Valery Ponomarev
Encyclopedia
Valery Ponomarev, Russian: Вале́рий Миха́йлович Пономарёв, Valery Mikhaylovich Ponomaryov, (born 1943) is a Russian born jazz trumpeter. He has lived in the United States
since 1973.
after hearing it on Voice of America
and felt a particular affinity for Clifford Brown
.
He dedicated countless hours to transcribing, studying and memorizing legendary jazz trumpet solos. In time he decided to flee the then Soviet Union
and ended up joining Art Blakey
's "The Jazz Messengers." After leaving he formed his own band "Universal Language."
On September 9, 2006, his arm was broken in an altercation with security at Charles De Gaulle International Airport
. The altercation involved his intention of carrying his trumpet with him onto the plane.
Ponomarev tours with his big band playing some originals and some music from the Jazz Messengers repertoire. He teaches privately, and released his autobiographical book "On The Flip Side of Sound" in 2009. He teaches as part of the Wachovia Jazz for Teens program in Newark, New Jersey.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
since 1973.
Career
Ponomarev became interested in jazzJazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
after hearing it on Voice of America
Voice of America
Voice of America is the official external broadcast institution of the United States federal government. It is one of five civilian U.S. international broadcasters working under the umbrella of the Broadcasting Board of Governors . VOA provides a wide range of programming for broadcast on radio...
and felt a particular affinity for Clifford Brown
Clifford Brown
Clifford Brown , aka "Brownie," was an influential and highly rated American jazz trumpeter. He died aged 25, leaving behind only four years' worth of recordings...
.
He dedicated countless hours to transcribing, studying and memorizing legendary jazz trumpet solos. In time he decided to flee the then Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and ended up joining Art Blakey
Art Blakey
Arthur "Art" Blakey , known later as Abdullah Ibn Buhaina, was an American Grammy Award-winning jazz drummer and bandleader. He was a member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community....
's "The Jazz Messengers." After leaving he formed his own band "Universal Language."
On September 9, 2006, his arm was broken in an altercation with security at Charles De Gaulle International Airport
Charles de Gaulle International Airport
Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport , also known as Roissy Airport , in the Paris area, is one of the world's principal aviation centres, as well as France's largest airport. It is named after Charles de Gaulle , leader of the Free French Forces and founder of the French Fifth Republic...
. The altercation involved his intention of carrying his trumpet with him onto the plane.
Ponomarev tours with his big band playing some originals and some music from the Jazz Messengers repertoire. He teaches privately, and released his autobiographical book "On The Flip Side of Sound" in 2009. He teaches as part of the Wachovia Jazz for Teens program in Newark, New Jersey.