Sergey Chigrakov
Encyclopedia
Sergey Nikolayevich "Chizh" Chigrakov is a Russian rock performer and songwriter. Most of his current songs are recorded with his band, Chizh & Co
.
Chigrakov has performed on stage since the age of 14, playing the bass guitar
in clubs in his home town Dzerzhinsk
. He graduated from a musical school and college in the same town, and then studied at the Leningrad Institute of Culture and the jazz
studio of the Leningrad Conservatory
. There he learned to play the accordion
and drums
. Chigrakov then worked as an instructor in Dzerzhinskiy, while playing the guitar
and singing in a metal group.
After some time, Chigrakov got an invitation from A. Chernetskiy, which resulted in the formation of the group "Raznyie Lyudi
" (literally Various people or Different People), where Chigrakov soon occupied the place of the lead vocalist. In 1993, Chigrakov released his first solo album in Saint Petersburg
. At this time, he worked with numerous famous Russian rock stars such as Mikhail "uncle Misha" Chernov, N. Korzinin and Boris Grebenshchikov
. Chigrakov performed in a live concert for the first time with Raznyie Lyudi at the festival Solovki. After this first official concert, he began writing, recording and singing his best known songs including Hochu Chaiu and Avtobus.
In the spring of 1994, Chigrakov moved to Saint Petersburg
and formed a band called Chizh & Co
. In the same year, the festival "Generation 94" presented the band with the special-prize of producer judges. Their clips were shown in a television show "Dobroye Utro" ("Good Morning") on national TV. In November, club Moscow arranged the group's first Moscow
appearance.
Since then, Chigrakov and his band released 13 albums, and performed all over Russia. They are currently considered to be a legend of Russian rock
music.
Chizh & Co
Чиж & Co or Chizh & Co is a Russian rock band. It was named The Band of a Year by "Rock-Fuzz" magazine in 1997.-Discography:...
.
Chigrakov has performed on stage since the age of 14, playing the bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
in clubs in his home town Dzerzhinsk
Dzerzhinsk, Russia
Dzerzhinsk is a city in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Russia, situated along the Oka River, about east of Moscow. Population: The city is named after Feliks Edmundovich Dzerzhinsky, a Polish Bolshevik leader who was the first head of the Cheka ....
. He graduated from a musical school and college in the same town, and then studied at the Leningrad Institute of Culture and the jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
studio of the Leningrad Conservatory
Saint Petersburg Conservatory
The N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov Saint Petersburg State Conservatory is a music school in Saint Petersburg. In 2004, the conservatory had around 275 faculty members and 1,400 students.-History:...
. There he learned to play the accordion
Accordion
The accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
and drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
. Chigrakov then worked as an instructor in Dzerzhinskiy, while playing the guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
and singing in a metal group.
After some time, Chigrakov got an invitation from A. Chernetskiy, which resulted in the formation of the group "Raznyie Lyudi
Raznyie Lyudi
Raznyie Lyudi is a band from Saint Petersburg, Russia . First name of band was GPD - Gruppa Prodlennogo Dnya , was created in 1987.-Members:*Aleksandr Chernetskiy *Nail Kadirov...
" (literally Various people or Different People), where Chigrakov soon occupied the place of the lead vocalist. In 1993, Chigrakov released his first solo album in Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
. At this time, he worked with numerous famous Russian rock stars such as Mikhail "uncle Misha" Chernov, N. Korzinin and Boris Grebenshchikov
Boris Grebenshchikov
Boris Borisovich Grebenshchikov also known as Boris Purushottama Grebenshikov, is one of the most prominent members of the generation which is widely considered the "founding fathers" of Russian rock music...
. Chigrakov performed in a live concert for the first time with Raznyie Lyudi at the festival Solovki. After this first official concert, he began writing, recording and singing his best known songs including Hochu Chaiu and Avtobus.
In the spring of 1994, Chigrakov moved to Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
and formed a band called Chizh & Co
Chizh & Co
Чиж & Co or Chizh & Co is a Russian rock band. It was named The Band of a Year by "Rock-Fuzz" magazine in 1997.-Discography:...
. In the same year, the festival "Generation 94" presented the band with the special-prize of producer judges. Their clips were shown in a television show "Dobroye Utro" ("Good Morning") on national TV. In November, club Moscow arranged the group's first Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
appearance.
Since then, Chigrakov and his band released 13 albums, and performed all over Russia. They are currently considered to be a legend of Russian rock
Russian rock
Russian rock refers to rock music made in Russia or in the Russian language. Rock and roll became known in the Soviet Union in the 1960s and quickly broke free from its western roots. According to many music critics, its "golden age" years were the 1980s , when the Soviet underground rock bands...
music.
External links
- Official website (in Russian)