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Vadim Neselovskyi

The Los Angeles Times has praised Neselovskyi’s “extraordinary playing” while The Guardian (UK) has called him “the most promising of the young improvisers.” All About Jazz recognized his singular versatility, referring to him as “a strong pianist [as well as] a composer who blends form and freedom in new ways.”

Those diverse talents have attracted the attention of revered artists crossing the boundaries of genre, including legendary vibraphonist Gary Burton, who famously enlisted Neselovskyi for his acclaimed Generations Quintet; the prestigious Graz Philharmoniker, which performed his composition “Prelude for Vibes” on their New Year’s program; iconoclastic composer/saxophonist John Zorn, who invited Neselovskyi to contribute to The Book Beriah, the final installment of his quarter-century Masada project; and French horn/alphorn pioneer Arkady Shilkloper, a profound influence with whom the pianist now shares a longstanding duo collaboration.

Neselovskyi’s most recent release, Get Up and Go (Jazz Family/Neuklang), earned a rare 4.5-star review from DownBeat, placing it amongst the year’s best releases. The album showcases the meaningful bond forged between the pianist and his gifted bandmates, bassist Dan Loomis and drummer Ronen Itzik, during a visit to Neselovskyi’s native Ukraine at a time of intense political upheaval. The trio’s chemistry has only deepened since that time, through tours of the U.S., Europe, Asia and Mexico, well-received appearances at the Village Vanguard and the Blue Note in New York City, and live broadcasts on France’s Arte TV and Germany’s WDR. They’ll return to Germany in 2019 for a live concert on the SWR network.

The pianist’s next project will be a recording of his composition Bez Mezh (which, fittingly, means “no limits” in Ukrainian) by the International Symphony Orchestra (INSO) from Lviv, Ukraine. The ambitious work vividly interlaces composition and improvisation, providing both the piano soloist and the 65-piece orchestra with thrilling challenges to navigate.

A child prodigy in still-Soviet Ukraine, Neselovskyi became the youngest student to be accepted into the famed Odessa Conservatory. At the same time that he was honing his classical virtuosity, he was hearing such jazz giants as Keith Jarrett, Chick Corea and Thelonious Monk via CDs sold by sailors passing through the bustling port city (or, more often, tapes dubbed from those CDs). At 17, he moved with his family to Dortmund, Germany, continuing his classical studies while establishing himself on the local jazz scene.

Having delved into classical music in the country that gave birth to Bach and Beethoven, Neselovskyi determined to pursue his passion for jazz in the country of its birth. He moved to the United States to study at Berklee College of Music, where he was asked to perform on and compose for a promotional recording produced by Pat Metheny that also featured Esperanza Spalding and Christian Scott. He was then selected by Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter and Terence Blanchard to attend the Thelonious Monk Institute, where he was awarded a full scholarship. Through the Monk Institute’s auspices he enjoyed the opportunity to share the stage with Hancock, Blanchard, Chaka Khan, John Scofield, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Benny Golson, Dee Dee Bridgewater and a number of other greats while touring internationally.

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1
Album Review

Vadim Neselovskyi: Odesa: A Musical Walk Through a Legendary City

Read "Odesa: A Musical Walk Through a Legendary City" reviewed by Henning Bolte


Vadim Neselovskyi, as insisting as he is playful and dramatic, is a fierce vivacious musician with a great gift for making an amalgamation of percussive fireworks with melodic motives flashing up time and again. His music is full of vital, explosive turnarounds and suddenly appearing melancholic moments. Odesa: A Musical Walk Through A Legendary City is his musical shaping of the shimmering and colorful realities of this port city at the Black Sea shore, a gateway to the south and ...

1
Album Review

Vadim Neselovskyi: Get Up And Go

Read "Get Up And Go" reviewed by Jerome Wilson


Ukrainian pianist Vadim Neselovskyi has an affecting, organic sound that draws more from classical and folk idioms than the usual jazz materials. It can range from fragile to overpowering and on this CD, it allows him to establish a strong, individual presence in the crowded piano trio field.On fast pieces like “On A Bicycle" and “Who Is It?" Neselovskyi's playing is busy and relentless and stays in close rapport with bassist Dan Loomis and drummer Ronen Itzik who ...

3
Album Review

Vadim Neselovskyi Trio: Get Up And Go

Read "Get Up And Go" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky


In June of 2014, Pianist Vadim Neselovskyi was in his native Ukraine, eager and ready to bring his singular brand of energy to a crowd at that country's premier jazz gathering--the Alfa Jazz Fest. Minutes before his trio was set to take the stage, Neselovskyi learned that a Ukrainian military plane had been shot down by separatists. The audience he was due to perform for was in a downhearted state, reflective of the feeling(s) across the entire nation, and the ...

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Video / DVD

Pianist Vadim Neselovskyi, Bassist Dan Loomis, Drummer Ronen Itzik Shine In Live Performance Video

Pianist Vadim Neselovskyi, Bassist Dan Loomis, Drummer Ronen Itzik Shine In Live Performance Video

Source: Braithwaite & Katz Communications

Last May, the Ukrainian pianist Vadim Neselovskyi released his trio's debut recording Get Up and Go (May 19, Jazz Family and Neuklang Records) with bassist Dan Loomis and drummer Ronen Itzik, and the three musicians have been burning up stages around the world ever since. Their spring performance at jazzahead! 2017 in Bremen, Germany is a perfect example. Neselovskyi's precision and technical skill, honed during years of studying classical piano, work hand in glove with his creative compositions and brilliant ...

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Event

Vadim Neselovskyi Headlines Art Boutiki In San Jose During Ridgeway Arts Educational Series

Vadim Neselovskyi Headlines Art Boutiki In San Jose During Ridgeway Arts Educational Series

Source: Dan Vado

Pianist, composer, Berklee College of Music professor and former Gary Burton sideman Vadim Neselovskyi kicks off the Ridgeway Presents series with a stellar trio performance featuring new compositions, original arrangements and select solo piano pieces. A Ukrainian-born pianist, Vadim was classically trained at conservatories in his native Odessa and in Germany; honed his jazz chops on German jazz stages and at Berklee College of Music; and undertook his apprenticeship around the world as a member of master vibraphonist Gary Burton’s ...

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Performance / Tour

Ridgeway Arts Presents Internationally Acclaimed Pianist/Composer Vadim Neselovskyi And Renowned Bassist Jeff Denson In Three Bay Area Concerts May 5-7 In San Jose, Napa And Berkeley

Ridgeway Arts Presents Internationally Acclaimed Pianist/Composer Vadim Neselovskyi And Renowned Bassist Jeff Denson  In Three Bay Area Concerts May 5-7 In San Jose, Napa And Berkeley

Source: Braithwaite & Katz Communications

Ridgeway Arts, the new non-profit dedicated to developing the Bay Area educational and performance scene, presents three concerts May 5-7 by internationally renowned pianist/composer Vadim Neselovskyi. Neselovskyi will also conduct workshops with area students. Classically trained at conservatories in his native Odessa and in Germany, Neselovskyi honed his jazz chops on German jazz stages and at Berklee College of Music. There, he was discovered by Gary Burton, who made him a member of his Next Generation band. Neselovskyi now tours ...

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Event

Gary Burton, Fred Hersch, Vadim Neselovskyi Trio, Pletenitsa To Perform Concert For The Ukrainian People June 10 At Berklee

Gary Burton, Fred Hersch, Vadim Neselovskyi Trio, Pletenitsa To Perform Concert For The Ukrainian People June 10 At Berklee

Source: Berklee Media Relations

Boston, MA. - 2015—Grammy-winning vibraphonist Gary Burton, jazz pianist and composer Fred Hersch, and others will perform a concert of Ukrainian folk music as an expression of solidarity with Ukrainian refugees Wednesday, June 10, at the Berklee Performance Center. Organized by Burton’s former pianist, Odessa, Ukraine native, and Berklee faculty member Vadim Neselovskyi, Concert for the Ukrainian People will feature a program of traditional Ukrainian folk songs alongside Neselovskyi’s original compositions. Drummer Ronen Itzik, bassist Daniel Loomis, and the Berklee ...

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Performance / Tour

Vadim Neselovskyi @ Philadelphia's Chris' Jazz Cafe on December 9, 2006

Vadim Neselovskyi @ Philadelphia's Chris' Jazz Cafe on December 9, 2006

Source: All About Jazz

Best known from work with Gary Burton's New Generations, pianist Vadim Neselovskyi and his group will perform at Chris' Jazz Cafe on December 9th.

Neselovskyi grew up in Odessa, Ukraine and moved to Dortmund, Germany as a teenager. His early interests included classical music and while living in Germany, he discovered jazz. A graduate of Berklee College of Music, Neselovski currently resides in Brooklyn, NY.

His quintet features Amanda Baisinger, voice, Matt Shulman on trumpet, Oleg Osenkov on bass and ...

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Odesa: A Musical Walk...

Sunnyside Records
2022

buy

Get Up And Go

Jazz Family
2017

buy

Spring Song

Self Produced
2007

buy

Videos

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