Andrei Ryabov (musician)

Andrei Ryabov
Andrei Ryabov in 2016
Background information
Born	(1962-07-24) July 24, 1962 (age 55) Leningrad, USSR
Genres	Jazz
Occupation(s)	guitarist
Instruments	Guitar

Andrei Ryabov (born July 24, 1962) is a Russian-born jazz guitarist. He has worked with famed jazz guitarists including Jim Hall, Tal Farlow, Joe Pass, Attila Zoller, Gene Bertoncini and others, while producing his own discography.

Born in Leningrad, USSR on July 24, 1962, Andrei Ryabov was inspired by “The Beatles” and other classic rock groups to begin guitar lessons at the age of eleven. A few years later, he became attracted to jazz, especially the work of George Benson, Jim Hall, Joe Pass and Wes Montgomery.

In 1982, Andrei Ryabov earned his Bachelor's degree from the Mussorgsky College of Music in St. Petersburg. That same year, he joined David Goloschekin's Jazz Ensemble, at the time one of the best jazz groups in the country, touring and recording with them until late 1988.

Together with well-known Estonian guitarist Tiit Paulus, that year Andrei Ryabov recorded his first album, "Tete-a-Tete" as a leader on the Melodia label. In 1989, he became a faculty member at the Mussorgsky College of Music, teaching guitar, jazz improvisation and theory as well as giving master classes and workshops around the country.

Annually from 1989 to 1992, the Russian Jazz Federation voted Andrei Ryabov Best Jazz Guitarist in the country. In 1992, his quartet with pianist Andrei Kondakov was recognized as the Best Jazz Ensemble of 1992. Working in Russia, Andrei Ryabov was featured at many major events throughout the Soviet Union, Europe and South America. He had a chance to meet and play with the world's finest musicians, including Dave Brubeck, David Friesen, Dusko Goykovich, Joe Pass, John Stowell, Roger Frampton, Sal Nistico and Richie Cole, with whom he’d recorded for the Melodia Label "Leningrad Alto Madness" while touring in Russia in 1989.