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Tanel Ruben

Today, Tanel Ruben has become one of Estonia’s most influential and famous jazz drummers known as an extremely active and versatile musician.

He did not start his music studies with drum lessons, however; instead, he firstly became acquainted with the accordion and the double bass in a music class and a music school. Since puberty, Tanel has devoted his interest and energy mostly to playing drums and composing. As a result of that, he now has numerous multifarious projects, him being the creative leader. At the same time, he also actively participates in projects and ensembles called into existence by other people in Estonia as well as abroad.

Cooperation has brought Tanel together with many different musicians from Europe, Russia and the United States. Just to name a few of them: Anders Jormin, Brian Melvin, Ray Blue, Jukka Perko, Yasuhito Mori, Lembit Saarsalu, Kristian Blak, Andrei Kondakov, Sergey Manukyan, Leonid Vintskevich, Raimonds Pauls, Valeri Leontyev and many others.

Tanel Ruben & Victoria: A Sentimental Call was the first album with Tanel himself being both the producer and the composer. The music on that record sought a contact between acoustic jazz and club music. It resulted in an original point of view on nu jazz, which got a lot of positive feedback from the audience as well as the critics.

Hinkus feat. Maarja: Look Around was the second album again produced and composed by Tanel. Funk, jazz and soul would be the most accurate stylistic hints to characterise the music on this album. Maarja, or Maarja-Liis Ilus, is Estonia’s most renowned pop star of all times and has also been one of the artists of Universal Music.

Tanel Ruben: Collected Riches/Kogutud rikkus is the third, and at the moment last, album with Tanel being the composer, producer and drummer. Already the album’s title indicates a wider selection of music and a broad approach to life. Whereas Tanel has also always been interested in electronic music, it can be said that one can hear a fusion of acoustic and electronic music, the mainstream and the non-mainstream, jazz and non-jazz on all albums produced by him.

In April 2008, Tanel was awarded the title of Estonia’s jazz musician of the year " the Elion Jazz Award, which is issued by Elion, a telecommunications company, and Jazzkaar, the international jazz festival. This is the most prestigious jazz-related acknowledgement in Estonia.

Awards

In April 2008, Tanel was awarded the title of Estonia’s jazz musician of the year " the Elion Jazz Award, which is issued by Elion, a telecommunications company, and Jazzkaar, the international jazz festival. This is the most prestigious jazz-related acknowledgement in Estonia.

Gear

Sonor;Pearl,Premier,D-Drum;Roland;Bosphorus,Zildijan,Paiste,Sabian


Tags

Estonian jazz awards go to Tanel Ruben and Kadri Voorand

Valdur Laid, Kadri Voorand, Tanel Ruben As part of Jazzikuu (Month of Jazz) and Jazzkaar, Estonian jazz awards were presented for the second time on 23 April as a result of cooperation between Elion, Estonia’s biggest telecommunications and IT company, the Estonian Jazz Federation and Jazzkaar. The awards were handed over before the concert of Avishai Cohen. As part of Jazzikuu (Month of Jazz) and Jazzkaar, Estonian jazz awards were presented for the second time on 23 April as a result of cooperation between Elion, Estonia’s biggest telecommunications and IT company, the Estonian Jazz Federation and Jazzkaar. The laureates were announced and awards handed over in the Russian Theatre right before the concert of Avishai Cohen, Jazz Ambassador.

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Primary Instrument

Drums

Credentials/Background

Associate Professor at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre

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