Andrei Kondakov (piano) –Russian composer and piano player entered jazz community aged 16. Graduated from the State Leningrad Conservatory in 1987 as a composer.
Since 1981 Kondakov started to play with his own bands, touring nationwide and performing at jazz festivals all over the former USSR. In 1987, his first solo LP "In The Night City" has been released on Melodiya (Soviet record monopoly).
Andrei Kondakov is a band-leader and sideman of different projects such as:
-Duo with american guitarist Paul Bollenbeck. Their CD “Alone and together” was recognized as “The Album of the year” in Russia in 2002.
- Brazilian project involving Paolo Braga, Sergio Brandao, Cafe.
- Trio Gaivoronski- Kondakov- Volkow. In April 2004 they performed in La-Ve-Lee jazz club and in the Festival of Russian Culture in Los Angeles.
In July 2005 trio performed in North Sea Jazz Festival (the Netherlands).
From time to time extraordinary drummer Vladimir Tarasov joins the Trio.
Together they recorded album “Ceremony” and performed in the Festival of Russian Culture in New York and Lithuanian Filharmonic Hall in Vilnius.
- Another setting with Volkov on bass included Russian horn virtuoso Arkady Shilkloper. Together they recorded a live album entitled "Live In Norway" that has been released by Russian jazz label Boheme Music in 1998 and was hailed by Russian critics, reaching 1 in their 1998 poll and getting Russia's only jazz awards "JazzEar" as Album of the Year. The other album they recorded - “OutLine” (2002) was recognized as the best in “Beyond” category.
- Quartet with tenor sax player Igor Butman, drummer Lenny White and bassist Eddie Gomez. Two albums were released – “4x4” and “Blues for Four”.
Since 1995 he is President of JFC jazz club –professional St.Petersburg jazz club representing all jazz styles.
- The Corners Five project with Dmitri Kolesnik on bass, Eric Alexander on sax, Jim Rotondi (Alex Sipiagin) on trumpet, Lenny White (Gene Jackson) on drums.
From time to time he works with vocalists JD Walter, Denise Perrier, Napua Davoy, harmonica player Olivier Ker-Ourio, guitarist Valery Belinov (King B).
He performed in many well-known club and festival stages: Birdland(NY), Zinc bar (NY), Smoke (NY), Porgy and Bess (Wien), Fashing ( Stockholm), Sunset (Paris), Yoshi’s(CA), Jazz and Blues Festival (Stockholm), Pori Jazz(Finland), Burlington Festival (USA), Nurnberg Festival.
He played on the best classical stages of St.Petersburg such as the Great Philharmonic Hall, the State Hermitage Theatre, the State Hermitage Museum etc.
In May 2004 Andrei Kondakov performed in duo with Bobby McFerrin in Moscow and St.Petersburg.
Twice Andrei Kondakov was invited by pianist Martial Solal to perform in his radio program on Radio France in Paris.
