PERFORMING ARTS: VALERY PONOMAREV AND HIS JAZZ BAND

Come to the Kings Bay Library to have fun and listen for jazz music!

Ruslan Khain – Bass

Mamiko Watanabe – Piano

Jerome Gillespie – Drums

Valery Ponomarev – Trumpet

Jazz trumpeter Valery Ponomarev was born in Russia and came to the U.S. in 1973. He has been an American citizen since 1979, and has worked with Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers for four years. With the Messengers, he performed at major concert halls, clubs, and festivals all over the world and recorded 11 albums. He also made numerous television appearances with the Messengers in Europe, Japan, and Brazil. In the United States, he has made television appearances on "To Tell the Truth," on the PBS network, National Geographic Today, and CNN. Mr. Ponomarev also performed, traveled, and recorded with Max Roach, Benny Golson, Joe Henderson, Jimmy Cobb, Don Braden, Curtis Fuller, Charles McPherson, the Duke Ellington Orchestra under Mercer and Paul Ellington, the Arturo O'Farrill Afro Cuban Jazz Big Band and many others. He recorded eight solo albums, most of which were rated at top billing. His book "On the Flip Side of Sound" has generated numerous favorable comments and reviews by the absolute best in music business. The 52-minute documentary “Trumpeter from Russia”, which was based on this book, was awarded the Gold Prize at the Houston, TX International Film Festival in 2011. His life is also documented in the short films "Messenger from Russia" and "Frozen in Amber". In addition to playing with his quintet, Mr. Ponomarev leads and writes for his big band VPJBB a.k.a. “Our Father Who Art Blakey”. The VPJBB performed at Dizzy’s, Iridium, Jazz Standard, and other venues in NYC and appears regularly at the legendary “Zinc Bar” in the Village.