Biography
John Domovoy was born in the south capital of Kirgizia at the root of a Suleiman Mountain. He started to play Electric Bass at the age of 17. Exactly at the time he began to write music and poems. However his musical history began much earlier…
Being only eight years old, John had already known such famous bands as Pink Floyd, La Bionda, Rockets, Super Max and Deep Purple thanks to his older brother. That’s why one day he came home and told his parents about his strong wish to enter a music school, exactly the piano class. John’s parents very really glad to hear that and the next evening he found a new beautiful black instrument in his room.
John had a perfect ear for music and good voice, that’s why he was often offered to change his piano class for the violin, but he finally refused to do it. Meanwhile the time had come to chose additional course in chorus or in orchestra. John had chosen a brass band, where he blew a second tenor.
The orchestral life with its journeys to other cities, performances and festivals completely filled his mind and his time. John had already had no time for the piano. The offer to combine playing in brass band with playing in philharmonic orchestra only added fuel to the fire.
John simply couldn’t deny it! It was a really new level for him. Moreover, each offer in music school could be considered as an order.
One warm autumn day at the final rehearsal of his philharmonic orchestra John saw a very interesting person. It was a man of about forty five years, who looked very unusual and completely different from all the teachers of the music school.
He was not tall, but taut and well-built. And his clothes! There was something in his style that reminded of American gangsters of the 30-th. He was wearing wonderful leather jacket, well-pressed trousers and luxurious sharp-nosed brown shoes. The whole dress was completed with an elegant hat.
That man was carrying a big chequered suitcase. Some kind of a jazz spirit was hovering around him, and John thought that the stranger was having a saxophone in his suitcase. Meantime “The Gangster” (how John called him) unzipped his suitcase, opened the lock and…
John had never seen such instrument before!
Its bell was laying separately from the main part. Both parts were round, with he same diameter. They were sparkling gold against the beautiful red velvet… It was a French horn!
There were no French horn classes in John’s town, because it was hard to find a teacher. That’s why he was so amazed with this instrument.
Silently “The Gangster” took the beautiful golden “snail” in one hand and fastened it to the bell with the help of another hand. After that he placed his right hand in the bell, moved an instrument close to his hip and put in the mouthpiece with his left hand. Then he straightened himself, turned to the open window and started to play…
John was bedazzled!
For the first time he understood what love is!
He had heard this sound before, in his childhood. The sound was so high, plangent, so faraway and dreamy! It resembled baritone and trombone, but it was much more delicate. It was some kind of power and magic in this sound! The instrument was of a great range.
Thus, John hadn’t finished even five piano classes and definitely chose the wind instruments section. He started to play French horn.
His parents again sided with him and soon presented him very expensive instrument.
It was double French horn, which combined F and C.
“The Gangster” became a part of John’s life for a long period.
His name was Nikolay Ivanovitch Dudenkov. He was a real man, a soldier and Afghan war veteran, but above this all he was a professional French horn player and simply a nice fellow. Sometimes he was telling different funny jokes all along his classes.
After finishing music school, John entered the music academy. He chose the same wind instruments section, the French horn class. It was quite easy for him. On the one hand, he had five-year experience of playing the piano and on the other – his dear teacher “The Gangster” was working there because of the lack of French horn players.
Meanwhile, John’s collection of the music, which he was listening to, was growing extremely fast. Even now, many years later, John keeps on telling that there is not enough music for him, though he’s got his house full of the different CD’s
Rock-music had come into his life just before he became a student of the music academy.
One evening of the 88, when John was sitting home and listening to the Whitesnake’s album (released in 87), the doorbell rang. There were two of his friends, and they offered him to form a band. Guys were very excited with a Deep Purple’s video – “Live At The California Jam”, which they had just seen! But John was the only one with a musical education, so their plan died right at its beginning. However this idea had stuck into his head like a small, but deadly splinter! Moreover, thanks to rock-music John had found his new serious love.
John had a perfect ear for music and good voice, that’s why he was often offered to change his piano class for the violin, but he finally refused to do it. Meanwhile the time had come to chose additional course in chorus or in orchestra. John had chosen a brass band, where he blew a second tenor.
The orchestral life with its journeys to other cities, performances and festivals completely filled his mind and his time. John had already had no time for the piano. The offer to combine playing in brass band with playing in philharmonic orchestra only added fuel to the fire.
John simply couldn’t deny it! It was a really new level for him. Moreover, each offer in music school could be considered as an order.
One warm autumn day at the final rehearsal of his philharmonic orchestra John saw a very interesting person. It was a man of about forty five years, who looked very unusual and completely different from all the teachers of the music school.
He was not tall, but taut and well-built. And his clothes! There was something in his style that reminded of American gangsters of the 30-th. He was wearing wonderful leather jacket, well-pressed trousers and luxurious sharp-nosed brown shoes. The whole dress was completed with an elegant hat.
That man was carrying a big chequered suitcase. Some kind of a jazz spirit was hovering around him, and John thought that the stranger was having a saxophone in his suitcase. Meantime “The Gangster” (how John called him) unzipped his suitcase, opened the lock and…
John had never seen such instrument before!
Its bell was laying separately from the main part. Both parts were round, with he same diameter. They were sparkling gold against the beautiful red velvet… It was a French horn!
There were no French horn classes in John’s town, because it was hard to find a teacher. That’s why he was so amazed with this instrument.
Silently “The Gangster” took the beautiful golden “snail” in one hand and fastened it to the bell with the help of another hand. After that he placed his right hand in the bell, moved an instrument close to his hip and put in the mouthpiece with his left hand. Then he straightened himself, turned to the open window and started to play…
John was bedazzled!
For the first time he understood what love is!
He had heard this sound before, in his childhood. The sound was so high, plangent, so faraway and dreamy! It resembled baritone and trombone, but it was much more delicate. It was some kind of power and magic in this sound! The instrument was of a great range.
Thus, John hadn’t finished even five piano classes and definitely chose the wind instruments section. He started to play French horn.
His parents again sided with him and soon presented him very expensive instrument.
It was double French horn, which combined F and C.
“The Gangster” became a part of John’s life for a long period.
His name was Nikolay Ivanovitch Dudenkov. He was a real man, a soldier and Afghan war veteran, but above this all he was a professional French horn player and simply a nice fellow. Sometimes he was telling different funny jokes all along his classes.
After finishing music school, John entered the music academy. He chose the same wind instruments section, the French horn class. It was quite easy for him. On the one hand, he had five-year experience of playing the piano and on the other – his dear teacher “The Gangster” was working there because of the lack of French horn players.
Meanwhile, John’s collection of the music, which he was listening to, was growing extremely fast. Even now, many years later, John keeps on telling that there is not enough music for him, though he’s got his house full of the different CD’s
Rock-music had come into his life just before he became a student of the music academy.
One evening of the 88, when John was sitting home and listening to the Whitesnake’s album (released in 87), the doorbell rang. There were two of his friends, and they offered him to form a band. Guys were very excited with a Deep Purple’s video – “Live At The California Jam”, which they had just seen! But John was the only one with a musical education, so their plan died right at its beginning. However this idea had stuck into his head like a small, but deadly splinter! Moreover, thanks to rock-music John had found his new serious love.
He was fascinated with a sound of bass guitar!!!
Once, when John was already a student of music academy, he brought home very old, heavy and ridiculous bass guitar named “Tonika”, which was made by some Soviet factory. That time he didn’t even know how to tune it up!
Now it is time to say that John Domovoy have never played the guitar. Even now he can’t do it. When he takes someone else’s guitar just to touch it, he always wonders how do people play it? It looks like it’s gonna fall to pieces at any moment! And he laughs.
So the proverb saying that every bassist is unsuccessful guitarist is not about John. Maybe he could be a pianist or a French horn player, but not more…
On the next day John got acquainted with contrabassists, who studied the same course of his music academy. Later on they taught him many important things including bass tuning and finger-stretching exercises.
Once John even wanted to change his course and join the contrabass section, but the direction refused. The problem was that there were only three French horn players, who played both in brass band and in philharmonic orchestra, and John Domovoy was the one who had played the first French horn part.
One winter evening the doorbell at John’s house rang again. There were the same guys, who had visited John two years ago. They didn’t waste the time and turned themselves into the guitarists. At least they bought nice Czech guitars. They needed John not as a bass player (at that time he was not ready to play the bass), but as a keyboarder.
John accepted the offer. He already wanted to try himself as a rock-musician surrounded by fans, guitars, drums…
It was easy for him to play keys. Even when he studied at the music school, he liked to play John Lord’s and Richie Blackmore’s parts…
So, guys finally formed a band, but the rehearsals went totally wrong. Nobody had seen their goal. Playing skills of the guitarists were not enough for solo or improvisation, but playing the famous bands repertory was quite boring.
Nevertheless one important incident had happened to John at that time.
Right on their first rehearsal one band member had captured John’s attention. It was a well-built guy with a fiery-red hair, who played the strange arrow-shaped bass (which looked like if it was home-made). He played it pretty good, but also he often took the guitar of one of the band members and showed how it should be played. He did it calmly and without any pathos. Once he even showed himself as a talented drummer. The name of that guy was Dmitry Ignatov and he was a guitarist. In their nameless band he played the bass because there was no more guitarist needed. He was from Penza and got to Osh by some occasion. John Domovoy had instantly added Dmitry to the future line-up of his first band.
Some days later John informed his friends that he didn’t want to play with them anymore. He said that the elder musicians offered him to play keys at the evening dance parties. And that was true.
But at the same time he found Dmitry Ignatov and told him about his grandiose plan. John was surprised to know that Dima was thinking right about the same! From that moment two guys became the inseparable duet for a long time.
They had started with making John’s solo album consisting of six stupid, boring (as John says) compositions. Some of them lasted for not less than fifteen minutes!
The name of the album was “John Domovoy – The Dead Season”.
That season was really dead. The Republic still didn’t recover from the current summer war events, which took place in the South Kirgizia in 1990. The curfew order had been declared and it became impossible to set any open-air performance.
Dmitry had also had his solo album released. He made it by his own forces. John found Dmitry to be a professional guitarist with a good voice resembling the voice of Yuri Shevtchuk.
Their life became very interesting, full of hopes and plans. Music, everyday rehearsals, playing technique and love entwined in lives of two friends…
Now I’ll make one small, but important remark.
John Domovoy and Dmitry Ignatov’s duet soon turned into the full trio named…
Now it is time to say that John Domovoy have never played the guitar. Even now he can’t do it. When he takes someone else’s guitar just to touch it, he always wonders how do people play it? It looks like it’s gonna fall to pieces at any moment! And he laughs.
So the proverb saying that every bassist is unsuccessful guitarist is not about John. Maybe he could be a pianist or a French horn player, but not more…
On the next day John got acquainted with contrabassists, who studied the same course of his music academy. Later on they taught him many important things including bass tuning and finger-stretching exercises.
Once John even wanted to change his course and join the contrabass section, but the direction refused. The problem was that there were only three French horn players, who played both in brass band and in philharmonic orchestra, and John Domovoy was the one who had played the first French horn part.
One winter evening the doorbell at John’s house rang again. There were the same guys, who had visited John two years ago. They didn’t waste the time and turned themselves into the guitarists. At least they bought nice Czech guitars. They needed John not as a bass player (at that time he was not ready to play the bass), but as a keyboarder.
John accepted the offer. He already wanted to try himself as a rock-musician surrounded by fans, guitars, drums…
It was easy for him to play keys. Even when he studied at the music school, he liked to play John Lord’s and Richie Blackmore’s parts…
So, guys finally formed a band, but the rehearsals went totally wrong. Nobody had seen their goal. Playing skills of the guitarists were not enough for solo or improvisation, but playing the famous bands repertory was quite boring.
Nevertheless one important incident had happened to John at that time.
Right on their first rehearsal one band member had captured John’s attention. It was a well-built guy with a fiery-red hair, who played the strange arrow-shaped bass (which looked like if it was home-made). He played it pretty good, but also he often took the guitar of one of the band members and showed how it should be played. He did it calmly and without any pathos. Once he even showed himself as a talented drummer. The name of that guy was Dmitry Ignatov and he was a guitarist. In their nameless band he played the bass because there was no more guitarist needed. He was from Penza and got to Osh by some occasion. John Domovoy had instantly added Dmitry to the future line-up of his first band.
Some days later John informed his friends that he didn’t want to play with them anymore. He said that the elder musicians offered him to play keys at the evening dance parties. And that was true.
But at the same time he found Dmitry Ignatov and told him about his grandiose plan. John was surprised to know that Dima was thinking right about the same! From that moment two guys became the inseparable duet for a long time.
They had started with making John’s solo album consisting of six stupid, boring (as John says) compositions. Some of them lasted for not less than fifteen minutes!
The name of the album was “John Domovoy – The Dead Season”.
That season was really dead. The Republic still didn’t recover from the current summer war events, which took place in the South Kirgizia in 1990. The curfew order had been declared and it became impossible to set any open-air performance.
Dmitry had also had his solo album released. He made it by his own forces. John found Dmitry to be a professional guitarist with a good voice resembling the voice of Yuri Shevtchuk.
Their life became very interesting, full of hopes and plans. Music, everyday rehearsals, playing technique and love entwined in lives of two friends…
Now I’ll make one small, but important remark.
John Domovoy and Dmitry Ignatov’s duet soon turned into the full trio named…
REZHIM¹
The new band consisted of Dmitry Ignatov (guitar, vocals), John Domovoy (bass, vocals) and close friend of John – Evgeny Lobodenko a.k.a Chris.
Chris was tall, dark, cheerful guy, who looked like a gipsy. He had become the band’s drummer. Now he is known in Penza as a successful accordionist. At the beginning “Rezhim” was playing the classic hard rock, which resembled early albums of Ronnie James Dio. But in 1993 (the year of a breakup) it was already a good hard’n’heavy band, which had two new members in its line-up: a second guitarist Yuri Aleksandrov and vocalist Alexey Nayda.
“Rezhim”, which was already a quintet, had made a very good final show together with other bands of the town, after which it had ended up its musical being.
Chris was tall, dark, cheerful guy, who looked like a gipsy. He had become the band’s drummer. Now he is known in Penza as a successful accordionist. At the beginning “Rezhim” was playing the classic hard rock, which resembled early albums of Ronnie James Dio. But in 1993 (the year of a breakup) it was already a good hard’n’heavy band, which had two new members in its line-up: a second guitarist Yuri Aleksandrov and vocalist Alexey Nayda.
“Rezhim”, which was already a quintet, had made a very good final show together with other bands of the town, after which it had ended up its musical being.
It was a period of a revolt. Soviet Union started to collapse, people were confused and disorientated. Of course, the whole situation reflected upon the music bands. At that time even big and famous bands had stopped their performances. The same had happened with “Rezhim”. Guys had parted. Dima went back to Penza, Chris went to Voronezh. Only John, who was the main causer of a band’s breakup, decided to stay in his hometown…
But he couldn’t keep silence for a long time. At the beginning of the summer, full of hopes, John took his bass and went to Moscow! His journey was long, but interesting. First of all he went to Altay and then started his way to Moscow. On his way he visited such interesting cities as Novosibirsk (ten years later it became John’s hometown), Omsk, Tambov…
Unfortunately, in the end of that year John was forced to return to his town Osh. The sacred Suleiman Mountain couldn’t let her son go! In Osh John started to work with a band called “Novoe vremya”² . It was the only one Kirgiz rock band, which had 10.000 copies of its record released! The album was called “Step into the underworld”. Unfortunately this band was expecting its final concert…
But he couldn’t keep silence for a long time. At the beginning of the summer, full of hopes, John took his bass and went to Moscow! His journey was long, but interesting. First of all he went to Altay and then started his way to Moscow. On his way he visited such interesting cities as Novosibirsk (ten years later it became John’s hometown), Omsk, Tambov…
Unfortunately, in the end of that year John was forced to return to his town Osh. The sacred Suleiman Mountain couldn’t let her son go! In Osh John started to work with a band called “Novoe vremya”² . It was the only one Kirgiz rock band, which had 10.000 copies of its record released! The album was called “Step into the underworld”. Unfortunately this band was expecting its final concert…
In the beginning of 1994 John understood that he couldn’t forget his days with “Rezhim” and decided to take a second try. He took his dear bass and went to a small town Serdobsk near Penza, where his guitarist Dmitry Ignatov had been living. Together with him John took one more talented guitarist Andrei Bludnyi. Moreover, at one of the railway stations John called his friend drummer Chris and let him into his crazy plan! Chris immediately quitted all his business and went to Serdobsk too!
Their happiness was boundless! That evening all friends from “Rezhim” were in condition of a great intoxication!!!
But the winter, its cold weather and regular kick-ups of Dmitry Ignatov made John forget about the revival of “Rezhim”. In the end of May of 1994 John returned to his dear root of the Suleiman Mountain. One hot day, feeling upset and broken, John was wandering the streets of his hometown. Occasionally he met two students of the faculty of foreign languages. One of them was Erdin. That crazy guy had showed John a new musical side of his future life.
Their happiness was boundless! That evening all friends from “Rezhim” were in condition of a great intoxication!!!
But the winter, its cold weather and regular kick-ups of Dmitry Ignatov made John forget about the revival of “Rezhim”. In the end of May of 1994 John returned to his dear root of the Suleiman Mountain. One hot day, feeling upset and broken, John was wandering the streets of his hometown. Occasionally he met two students of the faculty of foreign languages. One of them was Erdin. That crazy guy had showed John a new musical side of his future life.
The RADIO
John Domovoy & Erdin Apasov – it was the famous duet and successful creative union of the fm radio station “Almaz”³ . Radio wave had become John’s new passion. With his help the radio room “Almaz” started to turn into a real radio station. John could easily deal with different audio equipment and had good knowledge about musical arrangement. He also had a big collection of different music, both Russian and foreign. His program about rock music and its idols called “Mad diamond” was extremely popular.
The time was passing, and “Almaz” became John’s own project. He quitted working as a DJ and gave that place to the professionals. He left for himself just some thematic programs.
John had always paid attention to the air’s style. Its good examples were “Europe +” and “Radio 7 on 7 hills”. He was totally into his studio work. He wanted to make his small radio station sound perfect. And he did it! But much later…
The time was passing, and “Almaz” became John’s own project. He quitted working as a DJ and gave that place to the professionals. He left for himself just some thematic programs.
John had always paid attention to the air’s style. Its good examples were “Europe +” and “Radio 7 on 7 hills”. He was totally into his studio work. He wanted to make his small radio station sound perfect. And he did it! But much later…
ZORGE RAKHMANOV
John’s music history was moving in its own way. In 1995 John Domovoy had joined fabulous Zorge Rakhmanov, a well-known south-Kirgiz guitarist. John had heard about this musician when he was a schoolboy. They first met in 1992.
One evening a stranger come to Rezhim’s rehearsal. It was a thin man of a medium height with something oriental in his appearance. He greeted everyone and asked for a sit. Guys were surprised, but agreed with pleasure. When the band made a break, they started to chat and found out that their visitor was also a musician and played the guitar. Along the way John was softly playing passages from Iron Maiden repertory…
Oh! – exclaimed the “oriental guy”. – This is Iron Maiden!
Next moment he asked Dmitry Ignatov to give him the guitar. Dima gave his instrument to the guy, and then everyone had heard how it could sound completely different! The same sound John had heard only on Deep Purple, Joe Satriani and Yngvie Malmsteen’s famous records! Playing the famous bands songs, John and “oriental guy” were smiling, because they really enjoyed playing together. Everyone was looking at the great guitarist. When they finished, super-guitarist laughed and told John:
- Oh, you play rather good, almost like Steve Harris!
John felt a total eclipse of his mind. He had understood, what it was to play with a professional musician, the one who didn’t miss any note during the improvisation. To meet him was like a miracle for John.
When the guitarist was already going to leave, the door opened and his friend called him:
One evening a stranger come to Rezhim’s rehearsal. It was a thin man of a medium height with something oriental in his appearance. He greeted everyone and asked for a sit. Guys were surprised, but agreed with pleasure. When the band made a break, they started to chat and found out that their visitor was also a musician and played the guitar. Along the way John was softly playing passages from Iron Maiden repertory…
Oh! – exclaimed the “oriental guy”. – This is Iron Maiden!
Next moment he asked Dmitry Ignatov to give him the guitar. Dima gave his instrument to the guy, and then everyone had heard how it could sound completely different! The same sound John had heard only on Deep Purple, Joe Satriani and Yngvie Malmsteen’s famous records! Playing the famous bands songs, John and “oriental guy” were smiling, because they really enjoyed playing together. Everyone was looking at the great guitarist. When they finished, super-guitarist laughed and told John:
- Oh, you play rather good, almost like Steve Harris!
John felt a total eclipse of his mind. He had understood, what it was to play with a professional musician, the one who didn’t miss any note during the improvisation. To meet him was like a miracle for John.
When the guitarist was already going to leave, the door opened and his friend called him:
- Zorge, are you coming? We’re being late!
- Zorge?! – exclaimed John.
- You are Zorge Rakhmanov?!
- Yes, so what? – Zorge smiled.
But John couldn’t stop:
- Guys, this is Zorge Rakhmanov! He’s a unique man! We’ve just had his master-class! I’ve heard a lot about him, but have never met him before!
- Listen, can you tell me where can I find you? Or please tell me your phone number!..
Zorge gave John his phone number, but John asked:
- How should I ask for you if I call you?
- Well, ask for Zorge, - Zorge was surprised.
- Just “Zorge”? – John had always thought it was his nickname.
- And what’s your real name?
Zorge smiled, clapped John’s shoulder and said:
- This is my real name. Everyone is surprised for the first time.
- Call me if you want, maybe one day we’ll meet and make a jam! Bye!
- Zorge?! – exclaimed John.
- You are Zorge Rakhmanov?!
- Yes, so what? – Zorge smiled.
But John couldn’t stop:
- Guys, this is Zorge Rakhmanov! He’s a unique man! We’ve just had his master-class! I’ve heard a lot about him, but have never met him before!
- Listen, can you tell me where can I find you? Or please tell me your phone number!..
Zorge gave John his phone number, but John asked:
- How should I ask for you if I call you?
- Well, ask for Zorge, - Zorge was surprised.
- Just “Zorge”? – John had always thought it was his nickname.
- And what’s your real name?
Zorge smiled, clapped John’s shoulder and said:
- This is my real name. Everyone is surprised for the first time.
- Call me if you want, maybe one day we’ll meet and make a jam! Bye!
Some time later they had met and started to meet more and more often.
In the end of 1994 John, who was Zorge’s friend and big fan of his talent, had stimulated him to record his first solo album. That period was really good for this idea.
On the one hand, John had his quite big experience of listening to many different guitarists of all times, which made him sure he manage the producer’s job. On the other hand he had got a suitable studio IMMA, new, but pretty good. In that studio John had already recorded some of his songs. So, thanks to IMMA studio, friends started their rehearsals, which soon grew into the album recording.
It is better to name it “Mini LP”, which consisted of five beautiful instrumental compositions.
As John had expected, the sound was great, though it was a line recording and the studio yet didn’t have some necessary equipment. The sound of Zorge’s guitar was perfect and in general the sound was also very nice. Zorge had called that record “Euphoria of the Guitar”, but some years later he changed the name into “Stormy petrel” in name of its first and the brightest composition.
Both Zorge and John were satisfied with that successful work, which had opened new prospects before them. For Zorge Rakhmanov it was the end of his wandering from band to band and the start of his solo project. For John it was a new level in his playing technique development and a new inspiration for his soul. Now he had a real master, a teacher and simply a nice smart person near him.
That late autumn of 1994 they decided to continue working together.
In the end of 1994 John, who was Zorge’s friend and big fan of his talent, had stimulated him to record his first solo album. That period was really good for this idea.
On the one hand, John had his quite big experience of listening to many different guitarists of all times, which made him sure he manage the producer’s job. On the other hand he had got a suitable studio IMMA, new, but pretty good. In that studio John had already recorded some of his songs. So, thanks to IMMA studio, friends started their rehearsals, which soon grew into the album recording.
It is better to name it “Mini LP”, which consisted of five beautiful instrumental compositions.
As John had expected, the sound was great, though it was a line recording and the studio yet didn’t have some necessary equipment. The sound of Zorge’s guitar was perfect and in general the sound was also very nice. Zorge had called that record “Euphoria of the Guitar”, but some years later he changed the name into “Stormy petrel” in name of its first and the brightest composition.
Both Zorge and John were satisfied with that successful work, which had opened new prospects before them. For Zorge Rakhmanov it was the end of his wandering from band to band and the start of his solo project. For John it was a new level in his playing technique development and a new inspiration for his soul. Now he had a real master, a teacher and simply a nice smart person near him.
That late autumn of 1994 they decided to continue working together.
COLORS OF THE EAST
In 1997 John Domovoy received an offer to join the theater of clownery “Kraski Vostoka” (Farben Des Ostens or Colors of The East), which was more known abroad than in Kirgizia. Despite that it was a real chance to get a job abroad, John denied it. One year later “Colors of The East” had completely finished their work with its former sound engineer and again offered John to work together. This time John decided not to push luck and gladly accepted theater’s offer.
And the work began! John had only one month to study the program, which was quite difficult, and to gather all required documents. John did everything in time. Moreover, he made a lot for the renewal of all theater’s sound records.
John was a professional in the sound arrangement area, that’s why he loved accuracy of the sound and its high quality. So, in last two days he decided to rewrite all musical material from the records to the CDs despite that in that period CDs were not that popular. However he had found necessary compact-disks and also a place, where he realized his idea! Actors were a bit afraid of John’s invention, so he also took old, but dear cassettes with him.
Fortunately in the end there was no need of them.
One night, being on tour, John was suffering from the insomnia. And suddenly a great idea came to his mind!
There had been one number in the repertory, where an old reel tape recorder was used. But using of all that junk, especially the “aggregate”, had depressed John a lot! However there was no way to deal without it, because it was the crowning number of a program, almost its hit! The number was called “Clown-Fu”. In that number an actor should sometimes stop the tape with his hands and slowly move it forward, pull it and show the slow motion…
John was even thinking of making special records for that number, but it would make it even more complicated.
So, in a wonderful German house John jumped out of his bed, took a sheet of paper and started to write and draw something…
He didn’t sleep all night and in the morning let his friends into his new invention. Guys were smiling, but their faces showed that many of them didn’t believe it was possible. Others were not good at sound arrangement, but trusted in John! That time, in 1999, John’s friend and the actor of the theater Dmitry Hamzin (now the actor of “Snow Show” of Vyacheslav Polunin) had carefully listened to him and understood how his device was going to work. And it really worked! The next tour was free from all junk and the “Clown-Fu” number was made more distinct and with a good sound balance.
In that number John had used only two CDs. He could immediately switch from the first disk to the second and from one track to the other. Later he had copied all material to the minidisks, because hey were steadier.
John thinks that working in “Colors of the East” was the most professional, the most interesting and the most creative period of his life!
He had worked with that theater on the biggest festivals of the world. He visited many countries, such as Canada, Scotland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, Belgium and Spain. These long journeys abroad had influenced John’s mind. He suddenly understood how small and fragile the Earth is. His favorite country was Germany. He was even thinking of settling down in Hamburg, where he returned again and again…
The last two years in Kirgizia John was working at his radio station. “Almaz” had changed its studio, its apartment and its format as well. John had totally renewed the musical base and the air itself. His compositions can still be heard in “Almaz” air.
John had never needed a partner, but in spite of it he started to teach one young guy different sound arrangement skills. Probably John felt that his hometown had given him everything it could, and there was a time for a new period of his life.
In the end of 2002 sacred “Suleiman” Mountain had finally let her son go to the faraway Siberia…
Now John lives in Novosibirsk – the capital of Siberia.
He loves his city, which sometimes reminded him Frankfurt on the Main, sometimes – Hamburg and sometimes, in autumn rainy days – Edinburg.
And the work began! John had only one month to study the program, which was quite difficult, and to gather all required documents. John did everything in time. Moreover, he made a lot for the renewal of all theater’s sound records.
John was a professional in the sound arrangement area, that’s why he loved accuracy of the sound and its high quality. So, in last two days he decided to rewrite all musical material from the records to the CDs despite that in that period CDs were not that popular. However he had found necessary compact-disks and also a place, where he realized his idea! Actors were a bit afraid of John’s invention, so he also took old, but dear cassettes with him.
Fortunately in the end there was no need of them.
One night, being on tour, John was suffering from the insomnia. And suddenly a great idea came to his mind!
There had been one number in the repertory, where an old reel tape recorder was used. But using of all that junk, especially the “aggregate”, had depressed John a lot! However there was no way to deal without it, because it was the crowning number of a program, almost its hit! The number was called “Clown-Fu”. In that number an actor should sometimes stop the tape with his hands and slowly move it forward, pull it and show the slow motion…
John was even thinking of making special records for that number, but it would make it even more complicated.
So, in a wonderful German house John jumped out of his bed, took a sheet of paper and started to write and draw something…
He didn’t sleep all night and in the morning let his friends into his new invention. Guys were smiling, but their faces showed that many of them didn’t believe it was possible. Others were not good at sound arrangement, but trusted in John! That time, in 1999, John’s friend and the actor of the theater Dmitry Hamzin (now the actor of “Snow Show” of Vyacheslav Polunin) had carefully listened to him and understood how his device was going to work. And it really worked! The next tour was free from all junk and the “Clown-Fu” number was made more distinct and with a good sound balance.
In that number John had used only two CDs. He could immediately switch from the first disk to the second and from one track to the other. Later he had copied all material to the minidisks, because hey were steadier.
John thinks that working in “Colors of the East” was the most professional, the most interesting and the most creative period of his life!
He had worked with that theater on the biggest festivals of the world. He visited many countries, such as Canada, Scotland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, Belgium and Spain. These long journeys abroad had influenced John’s mind. He suddenly understood how small and fragile the Earth is. His favorite country was Germany. He was even thinking of settling down in Hamburg, where he returned again and again…
The last two years in Kirgizia John was working at his radio station. “Almaz” had changed its studio, its apartment and its format as well. John had totally renewed the musical base and the air itself. His compositions can still be heard in “Almaz” air.
John had never needed a partner, but in spite of it he started to teach one young guy different sound arrangement skills. Probably John felt that his hometown had given him everything it could, and there was a time for a new period of his life.
In the end of 2002 sacred “Suleiman” Mountain had finally let her son go to the faraway Siberia…
Now John lives in Novosibirsk – the capital of Siberia.
He loves his city, which sometimes reminded him Frankfurt on the Main, sometimes – Hamburg and sometimes, in autumn rainy days – Edinburg.
French horn
…Today John still plays French horn, though it happens very rarely. He uses its sound together with bass in some of his compositions.
¹ Rezhim – regimen (ðóñ.)
² Novoe vremya – new time (ðóñ.)
³ Almaz – diamond (ðóñ.)
² Novoe vremya – new time (ðóñ.)
³ Almaz – diamond (ðóñ.)
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