Chita, the vibrant heart of **Zabaykalsky Krai**, recently transformed into a beacon for jazz enthusiasts, playing host to the highly anticipated **IV Oleg Lundstrem Jazz Festival**. This annual celebration, honoring the birthplace of Russian jazz and its legendary maestro, delivered a series of truly memorable performances. None, however, captured the imagination quite like the unexpected, triumphant appearance of world-renowned opera bass, **Ildar Abdrazakov**.
An Operatic Titan Steps into the Jazz Spotlight
The festival`s opening night was initially slated for a stellar performance by opera diva Hibla Gerzmava and the acclaimed **Moscow Jazz Orchestra**, led by the indefatigable **Igor Butman**. A last-minute change in the program, however, saw Abdrazakov step into the limelight—a substitution that, far from being a mere stand-in, became the evening`s most talked-about triumph. For Abdrazakov, this marked a significant debut: his inaugural visit to the vast and scenic Zabaykalsky Krai and its capital, Chita.
“A beautiful city, very sunny, and equally sunny people live here,” the celebrated bass shared, clearly charmed by his new surroundings. His stage presence immediately warmed the audience, especially when he playfully adapted the famous Soviet song _”I`m Walking Through Moscow”_ to _”I`m Walking Through Chita”_. While audiences worldwide are accustomed to his powerful operatic performances on the grandest stages, Abdrazakov unveiled a different, perhaps more whimsical, facet of his artistry. His program included popular hits, notably the beloved _”Ray of Golden Sun”_ from the classic animated film “The Bremen Town Musicians”—a delightful “career twist,” as he candidly described it, demonstrating his remarkable versatility without compromising the unique power of his voice.
Butman`s Orchestra: A Masterclass in Genre Fusion
Complementing Abdrazakov`s genre-bending act was the formidable **Moscow Jazz Orchestra**. Led by the charismatic **Igor Butman**, the orchestra presented its signature blend of classical and jazz, featuring a remarkable suite titled _”Rus”_. This ingenious composition interwove themes from Alexander Borodin`s “Bogatyrs`” Symphony and excerpts from the opera _”Prince Igor”_, including the iconic _”Fly Away on the Wings of the Wind”_. It is indeed a delicate art to interpret classical masterpieces through a jazz lens while maintaining profound respect for the original composers, and Butman`s orchestra executed it flawlessly, offering a fresh, yet reverent, perspective on Borodin and other Russian titans like Rachmaninoff and Tchaikovsky. The audience, often surprised by the harmonious fusion, found themselves rediscovering familiar melodies in exhilarating new forms.
Adding another layer of brilliance and levity was the extraordinary blind pianist, **Oleg Akkuratov**. Known for his prodigious talent and delightful sense of humor, Akkuratov presented a short, witty dedication to the Chita audience: _”Oh, how beautiful you are, Chita residents, how excellent you are! We came to you today from Moscow! How good it is here, in Transbaikalia, to perform today, to play with the Moscow Jazz Orchestra…”_ His charm was instant, eliciting roars of laughter and heartfelt applause. He then capped off his performance with a playful, almost mischievous, interjection of the popular song _”And Again, the Gray Night…”_ from the band “Laskovy May” into Abdrazakov`s earlier performance of _”Ray of Golden Sun”_. This seemingly whimsical juxtaposition carried a clever, subtle irony: for the Moscow artists, Chita`s “gray night” arrived a full six hours earlier than in the capital, while by their internal clocks, the “golden midday sun” was still shining brightly back home—a humorous nod to the vast geography of Russia and the temporary disorientation of its traveling stars.
The Enduring Legacy of Oleg Lundstrem
For Igor Butman, participating in a festival dedicated to **Oleg Lundstrem** is always “a great joy.” His connection to Lundstrem runs deep; Butman himself played with the jazz legend in the 1980s, absorbing invaluable lessons in musical leadership. He recalled Lundstrem’s remarkable composure and his knack for guiding a diverse group of musicians, even those not primarily improvisers, with a firm yet empathetic hand. “I learned from his living example,” Butman noted, acknowledging that only later in his own career did he fully appreciate the wisdom behind Lundstrem`s enduring success.
Lundstrem’s ability to maintain a successful orchestra for decades, keeping its sound fresh and relevant, required a unique blend of experience, an open soul, and a “tough character” when necessary. Butman, then a “young and spirited” musician, credits Lundstrem with teaching him the crucial balance needed to lead. This profound influence is why, even today, the Oleg Lundstrem Jazz Festival in Chita remains a vibrant testament to the vision and enduring spirit of a man who truly shaped **Russian jazz**, a legacy that continues to thrive through new generations of musicians and appreciative audiences, bridging distances and genres with the universal language of music.
