"TODAY YOU PLAY JAZZ, AND TOMORROW I WILL SELL THE HOMELAND." SUCH SLOGANS THERE ARE SOVIET PUBLICITY OF THE MIDDLE OF THE XX CENTURY TRIED TO PUT FROM SOCIETY A DUBBLE ATTRACTION OF WESTERN MUSIC AND, IN PARTICULAR, BY JAZZ. HEALTHY SENSE, FORTITUALLY, WITH TIME, TAKE ELIMINATION, OTHERWISE THE COUNCIL OF MANY AMAZING JAZZMEN AND MUSICIANS WOULD NOT KNOW. FOR WORD, IN OCTOBER OF THIS YEAR "PARTISAN OF THE SOVIET JAZZ", FOUNDER OF JAZZ ROCK GROUP "ARSENAL" ALEXEY KOZLOV MARKED HIS 75th ANNIVERSARY. AND MANY HIS FANS, SURE SURPRISED BY HIS APPOINTED TITLE OF PEOPLE'S ARTIST OF THE USSR, A COUNTRY WHICH OFFICIALLY JAZZ WAS NOT RECOGNIZED, THEREFORE, IT WOULD BE SAME TO SURVIVE. MEET MY NEIGHBOR - SERIES OF SUITS. HE DECIDED TO TELL US ABOUT HIS LONG ROAD TO JAZZ AND ABOUT WHAT THE SAXOPHONE CAN TELL .....
Serik, come from the very beginning. Traditionally, parents try to introduce all children to music at an early age, so they send them to a music school. When they sent you to study music, and why did you choose the saxophone?
Everything was different for me than for ordinary children. With all my desire, I was not able to get into a music school as a child. No matter how I terrorized my parents, it didn’t work out. Therefore, already at school, I began to play the guitar with my older brother. And I learned to play in the same way as all the boys back then - on three "thieves" chords. In general, he went through an ordinary yard school.
Remember your first song played?
Most likely, something from the Rolling Stones or Deep Purple. Or maybe the "Anthem to the rising sun" .... Everyone then studied on these melodies.
But what about the saxophone?
I didn’t even dream of a saxophone then, not even in my thoughts. I was fascinated by guitar lessons. Then there were school and club ensembles. By the way, I didn’t even think that I could devote my whole life to music. However, my friends, who were even younger than me, convinced me that music should be seriously studied. It was 1986 or 1987. Then, pop branches of music schools began to open throughout the country. The closest to us was in the city of Magnitogorsk, Chelyabinsk region. These guys went there, entered and called me. They said, they say that you are doing nonsense there, come to act. I then worked at a factory. But for some reason I decided to go ....
As far as I know, only those who have already graduated from music school were accepted to music schools, right?
That's right. But I gave up everything and in my old age I went to enter a music school.
Yes, this is called "the courage of the city takes." By the way, "in old age," at what age, if not secret?
At nineteen. But the funniest thing is not that. While I was traveling to Magnitogorsk, while we were meeting with friends there, time flew by imperceptibly, and we missed the entrance exams. Can you imagine? I must say that we came to act also in the guitar class. And when our company appeared at the school, we were told: "Guys, where have you been before? Entrance exams ended a week ago." And to our good fortune, when we were about to go home, an educator in the class of wind instruments went down the stairs. He looked at us, appreciated the shape of the jaws and the bites of each, you know how horses are usually examined. Apparently, my bite suited him too (laughs). Then he tested our hearing with a few well-known exercises. But the spiritual fathers that year at the school, again, to our happiness, were shortage. There were 15 people who wanted to become guitarists in one place, and there were few who wished to play wind instruments. In general, I thought that I should at least somehow cling to the school, and went to take exams, to which we were allowed.
And how many people from your company have arrived?
There were three of us, everyone entered - one for the trumpet class, the second for the trombone, and I for the saxophone. Moreover, I have one thought - to study for a year, and then still transfer to the guitar. But it was not there. My teacher, Roman Konstantinovich Khatipov, a great musician who once played in the Anatoly Krol Orchestra, turned out to be very good. He lit me. I immediately started playing, and in a year I more or less managed to master the instrument.
Was it difficult? After all, you started from scratch?
Yes, it was very difficult. I felt like an old man in the first grade of a school. The young guys who studied with me were already calmly playing sheet music. When did you first understand that you can already play along with others? At the end of the first year of study. True, I came to the classes of the orchestra before everyone else, tried to memorize my part, because it was difficult for me to play notes at once.
What did you dream about after graduation?
I think I was no different from all novice musicians, so my first dream was to go to America. But at that time there was still the USSR, and of course, Moscow was the main center for all musicians. Through it went all the instruments, contracts with musicians, work. Everything. Good tools were in short supply. The only currency store "Birch" was also located in the capital. We rejoiced in the production tools of Bulgaria, East Germany and the Czech Republic. It was not necessary to dream of the best quality then. Branded tools cost a lot of money, and naturally there weren’t any new ones.
When did you get your first good tool?
About ten years after I started playing the saxophone, but it was the "king" of instruments - Selmer. This is the best saxophone available today. And I still play it.
Did you manage to conquer Moscow?
We came to the capital with the guys as a music group in early 1991. There were five of us. Once sponsors were found right away, and we started playing music at different venues, even recorded several songs in the studio. Then we were offered either to further push our way in creativity, as a beginner group, or to play with some beginner artist. Then Angelika Varum just started appearing on the stage, and we were invited to go to her musicians. But we did not know who it was, and refused. Today I think that maybe in vain ...
But on the other hand, we received an offer to speak at Alla Pugacheva’s “Christmas Meetings”. True, they didn’t perform, as the group broke up. The guitarist went to work for Valery Leontiev, the vocalist for Alexander Buinov, those three who remained also soon went their separate ways. I continued to study at the institute, played in the orchestra, mastered all kinds of saxophones - and tenor, and viola, and baritone. It was a good prospect, since usually there are not enough saxophonist-baritone players in orchestras. You could get into Oleg Lundstrem’s orchestra, but I always wanted independence. I did not want to live in a state of constant touring and moving.
Now do not regret that you did not become a star in Moscow?
No, I do not regret it; everything turned out as it should.
Then what is ahead?
A lot of creative plans. Here in Dubai, I am currently working with British and Canadian musicians. There are already a couple of studio discs in my archive - I recorded one in Sweden and the other in America. Mostly, of course, I'm interested in concert activities. Now I play every evening in one of the city’s golf clubs, where the main visitors are British, Irish, immigrants from India and Arab countries. I am often asked to perform popular tunes by famous authors. If in my repertoire, for example, this composition does not exist, by the next evening I find notes, select a soundtrack for accompaniment. It is always nice to surprise a fan of jazz music with something you love.
Do you see your creative realization in the UAE?
Perhaps yes. My brother and I always wanted to live where the sea is warm and warm. Our dream has come true, we live and work in Dubai. I endure heat much easier than cold. Moreover, many of our compatriots live in the UAE, so I don’t notice the loneliness or homesickness for myself. I’ll tell you more, I was very surprised when I found out that my classmate Sergey Tokarev is the director of your publishing house. I didn’t even think that I would meet him here. As for creative plans, I want to create my own small team, for example, a quintet. There are good musicians, an interesting jazz singer from the UK. We have already started working together. We will perform in clubs, at jam sessions or jazz festivals. I think that next year we will already show our program at the Dubai Jazz Festival and continue to move forward.
What is a saxophone for you today - a profession or a hobby? Looking back, do you think it is correct that you chose this tool?
In the fact that I began to play the saxophone, I see God's hand. And I'm not sorry about anything. Even in terms of income, a saxophonist is a profession that is always in demand anywhere in the world. And in general, everything coincided with me - creativity, work, which is a favorite thing, life in a warm country by the sea. The schedule, of course, is tight, but this is only a joy. I hope that not only me, but also my listeners, who are becoming more and more.
Thanks, Serik. We don’t say goodbye for a long time, we hope to meet already at the current jazz festival.
