Elena Shemankova
| Elena Shemankova | |
|---|---|
 Elena performing at The Hut in Tucson, Arizona, 2010 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Elena Vitalievna Shemankova |
| Born | Moscow, Russia |
| Occupation(s) | musician |
| Years active | 2006–present |
| Website | http://shemann.narod.ru/ |
| Notable instruments | |
| keyboard, piano, accordion, sax | |
Elena Shemankova is a pianist, keyboardist, and accordionist from Russia. She plays in the following styles: jazz, rock, rock and roll, neo-swing, rockabilly and pop music.
Biography
Elena was born in Moscow into a family of famous jazz musicians - the winner of the international jazz festivals alto saxophonist and arranger Vitaly Shemankov ("Singing Hearts") and Natalie Shemankova ("Singing Hearts", "Blue Guitars", and a leading creator of the TV program "Golden Hit").[1]
Elena graduated with honors from the State Musical College and also with honors from Moscow State University of Culture and Arts (jazz studies). During her studies, she created a jazz quartet which has successfully performed at venues in Moscow, performing her own original compositions.[2]
In 2005, she organized a musical group called "Black & White Movie" in which she was also the principal songwriter.
2006 was a watershed for Shemankova - she was invited to play keyboards and accordion in the group with the world famous Russian-American rock band Red Elvises.[3] She has toured on and off with them through the year 2011 and has many fans in the USA and Europe.
Since 2010, at the invitation of Igor Ivanovich Sukachev, she joined the legendary Russian band "The Untouchables" in Moscow where she performs under the pseudonym "Lana." In between gigs she recorded her first solo album.
Discography
- Steamengine - Swing (2004)
- Red Elvises - Drinking With Jesus (2008)
- ABLOM - Gagarin (2009)
References
- ↑ Shemankova: "I started when I was 6 years old... with piano - serious classical training... my parents are professional musicians."
- ↑ Shemankova: "I had some history before Red Elvises. Neo-swing band: "Steamengine," Girls jazz-band: "Lady Jazz" and my own band "Cherno-beloe kino." Also I played a lot of festivals with my jazz quartet."
- ↑ In Summer 2006 Elena Shemankova joined the band on keyboards, accordion and saxophone and remained, aside from several visa-renewal trips back to Russia, till sometime in 2010.
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