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The child
and grandchild of well-known classical musicians (his grandfather
Leo Kuznetsoff was an opera singer at The Bolshoi in
Moscow, mother Emma Kuznetsoff-Shapko a
concert pianist and teacher at the conservatory), Dimitri Shapko grew
up there in Conservatories and on Backstages.
By the age of ten, Dimitri discovered Jazz by secretly
listening to "The Voice of America Radio".This was a dangerous action for Dimitri to do since, at this time
, Russia was still an Iron Curtain Country and Jazz an unwelcomed
art form. Against the will of his parents fearing for his safety,
Dimitri made the choice at age fifteen to become a Jazz artist.
For Dimitri Jazz became not just music, but his voice in seeking freedom
from constraint. Through his music Dimitri could speak openly and express
his true feelings, freeing himself from the repression of Soviet life.
Dimitri memorized the contribution of early Jazz Legends like Armstrong and Ellington, but was at that time
most inspired by the freedom of expression in John Coltrane's innovations.
In 1990 Dimitri performed to rave reviews at one of the first Russian International
Jazz Festivals held in Moscow. Soon after
he joined, by invitation of Dave Liebman,
the first European Meeting of the I.A.J.E. (International Association
of Jazz Educators) held in The Hague (The Netherlands).
This opportunity
allowed Dimitri to be discovered by the European Jazz Community and
gave him a chance to enjoy a scolarship at Berkley School Of Music
in Boston.
In 1992 the major European Jazz critics considered Dmitry Shapko "the
DISCOVERY of the 1992 J.V.C. NORTH SEA JAZZ FESTIVAL". In numerous press articles they described his inquotes,
his sound and his potential as a rising star.
Dimitri Shapko's one hour BBC TV Music Special had a tremendous Europeanwide success and
has been repeated several times on countless requests. Many of the
Major Jazz Artists who have been able to witness the enormous respond
to Dimitri's performances at International European Jazz Festivals
have come forward to publicly celebrate the NEW YORK arrival
of this extraordinary talent.
In New York Dimitri
played with Wynton Marsalis, Al Grey, Doc Cheatham, Benny Waters,
Lionel Hampton, Clark Terry, Sol Yeaget, Lorna Watson, Ali Jackson,
Jeniffer Vincent, Steve Kirby , Debora Brown, Rob Agerbeek , Doug Sides , Margorie Barns , Debora Carter and
many others in clubs such as The Village Vanguard, Sweet Basil, Visiones, Smalls, Blue Note, Birdland, Sardi's, Iridium, Metropolis. Holland: Alto, Paradiso ,Melkweg, Bim Huis, Roxy
Dimitri has performed with his band at The Newport Jazz Festival, The North Sea Jazz Festival, The Montreaux Jazz, Juan Les Pins Festival, Maastricht Jazz Festival, Breda Jazz Festival, Harlem Jazz Festival, New York Jazz Festival, Festival du Jazz du St.Germain Des Pres, Montreal Jazz Festival, Vancouver Jazz Fesival, Calgary Jazz Festival and many others.
By the mid 90's Dimitri started producing and DJing,
got involved in the upcoming electronic music movement called- Acid Jazz, NU-Jazz or the Future Jazz.
He produced numerouse tracks released under his :s:h:a:p:k:o: recordings and various underground labels
Some of his tracks were licensed by the majors such as the Sony Playstation for their game Grand Tourismo 4.
Currently, Dimitri Shapko is engaged in performin as a saxophonist and bandleader his Dmitri Shapko & Way Out Trio around Europe
Dimitri's latest clients include Cannes Film Festival, Monaco Grand Prix, Wild Lemon London, Adem 06, The Marketing Store London, Sony Playstation, Thousand Waves Sunrise Japanese New Music Festival, Toyota, Red Bull, Conseille Generalle Des Alpes Maritimes, Made in Cannes Festival, Monaco Yacht Show, ORPI France ,Prince Albert de Monaco, La Petite Maison , etc.
In 2006 Dimitri Shapko has been nominated for the BBC JAZZ AWARD with the Ronnie Rae Quintet. |
PRESS_QUOTES:
...DMITRY SHAPKO THE EMERGING SENSATION OF THE
NEWPORT JAZZ FESTIVAL , JULY 1999.
In his performance at the 1999 Newport Jazz Festival,
Dmitry Shapko has once more displayed his uniquely robust sound and
musicianship. By playing his original music he also proved himself
to be an excellent composer. He has showed a remarkable facility for
both attracting and holding the attention of large and diverse crowd
of listeners. He is indeed a stage personality. At Newport they were "intoxicated"."
...Now as the jam session was winding down, Mr. Shapko
joined in. The piano player said,"Blues in B flat." The
musicians played together and then Mr. Shapko took a chorus. The audience
stopped talking. The musicians kicked it around again. Some musicians
who were already heading for home unpacked their horns and went back
on stage.Mr. Shapko took several more choruses. They kept playing for
about 25 minutes.
"That was really something," Mr. Shapko said as the musicians
headed for home. It was indeed!"
Michael T. Kaufman New York Times
Press in Russian : Interview for the Cote Magazine 2005 rus.version (Paris-Nice-St.Tropez-Monaco)
CURRENT_PROJECTS:
Dimitri
Shapko Jazz Nights! -
a swingin' saxophone filled straight-ahead jazzy grooves with a Quartet-Quintet !
I.D.E.N.T.I.F.Y -
Dimitri Shapko, Tony Foster, Joe "Mr.Sparkles" Poole
Live Act : Sax/Flute,Keybords, Drums /Turntables+Laptop
+ guest performers (NuJazz, Electornica)
Dimitri Shapko & DJ Nick Luscombe (xfm, London) Live Act
an international colaboration between two music conaisseurs
and between 2 turntables and saxophone and flute,
mixing anything from jazz to electronica and world music.
RECENT_CREDITS:
USA - CANADA 2010 TOUR with I.D.E.N.T.I.F.Y
BBC JAZZ AWARD 2006 with the Ronnie Rae Quintet
Winsdor (UK) WildLemon party for The MarketingStore(London) 2006 ( DJing + Brasilectro Live act)
SCI MIAMI: Party at the Hotel Martinez (Cannes) 2006 ( DJing + Brasilectro Live act)
Monte Carlo Formula 1 party by V.I.P. Room (2006)
Bestival 2005 on the Isle Of Wight Festival(UK)
London Thames Festival 2005
Edinbourg Jazz Tour with Ronnie Rae 2004
Live DJ sat for the opening of Cannes Film Festival 2004
Once You Go - You Go! track licensed to Sony Playstation 2004
Festival of Modern Dance in Cannes 2004
NottingHill Arts Club 2003/2004 (London)
Midem 2003 Cannes "I-D-E-N-T-I-F-Y Best of New Live Electronic
Acts"
April 2003 London Tour:
The Spitz (London)
The Pool (London)
Interview with Nick Luscombe for the BBC 6World Service
Summer 2002 Cross Canada Tour
Newport Jazz Festival
JVC North Sea Jazz
NewYork Jazz Fest
Vancouver Jazz Fest..etc.
Cafe De Paris - Monaco
Weekly
Saturday Night Live Jazz Show @ Le Bar Des Oiseaux, Nice
Bi-Weekly Residency
@ smarties , Nice
Dimitri Shapko Jazz Night LIVE ! saturdays @ BarDesOiseaux broadcasted
by grooveboxradio
numerous Jazz and Lounge clubs in Europe
BOOKING CONTACT :
Dimitri Shapko
+33(0)623337120
+31(0)617064344
jazzroom@gmail.com
Facebook : Dmitri Shapko
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