Leonid Utyosov

Leonid Utyosov was the creator and longtime (1929-1982) singer and director of an extremely well-known Soviet Union jazz orchestra. He became a tale and the satisfaction of Soviet tradition. No matter his insufficient musical history, he became typically the most popular vocalist of his period. In a nation where jazz was announced “music from the fat,” he were able to not only set up the music, but to also protect it for quite some time to arrive, as the 1st influx of Soviet jazz. Leonid Utyosov was created in 1895, in Odessa, to a middle-class Jewish family members. In 1911, he became an acting professional inside a provincial theatre troop. Traveling along with his troop from city to city, and actively taking part in numerous theatrical productions, Utyosov quickly became a genuine professional; in the very beginning of the ’20s he currently performed in a variety of locations in Moscow and Leningrad. All those years, nevertheless, he’d dreamt about developing his personal jazz music group. By the end of 1928, he began making his desire come true. Inside a couple of months, Utyosov collected motivated together music artists to create up his 1st system. And, on March 8, 1929, the stage from the Leningrad Little Opera Theatre became home towards the 1st debut of his fresh jazz music group. The success of the performance was higher than many wished for. This is one way Leonid Utyosov himself attemptedto clarify it: “It really is easiest to state that our achievement is at the novelty-such figures like our thea-jazz hadn’t however been performed. There is obviously jazz created with a blueprint, a international blueprint…We, nevertheless, suggested a totally new genre, untried, theatrical jazz…Our entire program was sprinkled with jokes, sarcasm, humor. Before the audience not just a music group was created, but also a organization, a gathering from the content, not really dampened by sadness, people, with whom you can find pleasure and with whom one was particular to truly have a great time…I believe that this success of our 1st system was grounded particularly inside our optimism and laughter.” In the future and before end of his lifestyle, Utyosov was an irreplaceable head and a soloist from the self-created music group. Although some cursed and criticized Utyosov’s jazz, the general public fell deeply in love with his jazz instantly. The initial program that your group performed was mainly composed of well-known American and Western european jazz compositions. Ultimately, functions of Soviet composers such as for example Isaac Dunayevsky, L. Diderihs, Matvey Blanter, yet others became an integral part of the group’s repertoire, as well as the group began to consist of well-known tracks in its repertoire. Utyosov was the initial performer of such several songs, which still left the whole nation performing. Among those tracks were “The Center,” “With the Samovar,” “Everything Can be Right My Gorgeous Marquise,” “Polyushko-Pole,” “The Valued Rock,” “THE OCEAN Can be DISSEMINATE,” and many more. The film The Cheerful Men (1934, directed by Grigory Alexandrov), where Utyosov starred in the primary role, along with his group, was an excellent success. In those days, Edit Utyosova, girl of Leonid Utousov became a member of his group and became a longtime vocalist for the orchestra. During WWII, Utyosov and his music group performed within the military, and his shows brought liveliness and optimism back again to his thankful listeners. In 1965, Utyosov received the name from the people’s musician of U.S.S.R.. Leonid Utyosov passed away on March 9, 1982. Fortunately, his voice continues to be on tapes and information, as well such as his books.