Soviet and Russian musician Mikhail Chernov is known as Uncle Misha. The jazz saxophonist took part in many well-known projects, was a member of several famous groups, including DDT.
Mikhail Semenovich Chernov is called Uncle Misha. In the musical environment of St. Petersburg, this person is not just a bright figure, but a unique one. He is a veteran of St. Petersburg jazz, a bearer of the best traditions, an excellent accompanist and soloist.
The beginning of the ascent to the top
A jazzman feels confidence when performing works of any genre. Chernov's biography is called a bright page in the country's musical history for half a century. The future performer was born in 1941. He was born in Leningrad on January 26. While studying at school, the boy was fond of music and boxing.
The first instrument the musician mastered was the guitar, and the repertoire consisted of yard songs and rock and roll. Serious music studies began in 1958. Jazz became the main direction. The graduate continued his studies at the railway transport technical school. At the same time, cooperation with jazz combo started. A year later, Mikhail joined the LIIZhT big band.
The musician replaced the guitar with alto saxophone and clarinet. Then cooperation with a jazz quintet began, in which colleagues from the band played. The performer was drafted into military service. The young man ended up in a sports company in the Moscow region. He played in a military band, without interrupting during this period, jazz classes were not interrupted.
Mikhail gathered a team that won awards at several army festivals of artistic activity. During this period, an acquaintance with the future masters of Russian jazz took place.
Musical career
After serving, Chernov returned to Leningrad, managed to work in several teams. In 1967, an invitation came to the Bolotinsky jazz orchestra in Odessa. Famous jazzmen of St. Petersburg have already played in the collective.
In the spring of 1974, Mikhail returned to his hometown again. He decided to get professional education at the pop department of the Rimsky-Korsakov College in the flute and saxophone class. Chernov's teacher was Gennady Holstein, a famous jazzman of the 60s. At the same time, the student played in the ensembles of Goloshchekin, Kolpashnikov, orchestras of Lundstrem and Weinstein.
After an excellent graduation in 1978, Mikhail was admitted to the Leningrad Conservatory. In 1979, experts named him the city's best jazz alto saxophonist. The musician took part in "Autumn Rhythms", starting from 1978, led the accompanying ensemble of the vocal group of the jazz club "Kvadrat", performed at the Arkhangelsk and Baku festivals.
Mikhail collaborated with the combo of his conservatory teacher Anatoly Vapirov. At the same time, Chernov's teaching career began. He taught Alexander Zhuravlev, Boris Borisov, Denis Medvedev.
In 1983, after graduating from the conservatory, the jazzman became the head of the dance choir. Little by little, the musician became uncomfortable with the usual jazz framework. Since November 1984, together with pianist Sergei Kuryokhin, the Popular Mechanics synthetic orchestra was established. In the acclaimed non-jazz project, the main event was the performance at the Third Rock Club Festival.
In the mid-eighties, the album "City of Night Lanterns" was recorded, a quintet was assembled. In 1987 the play "Sad Summer", written by Chernov, won the bronze medal in the jazz composition competition. Cooperation with Andrey Tropillo's studio has started. In 1985-1986 the jazzman recorded discs with "Alice" and "Aquarium", performed in 1987 at the Rock Club festival with the "Zoo".
Confession
The beginning of a new stage was 1988. In the summer, the saxophonist was invited to record "I got this role", the debut St. Petersburg album "DDT" The most important role in his arrangement was assigned to the flute and the saxophone. For the disc "Plastun" in 1995 Chernov conducted a symphony orchestra from his own score. The musicians from the Dangerous Neighbors group Mikhail Semyonovich owes the nickname that has become a brand name.
The jazzman does not like to talk about his personal life. It is known that he is married. In the nineties he worked with the groups "NEP", "Tambourine", "Myths". In the spring of 1993, Uncle Misha, together with the stellar line-up of Chizha, took part in the recording of the band's debut disc, worked with the folk singer Marina Kapuro, the Yabloko and Third Rome ensembles.
By the beginning of 1996 Chernov received an impressive gift from DDT Records for his 55th birthday: a disc with his works, titled "Uncle Misha In Rock". It contained both compositions that had already become famous and works that had not been published anywhere else.
Creativity continues
Since 1996, Uncle Misha played in the "Old Carthage". He recorded a disc, was engaged in concert activities. Regularly, together with Ildar Kazakhanov, who led the group as a guitarist, Chernov performed with jazz classics. Nikita Zaitsev, a member of "DDT", joined the duo in the programs. The new combo was formed in 1998. It includes double bass, keyboards, guitar and drums. One of the most powerful concerts the collective gave in July 1998 in the club "JFC".
During his work, Mikhail Semenovich acquired a recognizable handwriting. The man is named among the best performers of bossa nova and jazz ballads.
The contribution of the legendary performer to rock music was appreciated. DDT includes the song "Rock and Roll, Uncle Misha" in the album "Unity" and the program of the same name.
With the magnificent blues band Forrest Gump, as well as with a new quartet recruited from young jazz performers, Chernov has been performing in clubs since 2004.
