IVAN SMIRNOV, acoustic guitarist

A Russian guitarist Ivan Smirnov is one of those few post-soviet musicians whose level and distinctive character of performing leaves nothing to be desired. Still, even among these outstanding ones Smirnov's name stands on top. His creative works, referred to as «world-music» pieces, in fact belong to exclusive Russian traditional culture, its folklore roots, though simultaneously — in a peaceful and natural way — abound in jazz, rock, avant-gardes, free improvisation elements, as well as melodies and harmonies of other ethnic layers. A brilliant player and composer, skillful at making arrangements, Ivan Smirnov is commonly taken for a main «perfectionist» of a modern Russian music culture; known for his hard-line approach both to the material played and to the sound itself. Smirnov embodies the very meaning of the word «virtuoso». Some playing modes created and applied by Ivan have no prototypes world-wide.

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