Leonid & Friends is a Russian tribute act for the band Chicago. Altogether, the band's video performances of various Chicago songs amassed more than 30 million online views before Vorobyev and his group arrived in this country for the first time early this year. Also, Leonid & Friends has recorded two albums showcasing its tribute to Chicago. Vlad has worked with Russian and foreign performers, including jazz musicians from With former Kyiv, Ukraine vocalist Serge Tiagniryadno, Leonid and Friends YouTube videos have gone viral, with views in the millions. After the recent tour, Tiagnyriadno returned to Ukraine in December to spend time with the family in Kyiv. His "friends" are a mix of talented musicians and singers who have collaborated with Leonid on his project. No charts or scores of the song existed so Vorobyev transcribed the tune by ear. While studying his musical plans abruptly changed the day he was invited to play in a rock band. https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=BMMNYRNWRRJL4&source=urlhttps://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/leonid-friends/1190819756http. Some time back a friend turned me onto a band out of Moscow, Russia that is a perfect Chicago tribute band called Leonid & Friends consisting Leonid Vorobyev on vocals, piano, and bass, Vasily Akimov on vocals, Igor Javad-Zade on drums, Sergey Kashirin on guitar and vocals, Andrey Zyl on trumpet and flugelhorn, Maxim Likhachev on trombone, Oleg Kudryavtsev on saxophone, Vlad Senchillo on . One of my all time favorite Chicago tunes and these guys SO nail it! It is, therefore, an international group, albeit all from former Soviet republics. . Vorobyev is a multi-instrumentalist, a recording studio sound engineer and choir conductor by training at the East Siberian Institute of Culture. Sergei Kashirin. Since then hes been featured in numerous tracks by the band and performs regularly with them on the road. Along the way, Sergey made many friends in the music industry and considered a number of them very close. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated 4/4/2023), Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/26/2023). Maxim Likhachev was born and raised in Moscow where he continues to live today. September featured Leonid Vorobyev (b), Sergey Kashirin (g,lead voc), Igor Javad-Zade (d), Vlad Senchillo (p,el p), Serge Tiagnyriadno (g,backing voc . Leonid Vorobyev's son, Roman Vorobyev (b.1991), is the bands manager. He has also served as Then, a couple of months ago, somebody posted a video of a large band playing a Chicago cover. Leonid & Friends was founded in 2014 by Leonid Vorobyev. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Guitar; Backing Vocals; Music Video; 2015; In-development projects at IMDbPro; Personal details. In Kyiv, Tiagnyriadno takes care of his elderly parents, helps his Ukrainian neighbors as a volunteer and shares the horrific details of the war on social media. We hope to see you there! [2] Leonid & Friends have recorded three Chicago tribute albums, titled Chicagovich. Sergey Kashirin was born in 1982 in Tiraspol, Transnistria, in Eastern Europe. Vorobyev, a former choir director, has long worked as a producer, arranger and session musician at a Moscow recording studio. That, in turn, prompted Vorobyevs fellow musicians to make a request of him. "We were allowed to rehearse in the same room with a horns band. of Culture and Arts. Hes been called upon to perform in many individual projects as well. Leonid and Friends is better known for their spot on tributes of Chicago, Earth Wind and Fire, Blood Sweat and Tears and others. TDPRI, short for Telecaster Discussion Page Reissue, is the leading online community and marketplace for Telecaster guitars. Vorobyev has written some original songs and hopes to collaborate with a lyricist fluent in English. The information shared above about the question, TOP 10 why did sergey leave leonid and friends BEST and NEWEST, TOP 9 why did sega stop making consoles BEST and NEWEST, TOP 9 why did seal team move to paramount plus BEST and NEWEST, TOP 9 why did seal team move to paramount BEST and NEWEST, TOP 9 why did seal and heidi klum divorce BEST and NEWEST, TOP 9 why did scott and kourtney never marry BEST and NEWEST, TOP 9 why did scar kill mufasa BEST and NEWEST, TOP 10 why did saul change his name to paul BEST and NEWEST. Update April 24, 2021: A sad day for Fans of Leonid and Friends as their guitar vocalist Sergey Kashirin who demonstrates all the attributes of Terry, is moving on with his career. But their little project, constructed on a lark five years ago by elder bass player Leonid Vorobyev, took off on social media so that they played a US tour last year and now are on their second. Leonid & Friends was created in 2014 by Moscow-based musician Leonid Vorobyev. Later, he became a laureate and a winner of multiple jazz festivals. After graduation, Sergey moved to Moscow where he quickly found work as a studio session musician playing for many Russian pop and rock stars. Jim Peterik, best known as the founder of the band Survivor; OR as vocalist and songwriter of "Vehicle" by the Ides of March gave a superb compliment to the Leonid & Friends YouTube stars and touring group from Russia. Leonid decided to make a sort of present to himself on his 60th birthday. You learn about people whose lives have little in common with yours. He is a forgotten guitar god. Its magic.. Leonid & Friends: Make Me Smile. So when Valery first entered music school, he planned to learn to play guitar like his Father, but when he saw the trumpet for the first time, he quickly forgot everything about his guitar plans and decided to study the trumpet instead. America's favorite tribute band has just released an original composition entitle The Speck of Dust featuring the vocal talents of Ksenia. They are the best cover band I have seen in person, plus Gary Sinise is a great American. Since then, he added, its been one long day.. Meanwhile, theres a preview here. It was a whole slew of Russians and Ukrainians, playing in a high-end studio in Moscow. But first, some time off. A graduate of RUTI GITIS (the Russian University of Theatre Arts, founded in 1878), Danil has participated in TV shows such as "Main Stage," was a semi-finalist of the show "Voice-6" and an artist of the Hryhoriy Leps Human Rights Center. Also in 2018, current U.S. ambassador to Russia (and former 2016 GOP presidential candidate) Jon Huntsman sat in on keyboards with Leonid & Friends at the 1,000-capacity Yota Arena in Moscow. Ilya Prokudin is a graduate of the Moscow Music Institute of Gnesin. If you ever get a chance to see The Lt Dan Band, do it. Its never been a popular group for a general audience. Leonid & Friends was founded in 2014 by Leonid Vorobyev. (Photo courtesy of Leonid & Friends). (They might end up being the 2nd best cover band you have ever heard, but they are very good.). He remains one of the best ever to play." Sergey Kashirin performs Terry Kath's guitar leads every bit as great as Terry originally did them and he also sings incredibly well! It all began four years ago when Vorobyev was turning 60, the age at which people in his native Russia are generally expected to retire. We are monitoring the situation closely but as of now, the tour is moving ahead as scheduled, said Gil Jacobs, the bands agent, in a statement. For now, Tiagnyriadno is focused on spreading the word about the war among his fans. People are preparing to fight across the country.. Communication with the rest of the band in Russia is severely limited and cautious. The bandmates were eager for more. Big, resonant brass sounds converging from different directions, intertwining and melding and emerging from the back sides of chords to find their own ways back together in the next verse. More than 100 firearms taken in during Waukegan gun buyback event; This means fewer funerals, Kam Yearsley follows older brother as Yorkville slugger. In addition, Valerys musical talents and professionalism allowed him to work with numerous Russian pop stars and participate in many individual musical projects in the country. . He had never even seen the band play. As a guitarist of over 45 years myself, I greatly admire Sergey's musical talents! Leonid & Friends is currently touring across 1 country and has 37 upcoming concerts. Many of Russian musicians have a dream to play for the American audience Vorobyev said. They kicked it off with three sold-out shows at Village Studios in Los Angeles, where Chicago co-founder Robert Lamm hung out with Vorobyev and his group and original Chicago drummer Danny Seraphine sat in for a few songs. Whats your living room pick up for a noodle guitar. Four years later, he entered the Department of Jazz Music of the Faculty of World Musical Culture at the State Classical Academy, Maimonides, where he studied jazz. Warning - once you start watching their videos, you wont be able to stop! Knowing how intense the propaganda is in Russia, as well as pressure from leaders to support the invasion, Tiagnyriadno said, he avoids any discussions about the war with the rest of the band. Because in Russia, Chicago is known mostly by musicians. I spotted a pro photographer at our gig yesterday, and made "guitar faces" every time I saw him. See for yourself here on Chicago's Anthem, 25 or 6 to 4: 25 or 6 to 4 - Chicago (Leonid & Friends over) Watch on Every musician said Maybe one more,' Vorobyev said. She was featured in the Russian TV version of The Voice and has participated in numerous television and festival appearances. And I never wouldve admitted this to my trendier musical friends. In Russia, musicians have grown to a higher level because weve always looked to Americas best bands as the gods whose level we want to strive towards. After posting it on YouTube for their friends to view the word began to spread, and what was supposed to be a simple act of kindness for his friend, turned into the band Leonid & Friends recording many more songs which have been viewed in over 150 countries at last count. Questions about your order? Leonid and Friends is a Chicago tribute band based in Moscow. I love Pop, Funk, Soul, Jazz, Indie, electronic, anything is fine with me.Oleg went on to work with many artists and played for years with the popular group Bravo which was established in 1983, a year before he was born. The words Fender, Telecaster, Stratocaster and the associated headstock designs are registered trademarks of the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. Some days, Tiagnyriadno said he drove for hours to find medication for his parents. "Most of the brass instrument guys at the time were the ones who played at funerals! Konstantin Kovachev, guitarist, composer, and arranger, was born in Ulyanovsk, Russia. Yecch. In 2009 Igor launched his own label called Butman Music and he has performed at every Olympic Games starting with Athens in 2004. Michael represented Russia at the Junior Eurovision 2008, held in Limassol, Cyprus. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. I watched this with my audio engineer/producer son a couple of days ago. Konstantin graduated from the Moscow Music Institute of Gnesin. "I thought the opposite would happen and that we probably would not be well-received by by the American audience.". Sergey, being a founding member, performs regularly in both studio and live performances. Dimitry is a graduate of the Moscow Music Institute of Gnesin and has worked with many of Because, whether you look here or overseas, its the same people who want to find peace, a future and happiness for their children., So, its just an honor for us to contribute our share as ambassadors of peace with music as the universal language. Vocalist Serge Tiagnyriadno of the one-of-a-kind Russian-Ukrainian band Leonid & Friends was preparing to depart for a months-long tour across the U.S., including shows in Los Angeles and other major cities. In 2014, he was approached by one of those friends and asked to participate in recording a cover of a song from the American band Chicago for Leonid Vorobyev. While we were recording it, we thought: Why not make a video, as well? To make the most of your backyard, look for durable and comfortable seating options. Leonid is a 64-year-old accomplished musician and sound engineer who knew a lot of Moscows best players through various projects one of them that singer/guitarist I mentioned, 37-year-old Sergey Kashirin. In 2019, the band finally went on its first tour in the U.S., hosting three sold-out shows in Los Angeles where original Chicago drummer Seraphine performed with them and founding member Robert Lamm visited with them during a soundcheck. Terrys telecaster 1, 2019 Watch on Terrys telecaster 2. Thats where Chicago has remained in my consciousness in the four-plus decades since in a corner with train sets and baseball cards and plastic helmet collections. He has worked with many of Russias top bands. His "friends" are a mix of talented musicians and singers who have collaborated with Leonid on his project. They said theyve found that spirit even stronger in New York. It may sound confusing at first, but, in short, its the story of how the worlds most famous band that covers hit songs by the legendary rock/jazz/pop group Chicago chose to come to the U.S. for the first time, and to launch their tour in New York City. He also developed an appreciation for the rhythms of music which led him to play percussion instruments but in his words Trumpet is more fun! He is a graduate of the Gnesins Russian Academy of Music.Andreys musical talents have led him to work with notables such as international jazz vocalist Kevin Mahogany from Kansas City, the big bands of Igor Butman, Anatoly Kroll, and George Garanian, and numerous Russian pop stars. Leonid & Friends, a group covering songs by the classic American rock band Chicago, will play at the Clyde Theater on Wednesday, Oct. 27. What happened when the song was released surprised everyone and was the start of the new project Leonid & Friends. Start / Projekt / why did sergey kashirin leave leonid and friends. Email: info@imediainc.net. Barack Obama (presenting Arturo Sandoval The Presidential Medal of Freedom. His love for music began early as a student where he focused on wind instruments. All he had was his own keen ear. He stayed behind in Kyiv as Russian jets dropped bombs on his city. It was Beginnings, one of the songs from the very first Chicago Transit Authority album my older brother brought home when I was 12. He became the frontman of the group Geroi in 2011 and made his Leonid & Friends debut in April of 2022. It was nothing extravagant or fancy. He has performed with various bands throughout Russia. When he broke a string as a teenage electric bassist, the scarcity of musical equipment in Siberia meant he had to continue playing for more than a year with just three strings. In 2017, Leonid & Friends released its debut album, "Chicagovich: To 50th Anniversary of the band Chicago," featuring their versions of 11 songs by Chicago. [1] In 1990, he was accepted to The Alfred Schnittke Moscow State Institute of Music, where he majored in classical guitar and studied the lute, keyboards, and the ancient harp.After graduating in 1995, Konstantin began performing with popular Russian rock bands and notable musicians, including Leonid & Friends drummer Igor Javad-Zade. To play the music I have loved since my youth with an amazing cast of fellow musicians whom I love, and being led by an incomparable director, Leonid Vorobyev, I dont know how things can get any better musically for me. In the initial days of the bombardments, the store shelves in the city swiftly emptied, long lines stretched outside of supermarkets and a caravan of cars formed, packed with people grappling to leave the city. By chance, an instructor handed him a CD of Chicago half his life ago when he was just 18. A few years back, a Chicago tribute band emerged from Russia/Ukraine via Youtube, that recreates the original sound, magic, energy, of early Chicago. After his birth, his family moved to Nikolsk, in the Penza region, some 480 miles northeast of Moscow, where he lived until he was 16. But you still have the jazz and rock musicians who strive to develop their skills, who are exploring both the new and bringing back the old. http://www.leonidandfriends.band/tour.htmlhttps://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/leonid-friends/1190819756https://play.google.com/store/search?q=Leonid%20%26%20F. Some appeared to be in their 20s, others in their 60s. However, he credits his highly skilled bandmates for making each tune sing. If called, he will serve, he says. To say the result is astonishing doesnt do it justice. The Russian group's version of "25 or 6 to 4" now has more than 2.5 million views by itself. In Leonid & Friends' homeland, the demand for a group performing note-perfect versions of hits and deep album cuts by Chicago equals the demand in the United States to hear American tribute bands playing the music of such top Russian rock and pop acts as Boris Grebenshchikov, Zvuki Mu and Kino. Vlad is a graduate of the Ufa Institute of Arts as a choir conductor. 1957 in Moscow, Russia). Vasilli Akimov channels Terrys soulful voice. The performances were so sharp, so distinctive that their online following multiplied. Alexander is a graduate of Moscow Music Institute of Gnesin, and Moscow State University "She gets lots of admiration!" If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Since the invasion began, Russian President Vladimir Putin branded Ukrainian leaders as a band of drug addicts and neo-Nazis. He also baselessly claimed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskys government seized control of Kyiv and holds Ukrainians hostage against their will. The guts of the operation is the painstaking attention to each chart that Vorobyev transcribed himself from the original recordings. When Leonid & Friends isnt touring, band members are in the studio in Moscow immersing themselves in Chicagos storied catalog of hits and deep tracks while preparing for the next tour. I love it. With a major in Performance and Composition from the Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts, Butman performed with noteables including Dave Brubeck, Chick Corea, Pat Metheny, The Lionel Hampton Orchestra, The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Wynton Marsalis, Natalie Cole, Billy Cobham and Grover Washington Jr., who took Igor "under his wing." . But in recent weeks, the Ukrainian native sent his wife and children scrambling across the Ukrainian border to neighboring Poland. Michelle Kath Sinclair, brought Terrys' '62 Telecaster out, for Sergey Kashirin and Leonid and Friends to see (see Channelling Terry page). Tiagnyriadno joined the band in 2015 when the act was just a studio project. In May 2005, he became the guitarist of Kalinov Most, considered the countrys first folk-rock band. the USA who performed in Russia such as Chuck Loeb, Phil Perry, Dave Koz, Eric Marienthal, and Brian Simpson. Kashirin particularly liked something original Chicago drummer Danny Seraphine said when he sat in with Leonid & Friends at their show on July 12 in St. Charles, Ill. Two other scorching coast-to-coast U.S. tours followed that same year. Along the way Maxim was introduced to the sounds of the American band Chicago from the early albums and he developed a love for the band and their style that is with him to this day. acknowledged Vorobyev's son, Roman. He has been working as a music producer, sound engineer, composer, and musician for about 30 years. They did so first for Russian audiences, and were soon able to expand globally, with the help of the band that they worked so hard to imitate. Leonid & Friends' website includes their video performances of the brassy 1969 Blood, Sweat & Tears' hit, "Spinning Wheel," and Earth, Wind & Fire's 1978 hit, "September Song." They started as a YouTube band and now also tours. You have to hear it to believe it. Vasily has won several international music competitions. Two weeks later, it was already on Chicagos official website, Vorobyev told PIX11 News, in an interview at the Prosepect Heights, Brooklyn studio where his band was rehearsing in preparation for their tour kickoff. He never gravitated toward a single genre saying, I have no preference in music styles. Youre all mashed together in tight spaces with others still growing into their minds, just like you. Valery began playing with Leonid & Friends in April of 2022 and is happy to welcome listeners and lovers of this amazing music. Oleg Kudryavtcev was born in Severodvinsk, located on the White Sea coast of the Arkhangelsk region, So he contacted some fellow musicians, and they recorded Vorobyevs favorite song, Chicagos Brand New Love Affair.. But its all true. We never heard anything like that, he said. Sergey is a founder of several musical projects, three of which are Real Bodrit, Rock Band, and Smilinman, a multi-genre project of depth which allows him to stretch his musical and vocal talents. He got his friends together, myself and other guys who are session musicians, to record a song from Chicago VIII, Brand New Love Affair. Its part of a popularity thats taken Leonid & Friends by surprise. It was great to know that there was still the appreciation and demand.. Since his graduation he has remained in rock music and travelled extensively performing in numerous festivals within Russia as well as many places in Europe. But then, thats the magic that can occur when people of even very different backgrounds congregate around music. His talents gained notoriety in the music community, and as a result, he is credited on numerous albums as a studio guitarist and arranger. Leonid & Friends perform their favorites as a tribute to the greatest bands in the world! Culture. Their tour wraps up in Clearwater, Florida with a concert at The Capitol Theater on Jan. 22. For his 60th birthday, Vorobyev recorded a cover version of Chicago's 1975 song, "Brand New Love Affair (Parts I. Founding Chicago drummer Danny Seraphine contacted them early on to say how much he enjoyed their recordings and videos. Well, its a great story. Do stagnant California credit scores suggest consumer struggles? Buzina Kseniya Yurievna is one of the singers in Leonid & Friends, Russia's top Chicago tribute band. And while Chicago's U.S. album sales number close to 40 million, Russia has never been a major (or even minor) market for the Illinois-bred group, whose next San Diego area performance is Sept. 20 at Harrah's Resort Southern California. Because it has 11 members as opposed to the seven musicians who comprised Chicago in the Illinois-bred ensemble's creative heyday in the1960s and '70s Leonid & Friends has an even fuller sound than the group it pays homage to nightly on stage. Theyre taking their act from coast to coast, literally. Irina Kozlova is a graduate of the Maimonid State Classical Academy. Shortly after the band posted the video online, it caught the attention of an important influencer. Excellent cover, great instrumental work all around, vocals were on too. Besides Russian and Chinese she can also speak English and can sing in English, Chinese, Italian, Armenian, Kazakh, Bulgarian and French. A multi-winner of international jazz competitions, Andrey began playing with Leonid & Friends in April of 2017 in both studio and live performances. Many Russians believe their army is freeing the mythical Russian population in Ukraine and everything goes as planned., While some Russians understand what the Ukrainians are going through, he said, they represent only a fraction., Many Russians believe, he said, that Western countries united to destroy and exterminate Russians and that Russians are being terrorized. The result was a YouTube video that quickly went viral. In the U.S., members of Chicago posted Leonid & Friends performances on the bands website. Hello! In grade school I started on trumpet, so always liked Chicago, and they were the first big rock concert I attended (in '71 I think). Leonid & Friends performing the music of Chicago When: 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 8 Where: Belly Up, 143 South Cedros Ave., Solana Beach Tickets: $35 (general admission), $62 (reserved loft seating). He paraphrased: He said, We dont need any politicians to find a common language among ourselves. Dear Friends, We are very sad to inform you that Sergey Kashirin has stepped away from performing with Leonid and Friends. And they were all smiling large and playing their asses off. What stands out about all the Leonid & Friends videos is the musicianship. We all are determined to fight for Kyiv, he said. Mere months ago, the band for which he provides vocals was enjoying acclaim won online and solidified in person. Daniil is a graduate of the Kurgan Musical College. For those of you who don't know (I'm sure most of you do know), Terry Kath was the original guitarist for Chicago and came up with that guitar part. ", Valery Martynov trumpet on "So Very Hard to Go" (also touring substitute 2022present), Dmitry Gorevoy baritone saxophone on "So Very Hard to Go", This page was last edited on 16 April 2023, at 01:58. But that all changed when Vorobyev heard Chicago. Passion. And it wasnt just a band. That includes sharing and discovering music. After graduating from the Moscow Music Institute of Gnesin, he played with many of Russias top bands and felt right at home performing studio session work as well. After studying writing in Moscow, she moved to Los Angeles in 2007 and has called it home ever since. they will play Penns Peak in Jim Thorpe at 8 p.m. on Thursday. However, they chose to begin their tour in New York because members of the band view our city as an inspiring, cosmopolitan, cultured location thats ideal for artists, like themselves. Photo: YouTube. He became an instant fan. Imitation, after all, is the sincerest form of flattery, they say. See all your opportunities to see them live below! Despite decades on the road, the American act never toured Russia and Leonid & Friends didnt land in the U.S. until just a few years ago. I was never a big fan of Chicago. Vladimir is a graduate from the Ulan-Ude Musical College of Tchaikovsky and Novosibirsk Sergey Kashirin Former Member Vlad Senchillo Former Member Vladimir Popov Former Member Alexander Michurin Former Member Alexey Batychenko Former Member Konstantin Gorshkov Former Member Dmitry Maximov Former Member Special Guest Arturo Sandoval Trumpet Special Guest Arkady Shilkloper French Horn Special Guest Igor Butman Saxophone PROSPECT HEIGHTS, Brooklyn Its an all-American story that could only be carried out by residents of Moscow, Russia, in New York, by way of Chicago and L.A. Serge Tiagniryadno was born and lives in Kiev, the capital city of Ukraine where he runs the popular recording studio Crystal Sound of which he founded. They have done more, many more. Leonid & Friends, including band founder Leonid Vorobyev (4th from right) and lead singer/guitarist Sergey Kashirin (2nd from right), will play at Penn's Peak in Jim Thorpe on Thursday night. Leonid & Friends brought the universal language of music to the USA. To sample and purchase the music of Leonid & friends please select from the providers below. And it wasnt just a cover. It was a great honor to play and sing for you guys!And I am not disappearing anywhere , I will keep making good music for you!Always and forever your friend, Sergey Kashirin. People believe their TV more than relatives and friends., He added thatthe propaganda they have in Russia is impenetrable. There were certain days when Tom would put on Chicago VI, the side with Just You and Me. But now Im here, its a magic, thank you my God, and I very glad to be part of Leonid & Friends. Leonid and Friends is a Chicago tribute band based in Moscow.