Andrew Kondakov is one of the brightest Russian jazz composers and performers, musical director of St.Petersburg international Petropavlovsky jazz festival, art-director of JFC jazz club. According to the surveys he was noted in the following nominations in 2003: “The jazz worker” (a musician, who combines art with management), “The Disk” (for “Alone and Together”, Andrew Kondakov – Paul Bolenbeck and “Beyond” CDs) and “The related genres disks” (for “Outline”, Kondakov – Volkov – Shilkoper CD). “The best” is a common definition in Russian jazz critics’ reviews and releases devoted to Kondakov’s new albums and concert projects.

We can’t call our city a jazz capital of Ukraine. It’s true. We don’t often accept the stars of Kondakov’s level, but we do and must recognize it! And that is more valuable.

The 14th of September Dnepropetrovsk became the jazz capital and the centre of the universe for many guests of our club for all night. Creative Club Bartolomeo opens it’s doors to world-renewed performers quite often. This time, those come to Jazz night from Andrew Kondakov and the New York vocalist J.D.Walter have got three-hour inspiration. Our visitors didn’t left the hall, full of the music sounds, not for a single moment. They couldn’t turn away from the compositions while Kondakov was putting his whole soul into them. It seemed as if the red-hot air of the autumn evening was going to drop the sky into people’s hands, as if the whole planet was gripped with the same filling, covered by the same rhythm of staggering jazz tunes.