Vladimir Shafranov, a Russian-born musician best known for his Bill Evans-like lyrics and strong swing sense that is reminiscent of Wynton, was born in 1948 in Leningrad. After living in several parts of the globe, including the USA and Israel, he settled down in Finland with his wife. Vladimir’s style is fluid and lyrical. He can be bold or he can use sentimental notes to color his music. But he never does it in a hokey or flowery way. He spent 15 years in New York City and played with jazz musicians such as Al Foster, Marc Johnson and Eddie Gomez. His unique style combined elements of Russian folk music, jazz, and contemporary music. His first album, Live At Groovy, was recorded in 1981. It was released by Atelier Sawano in 1999. He quickly became a popular Japanese artist. He was firmly established as a jazz pianist in Japan with White Nights, his follow-up hit. This New York recording, which he recorded with George Mraz, Al foster, and Al foster, gained him a classic status among piano trio lovers. He has released many albums for Atelier Sawano since then, including the brand-new New York Revisited, a reuniting session with George Mraz after 16 year. From www.smallslive.com
