1995 (CD)
New Wine...
Leo Records LR 112, 1983 (LP)
Leo Records CDLR 112, 1995 (CD)
VIDE
Leo Records LR 117, 1983 (LP)
Leo Records GY 413-416, 2003 (CD)
Semplice
Vyacheslav Ganelin - p, synth, hn, perc, Vladimir Tarasov - dr, perc, Vladimir Chekasin - as, tb, rec, perc
Melodija C60 21121 009, 1984 (LP)
Sonore Records SN 0018, 1995 (CD)
Strictly for Our Friends
Leo Records LR 120, 1984 (LP)
Leo Records GY 013, 2001 (CD)
Baltic Triangle
Leo Records LR 125, 1985 (LP)
Leo Records GY 413-416, 2003 (CD)
Con affetto
Leo Records LR 137, 1985 (LP)
Leo Records GY 002, 1999 (CD)
Ttaango... in Nickelsdorf
Leo Records LR 400-401, 1986 (LP)
Leo Records GY 018-019, 2002 (CD)
A Concert in Moscow
Trio GTCh + Mario Schiano - as
Free Records FR 00786, 1986 (LP)
Poco a poco
Leo Records CDLR 101, 1988 (CD)
Opuses
Trio GTCh + guests: Mika Markovich - dr, Victor Fonarev - b, Uri Abramowich - voc
Leo Records CDLR 171, 1990 (CD)
San Francisco Holidays
Trio GTCh + ROVA Saxophone Quartet
Leo Records CDLR 208-209, 1992 (CD)
Encores
Leo Records CDLR 106, 1994 (CD)
15-year Reunion: Live at Frankfurt Book Fair
Leo Records CDLR 375, 2003 (CD)
As a leader
WaltzAtto
Vladimir Tarasov & Lithuanian Art Orchestra
Sonore Records SN 009, 1993 (CD)
Live at JazzBaltica Festival 1994
Vladimir Tarasov & Baltic Art Orchestra
Sonore Records SN 0021, 1996 (CD)
Concerto Grosso für Michael Georgievich
Vladimir Tarasov's Russian Orchestra: Natasha Pshenichnikova - fl, voc, Vladimir Zisman - ob, Sasha Aleksandrov - bn, Arkady Shilkloper - hn, Slava Gaivoronsky - tp, Vladimir Rezitsky - as, Anatoly Vapirov - ss, ts, Yury Kuznetsov - p, Vladimir Volkov - db, gamba, Igor Markov - perc, Vladimir Tarasov - dr
Strange Sounds Records SSR-06014, 2006 (CD)
As a duo member
Opus a duo
Vyacheslav Ganelin - p, synth, acc, rec, cl, g, db, perc, Vladimir Tarasov - dr, perc, rec
Melodia C60 19651 008, 1983 (LP)
Sonore Records SN 0017, 1995 (CD)
Intrusion
Valentina Ponomareva - voc, Vladimir Tarasov - dr, ky, and others
Leo Records LR 156, 1988 (LP)
Leo Records GY 401-404, 2001 (CD)
3 - 1 = 3
Vyacheslav Ganelin - ky, Vladimir Tarasov - dr, perc
Leo Records LR 410-411, 1988 (LP)
1 + 1 = 3
Vladimir Chekasin - saxes, Vladimir Tarasov - dr, perc
Leo Records LR 160, 1989 (LP)
Leo Records GY 413-416, 2003 (CD)
Galaxies
Andrew Cyrille - dr, Vladimir Tarasov - perc
Music & Arts CD-672, 1990 (CD)
Mother Russia
Keshavan Maslak - sax, Vladimir Tarasov - dr, and others
Leo Records CDLR 177, 1991 (CD)
Olga Georgievna, Something Is Burning!
Vladimir Tarasov - dr, perc, Ilya Kabakov - recitation
Sonore Records SN 0011, 1994 (CD)
Cantatas
Vladimir Tarasov - dr, perc, Dmitry Prigov - recitation
Sonore Records SN 0012, 1994 (CD)
Sketches
Anatoly Vapirov - sax, Vladimir Tarasov - dr
AVA Records 0012, 1997 (CD)
As a group member and guest musician
Devil's Bride
Kaunas State Choir, Lithuanian State Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, cond. Juozas Domarkas, Vladimir Tarasov - dr, soloists: Asta Chomentauskienė, Viktoras Malinauskas, Vytautas Kernagis, Birutė Dambrauskaitė, Jonas Rupša, Alfonsas Vaškevičius
Melodija C60 06115 117, 1976 (LP)
33 Records, 2000 (CD)
Bomba Video, 2005 (VHS)
Love and Death in Verona
Kęstutis Antanelis - ky, voc, Laimis Vilkončius - ky, voc, Gintautas Abarius - ky, Kestutis Lušas - ky, Petras Vyšniauskas - sax, Rimantas Brazaitis - sax, Aleksandr Fedotov - sax, Vytautas Mockūnas - sax, Tauras Adomavičius - tb, Giedrius Balutis - tb, Vladimir Kaplan - g, Vladimir Tarasov - dr, Vladimir Telukhin - dr, and others, cond. Arūnas Navakas
Melodija C60 21309 005, 1984 (LP)
On the Baltic Trip
Hans Kumpf - cl, Lembit Saarsalu - sax, Rein Rannap - p, Vyacheslav Ganelin - ky, Ivars Galenieks - b, Vladimir Tarasov - dr
Leo Records LR 122, 1984 (LP)
Saxophone Diplomacy
ROVA Saxophone Quartet: Larry Ochs, Bruce Ackley, Jon Raskin, Andrew Voigt + guests: Ivars Galenieks - b, Vladimir Tarasov - dr
Hat Hut Records 2013, 1985 (LP)
Red & Blue
Sebi Tramontana - tb, Mario Schiano - sax, Vladimir Chekasin - sax, Vladimir Tarasov - dr
Splasc(h) Records HP 15, 1988 (LP)
Valentina Ponomareva: Live in Japan
Valentina Ponomareva - voc, John Zorn - reeds, Bill Laswell - b, Sergei Kuryokhin - p, synth, Vladimir Chekasin - reeds, Vladimir Tarasov - dr, Yuji Takahashi - synth, Ayno Takahashi - g, Haruna Miyake - p, Kazutoki Umezu - reeds
Leo Records CDLR 175, 1991 (CD)
Octet Ost
Christian Muthspiel - tb, Anca Parghel - voc, Tomasz Stańko - tp, Anatoly Vapirov - saxes, Nicolas Simion - reeds, Klaus Koch - b, Vladimir Tarasov - dr, Sainkho Namchilak - voc
Amadeo 513 329-2, 1992 (CD)
POPendingEYE
Alfred 23 Harth - reeds, Simon Nabatov - p, Vitold Rek - b, Mark Dresser - b, Vladimir Tarasov - dr
Free Flow Music Production ffm 0493, 1993 (CD)
Octet Ost II
Christian Muthspiel - tb, Tomasz Stańko - tp, Arkady Shilkloper - hn, Petras Vyšniauskas - saxes, Anatoly Vapirov - saxes, Bela Szaloky - tb, Mikulas Skuta - p, Vladimir Tarasov - dr
Amadeo 521 823-2, 1994 (CD)
Bolero-2, or Provincial Melodrama with Emotional Throw Back
Vladimir Chekasin - reeds, p, perc, Vytautas Labutis - reeds, perc, Yury Kuznetsov - ky, Vladimir Tarasov - dr, perc
SoLyd Records SLR 0016, 1994 (CD)
Hot Sounds from the Arctic
Group "Arkhangelsk", Minsk Kamerata, Arkhangelsk String Quartet, Sainkho Namchilak - voc, Ken Hyder - dr, Vladimir Tarasov - dr, Vladimir Volkov - b, Roberto Bellatalla - b, Heinz-Eric Godecke - tb, Dror Feiler - sax, Hans Schutler - p, Vladimir Popov - tp, Sergei Manukyan - voc, cond. Vladimir Rezitsky
Leo Records CDLR 218, 1994 (CD)
Chinese Project
Vladimir Tarasov - dr, perc + Thundering Dragon Percussion Group: Tian Xin, Ma Li, Li Congnong, Tong Shengyan, Huang Jiazung, Yu Lei, Wang Wei
Sonore Records SN 0019, 1995 (CD)
Frontiers
Vytautas Pilibavičius - tb, Vladimir Miller - p, Vladimir Tarasov - dr
Leo Records LeoLab 016, 1995 (CD)
Improvised Music from Solitude
Helmut Bieler-Wendt - v, Alexander Frangenheim - b, Seth Josel - g, Mary Oliver - v, Vladimir Tarasov - dr, Manos Tsangaris - perc, Josephine Truman - voc, p, didgeridoo, Peter Veale - ob, Ute Wassermann - voc
Animato ACD 6008-3, 1995 (CD)
CA NaDa dry & 20
Alfred 23 Harth - reeds, Christoph Korn - g, Vladimir Tarasov - dr
Der Blinde Koenig MN 6510221874, 1996 (CD)
An Italian Love Affair
Moscow Composers Orchestra: Vladimir Miller - p, Sainkho Namchilak - voc, Yury Parfenov - tp, Vyacheslav Gaivoronsky - tp, Vytautas Pilibavičius - tb, Oleg Ruvinov - tu, Eduard Sivkov - reeds, Vladimir Rezitsky - as, fl, Yury Yeremchuk - reeds, Aleksandr Aleksandrov - bn, Aleks Kolkovsky - v, electronics, Vladimir Volkov - b, Vladimir Tarasov - dr, Michail Zukov - perc
Leo Records LeoLab 019, 1996 (CD)
The Gift
Moscow Composers Orchestra: Vladimir Miller - p, Sainkho Namchilak - voc, Yury Parfenov - tp, Vyacheslav Gaivoronsky - tp, Vytautas Pilibavičius - tb, Erik Ovelyan - fl, Eduard Sivkov - reeds, Vladimir Rezitsky - as, fl, Aleksandr Aleksandrov - bn, Aleks Kolkovsky - v, Aleks Aigi - va, Vladimir Volkov - db, Vladimir Tarasov - dr, Michail Zukov - perc
Long Arms Records CDLA 9708, 1997 (CD)
Fischmusik für 4 Personen
Little Sister's Dream Invention: Rochus Aust - tp, Markus Aust - electronics, Dieter Kraus - sax, Vladimir Tarasov - dr
Chez Muziek WDR LC3363, 1997 (CD)
Altered Egos
Lauren Newton - voc, Patrick Scheyder - p, Vladimir Tarasov - dr
Omba Records OMBA-004, 1998 (CD)
Sonatina
Masahiko Satoh - p, Vladimir Tarasov - dr, Lauren Newton - voc
BAJ Records BJCD-0009, 1999 (CD)
Vladimir Trio
Vladimir Rezitsky - as, fl, Vladimir Miller - p, Vladimir Tarasov - dr
BAJ Records BJCD-0010, 1999 (CD)
Aura - Trio
Sainkho Namchilak - voc, Vladimir Volkov - b, Vladimir Tarasov - dr
Enisai Records ESCD 9901, 1999 (CD)
The Hour of Sad Choices
Andrei Bitov - voc, Aleksandr Aleksandrov - bn, Yury Parfenov - tp, Vladimir Volkov - db, Vladimir Tarasov - dr
Long Arms Records CDLA 99025, 1999 (CD)
Vladimir Rezitsky & Arkhangelsk
Vladimir Rezitsky - sax, voc, Vladimir Turov - p, tp, voc, Nikolai Klishin - b, voc, Oleg Yudanov - dr, voc, Nikolai Yudanov - perc, voc, Sainkho Namchilak - voc, Sergei Manukyan - voc, Vladimir Tarasov - dr, voc, Ken Hyder - dr, voc, Dror Feiler - perc, voc, Vladimir Volkov - b, Roberto Bellatalla - b, Heinz-Eric Godecke - tb, Vladimir Popov - tp, Hans Schutler - p, Minsk Kamerata, Arkhangelsk String Quartet, cond. Vladimir Rezitsky
Leo Records GY 405-408, 2001 (CD)
Live in Graz
Cercle a due: Dieter Glawischnig - p, Andreas Schreiber - v, Vladimir Chekasin - saxes, Ewald Oberleitner - b, Vladimir Tarasov - dr
Extraplatte EX 579-2, 2004 (CD)
Right
Anatoly Vapirov Quartet: Anatoly Vapirov - sax, Tomasz Stańko - tp, Anthony Donchev - p, Vladimir Tarasov - dr
AVA Records 022, 2004 (CD)
Ceremony
Vyacheslav Gaivoronsky - tp, Andrei Kondakov - p, Vladimir Volkov - db, Vladimir Tarasov - dr
Outline Records, 2004 (CD)
Triotone
Anthony Braxton - reeds, György Szabados - p, Vladimir Tarasov - dr
Leo Records CDLR 416, 2004 (CD)
Artesian Spirits
Lauren Newton - voc, Patrick Scheyder - p, Vladimir Tarasov - dr
Leo Records CDLR 419, 2005 (CD)
Kerry Shawn Keys - poetry / Vladimir Tarasov - percussion
Vladimir Tarasov - perc, Eugenijus Kanevičius - b, Juozas Rimas - ob, Kerry Shawn Keys, Dmitry Prigov, Yang Lian, Sigitas Geda - recitation
Prior Records PRCD 025, 2006 (CD)
In compilations
Jazz Jamboree-76 (1)
"Poco a poco" (fragment)
Trio GTCh
Muza SX-1454, 1977 (LP)
Tbilisi-78
"Ex libris" (fragment)
Trio GTCh
Melodija C60 14319 20, 1980 (LP)
Jazz Bühne Berlin-79
"Catalogue" (fragment)
Trio GTCh
Amiga 8 55 749, 1980 (LP)
Jazz-82 (2)
"Mack the Knife"
Vyacheslav Ganelin - p, ky, Vladimir Tarasov - dr, Vladimir Chekasin - as
Melodija C60 19123 006, 1983 (LP)
Autumn Rhythms-83 (1)
"Lento"
Trio GTCh
Melodija C60 21537 000, 1985 (LP)
Autumn Rhythms-83 (2)
"What Is Love?"
Baltic Jazz Quartet: Lembit Saarsalu - sax, Tõnu Naissoo - p, Ivars Galenieks - b, Vladimir Tarasov - dr
Melodija C60 21539 005, 1985 (LP)
Bratislava Jazz Days-85
"Non troppo" (fragment)
Trio GTCh
Opus OE 5011 3115-1810-11, 1986 (LP)
New Music from Russia: The '80s
"Something Is Happening in the Seascape" (fragment)
Vladimir Tarasov - dr, perc
"New Wine..." (fragment)
Vyacheslav Ganelin - synth, Vladimir Tarasov - dr, perc, Vladimir Chekasin - saxes
Leo Records CDLR 801-808, 1989 (CD)
Conspiracy: Soviet Jazz Festival - Zürich
Stephen Wittwer - g, Hans Koch - reeds, Vladimir Tarasov - dr, Valentina Ponomareva - voc, Arkady Kirichenko - voc, euph, Martin Schütz - vc, Vyacheslav Gaivoronsky - tp, Vladimir Volkov - b
Leo Records CDLR 809-812, 1989 (CD)
Orion Cup
"The Artist and the Tennis Clock"
Sainkho Namchilak & Moscow Composers Orchestra
Long Arms Records CDLA 98020, 1998 (CD)
Lithuanian Jazz 1929-1980
"Ex libris" / "Ad libitum" / "Poco a poco" / "Con anima" / "Live in Lithuanian State Philharmonic Hall" (all fragments) / "Who Is Afraid of Anthony Braxton" / "Umtza-Umtza"
Vyacheslav Ganelin - p, synth, perc, Vladimir Tarasov - dr, perc, Vladimir Chekasin - reeds, voice, perc
Semplice SECD011, 2003 (CD)
Free Spirits: Jazz from Lithuania 2005
"Impression" (fragment)
Vyacheslav Ganelin - p, synth, Vladimir Tarasov - dr, Vladimir Chekasin - saxes, whistles, voc
Lithuanian Music Information and Publishing Centre LMIPCCD 026, 2005 (CD)
Lithuanian Jazz 1980-1990
"Mack the Knife"
Vyacheslav Ganelin - p, ky, Vladimir Tarasov - dr, Vladimir Chekasin - as
"Monotype VIII"
Vladimir Tarasov - dr, perc, tabla, electronics
Semplice SECD014, 2005 (CD)
Laureates of the "Birštonas" Jazz Festivals
"Drumming" (fragment)
Vladimir Tarasov - dr, perc, Arkady Gotesman - dr, Arvydas Jofė - dr, perc, Gediminas Laurinavičius - dr, perc, Darius Rudis - dr
Birštonas' Cultural Centre, 2005 (CD)
As a performer of academic music
Antanas Rekašius: Anniversary Concert
"Solar Plexuses"
Vladimir Chekasin - fl, cl, sax, Vladimir Tarasov - dr, chamber group of the Lithuanian State Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, cond. Juozas Domarkas
Melodija C10 13699 700, 1980 (LP)
Antanas Rekašius
"Segments"
Vladimir Tarasov - dr, Arnoldas Gurinavičius - db, Lithuanian State Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, cond. Juozas Domarkas
Melodija C10 18593 4, 1983 (LP)
Verra Records 101, 1985 (LP)
Osvaldas Balakauskas
"Orgy. Catharsis"
Valentinas Gelgotas - fl, Vytautas Korys - p, Iminas Kučinskas - vc, Vladimir Tarasov - perc
Melodija C10 24903 009, 1986 (LP)
33 Records 33CD003, 1995 (CD)