Alex Sipiagin
A gifted, Russian-born jazz trumpeter, Alex Sipiagin is a dynamic soloist with a harmonically sophisticated approach influenced by the post-bop style of artists like Woody Shaw, Freddie Hubbard, and John Coltrane. Sipiagin initially came to wider recognition after placing fourth in the Thelonious Monk Institute's International Louis Armstrong Competition in 1990. Moving to New York, he quickly established himself as an in-demand sideman, working with such esteemed outfits as the Mingus Big Band and the Gil Evans Orchestra, as well as players like David Binney, Dave Holland, Conrad Herwig, and others. As a leader, he has issued a steady stream of highly regarded and hard-swinging albums, including 2001's Steppin' Zone, 2008's Out of the Circle, and 2010's Generations: Dedicated to Woody Shaw. He is also a member of the Criss Cross label's Jazz Messengers-style group Opus 5, with whom he has recorded a handful of albums such as 2012's Pentasonic and 2015's Tickle. His immense skills have brought him accolades including playing on the Michael Brecker Quindectet's Grammy-winning 2003 album Wide Angles and the Dave Holland Big Band's Grammy-nominated 2010 album Pathways. Away from performing, Sipiagin is also a committed educator, having taught at both NYU and the Groningen Prince Claus Conservatory, Academy of Music, Basel, Switzerland.
Alexei "Sasha" Sipiagin was born on June 11, 1967 in Yaroslavl, U.S.S.R. Growing up, Sipiagin studied classical trumpet and played in a youth orchestra. At around age 15 he enrolled in a local music school, where he first encountered modern jazz. Inspired to study more jazz, Sipiagin auditioned and was accepted into the Moscow Music Institute at age 16, eventually graduating with his bachelor's degree in music. After college, Sipiagin's studies were waylaid for two years of compulsory service in the Soviet Army, after which he enrolled in the Gnessin Conservatory in Moscow.
In 1990, Sipiagin competed and placed fourth in the Thelonious Monk Institute's International Louis Armstrong Competition in Washington, D.C. He not only won a Bach trumpet, presented to him by legendary jazz trumpeter Clark Terry, but also received much notice by critics and jazz musicians in the States. Buoyed by the attention, Sipiagin relocated to New York, where he found work with a bevy of ensembles including the Mingus Big Band, Mingus Dynasty, bassist Dave Holland's Big Band, Sextet, and Octet groups, as well as a cadre of top-echelon players including Larry Coryell, Conrad Herwig, David Binney, and others. He also made his debut as a leader, issuing Images in 1998, playing alongside Binney, Chris Potter, Scott Colley, and others.
He then moved to the Criss Cross label and issued 2001's Steppin' Zone, a hard-hitting acoustic jazz date featuring saxophonist Potter, pianist David Kikoski, bassist Colley, and drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts. More equally dynamic albums followed for Criss Cross, including 2002's Hindsight, 2005's Returning, and 2007's Prints. He also joined Michael Brecker on the saxophonist's Grammy-winning 2003 Quindectet album Wide Angles, and continued his long association with bassist Holland on the 2005 Big Band album Overtime.
In 2008, Sipiagin, ever the adventurous journeyman, released Out of the Circle on Sunnyside, an album with various N.Y.C.-based musicians the trumpeter had not worked with closely before. He returned to Criss Cross in 2009 with the high-energy post-bop of Mirages, featuring saxophonist Seamus Blake, pianist Mulgrew Miller, bassist Boris Kozlov, and drummer Johnathan Blake. The trumpeter then paid homage to one of his main influences with Generations: Dedicated to Woody Shaw in 2010. A year later, he emerged with the sextet date Destinations Unknown alongside saxophonists Potter and Binney. Potter was also on board for Overlooking Moments in 2013.
Around this time, Sipiagin made his debut with the Criss Cross label ensemble Opus 5, appearing on 2011's Introducing Opus 5 alongside saxophonist Seamus Blake, pianist David Kikoski, bassist Boris Kozlov, and drummer Donald Edwards. The group, which is modeled after Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, has continued to work regularly, issuing 2012's Pentasonic, 2014's Progression, and 2015's Tickle.
In 2014, Sipiagin debuted his New Path ensemble featuring Dutch vocalist Hiske Oosterwijk. The group returned in 2016 with New Path 2. The trumpeter also returned to his sextet work with 2015's Balance 38-58. Two years later, he issued Moments Captured with saxophonists Potter and Will Vinson, pianist John Escreet, bassist Matt Brewer, and drummer Eric Harland.
© Matt Collar /TiVo
Discography
21 album(s) • Sorted by Bestseller
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Relativity (feat. Chris Potter, Will Vinson, John Escreet, Boris Kozlov, Eric Harland & Alina Engibaryan)
Jazz - Released by Skydeck Music on 9 jun. 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Balance 38-58
Jazz - Released by Criss Cross Jazz on 17 feb. 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
From Reality and Back
Jazz - Released by 5Passion on 18 mei 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
New York Suite (Live)
Alex Sipiagin, Big band rtv Slovenija
Jazz - Released by ZKP RTVSLO on 15 mei 2023
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
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Moments Captured
Jazz - Released by Criss Cross Jazz on 27 apr. 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
New Path (feat. Hiske Oosterwijk, Misha Tsiganov, Boris Kozlov, Sasha Mashin)
Jazz - Released by ArtBeat music on 1 okt. 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Wings of Freedom (Live from the Temple)
Alex Sipiagin, Oscar Feldman, Misha Tsiganov, Michael O'Brien, Claes Brondal, Alex Levine
Jazz - Released by The Jam Session Inc on 22 nov. 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Overlooking Moments
Jazz - Released by Criss Cross Jazz on 15 okt. 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Nofo Skies
Moderne jazz - Released by Blue Room Music on 22 apr. 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Aleph in Chromatic
Jazz - Released by SteepleChase on 1 okt. 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Destinations Unknown
Jazz - Released by Criss Cross Jazz on 17 mei 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Dream Episodes
Jazz - Released by Leeway Music & Media, Inc on 10 dec. 2014
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Machaut Man and a Superman Hat: Music of Dave Lisik
Jazz - Released by Skydeck Music on 13 nov. 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bonnie and Clyde
Moderne jazz - Released by Skydeck Music on 11 apr. 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Sight (Live)
Alex Sipiagin, Big band rtv Slovenija
Jazz - Released by ZKP RTVSLO on 8 mei 2023
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -