Take Five with Vocalist Angelina Kolobukhova

Meet Angelina Kolobukhova

Angelina Kolobukhova was born and raised in Minsk, Belarus. She started playing classical piano when she was five and singing when she was nine. She was introduced to jazz music by her early mentor Veronika Yanovskaya and, under her guidance, she performed jazz and popular music in Minsk and in Europe at competitions, festivals, and workshops. Her first favorite musicians were Ella Fitzgerald and Ray Charles, and later she discovered neo-soul and artists like Jill Scott. Inspired by Scott's music, Angelina wrote and released her first single 'Off the Road' when she was 17, produced by ToneTwins.

Upon graduation, she received an academic scholarship and moved to New York to pursue an undergraduate degree with a pre-med track, but later decided to pursue her initial goal of becoming a musician. During those years, she studied jazz music more extensively and started meeting and playing with other musicians of New York City, as well as writing her original vocalese lyrics. Angelina has been a participant of the 2021 and 2022 Boysie Lowery Living Jazz Residency and part of the Women in Jazz Organization Mentors Program. Angelina has studied with Rosana Eckert, Peter Eldridge, JD Walter, and Paul Adkins. She has collaborated with NPR Live @HOME Sessions, the New Brunswick Jazz Project, Sofar Sounds and Hartford Jazz Society. She has performed at Birdland Jazz Club, Ornithology Jazz Club and Room623, among others.

Instruments:

My main instrument is voice but I play piano as well.

Teachers and/or influences?

My first ever teacher who got me into jazz music was Veronica Yanovskaya. I was almost nine at the time, and even though I had a lot on my plate already, I convinced my mom to let me try a theatre studio that was based at my school, and this is where I met her. She is very passionate about music and she has fostered that love in me from a young age, introducing me to Ella Fitzgerald and Ray Charles, whom I loved listening to. I've studied with her and at her own school all throughout my childhood and all the way until I graduated high school.

When I came to the United States, I started getting more deeply into jazz music and was fortunate enough to meet Rosana Eckert at an online workshop. I reached out to her afterwards and began taking lessons with her the following year. She has nurtured most of my understanding of jazz vocal improvisation and I admire her voice and incredible musicianship! At the same workshop I met Peter Eldridge, whom I've been meeting with to work on songwriting, and he is truly a wizard! I've also recently been studying classical voice with Paul Adkins, who is a fantastic teacher in Philly. I found out about him through mutual friends and reached out to him later, and have been studying with him ever since. Through mutual friends I've also met the incredible teacher and mentor JD Walter, whom I'm also taking lessons with and who has helped in many ways.

Of course, the first "teacher" for my ears and understanding of jazz voice was Ella. Her playfulness, sincerity, and ease continue to inspire me every single day. When I want to learn a new standard, I always try to find a version sung by her (there's so many songs she has recorded!). Later on, I started being inspired by Sarah Vaughan because I love the richness and depth of her voice and the way she takes freedom with the melody, exploring her range. I have also been listening to more Nat King Cole recently, especially his trio recordings where he plays and sings. I'm also influenced by a lot of instrumentalists, like Dexter Gordon, Cannonball Adderley, Clifford Brown, Hank Mobley, Mulgrew Miller, Roy Hargrove, of course Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie, and many others. My favorite artists of today are Cecile McLorin Salvant, Samara Joy, Cyrille Aimée, Jazzmeia Horn, Abraham Burton, Tierney Sutton, Michael Mayo, among many others.

I knew I wanted to be a musician when...

Deciding to become a musician has definitely been a big personal journey for me as I was born into a family of doctors (even both of my grandfathers are doctors!). However, I realized I wanted to be a musician during my teenage years. At that time, I didn't know exactly what my path was going to be like, but I knew that music would be the main part of it. Singing has always made me feel like I'm in the right place and made my mind clear.

When I was about fourteen or fifteen, I remember performing for a mother's day concert in Belarus. I was singing a duet with a little girl, one of my teacher's other students. Afterwards a couple of women walked up to us and said that we made them cry and thanked us. I was a bit surprised, and this made me realize how beautiful it was to make people feel something through music, and since then I knew that I had to keep singing!

Your sound and approach to music.

I think that I get a lot of my vocal sound from Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan, but I think I'm influenced by everything that I listen to including non-jazz styles, whether I realize it or not. I always strive for a warmth and clarity of sound and vocal agility when it comes to singing technique. Simply put as one of my teachers said 'good singing is good singing,' and I think that applies to every vocalist regardless of genre.

As a musician, I believe that being honest is the most important (and hardest!) thing but it's something that I always look for in myself. After all, music makes us feel closer to ourselves our unique experiences and views, and when it does, it always translates to the audience.

Your teaching approach

When I teach, I try to go back to what my mentors have taught me. I believe that the most important thing in teaching is encouraging the student's passion and love for music, and then of course discipline. I think that the former fuels the latter, and regardless of whether or not they decide to make music their career, I think these are great personal qualities. At any level or age, every student has something they are passionate about, and my job is to meet them where they are and to help them grow their passion and creativity.

I also believe that it's important to have self-awareness as a musician, and I always try to ask my students questions like "where does this note feel?," if they are singing or "what's the hardest measure for you here?," if they are learning a new piano piece. In voice especially, one needs to learn to pay attention to their body. As one of my teachers said "technique is learning what to tell yourself," so I think self-awareness is crucial.

Your dream band

As a vocalist, I love playing with people who are musically sensitive. Some of the people I would have in my dream band include those who have unfortunately passed away already, but in an alternate universe, I would love to play with Oscar Peterson, Hank Jones, and Mulgrew Miller. I have always admired Oscar Peterson's sensitive touch and his playful virtuosity, and one of my favorite recordings is Ella and Oscar from 1975. I also love Hank Jones's clarity of ideas, his swing and his soft touch, and Mulgrew Miller's approach to harmony and the fullness of his voicings. When it comes to modern pianists, some of my favorite are Michael Kanan, Mike King , Ray Gallon, Aaron Diehl, Luke Carlos O'Riley, among others.

If I ever got a chance, I would also love to play with the incredible Christian McBride. I think that his virtuosity and swing is just unparalleled and it would be life- changing to play with him! Other bassists that I would dream to play with are Ray Brown (also in an alternate universe), Carlos Henriquez, and Paul Sikivie, whom I've heard with Cecile McLorin Salvant.

The best drummers I've heard that I would love to play with are Anwar Marshall and the amazing Kenny Washington. I heard Anwar with Jazzmeia Horn and love how innovative and playful he is. And, of course, Kenny's sense of swing and sensitivity would make playing with him an eye-opening experience!

Of course, my dream band would depend on the musical needs of the situation, since everyone's approach to music can vary, and I admire these artists for their own unique qualities.

Road story: Your best or worst experience

In 2021, I was part of the Boysie Lowery Living Jazz Residency, a program for young jazz performers and composers in Wilmington, Delaware. The application process was very competitive, but I was selected as one of the participants. It was my first time and, since the residency also culminated by a performance at the Clifford Brown Jazz Festival, we got to hang out there and meet the performers. One one of the days there was a masterclass with Dianne Reeves, and even though there were assigned singers that she would be working with, she asked if there were any volunteers. Through my friends' encouragement, I jumped up on stage and working with her for the 10-15 minutes was one of the most eye-opening experiences I've ever had! She had me sing with her guitarist, Romero Lumbabo, and her feedback made me feel connected to the music like I never was before. I feel like at that time I was so focused on being 'good' that I forgot what it mans to really connect with the song's lyrics and meaning. That was definitely one of the best musical moments in my life so far.

Favorite venue

One of my favorite venues that I have performed at so far is Ornithology Jazz Club. It was created by the owner of the prestigious Smalls Jazz Club in the city and quickly became of the most prominent jazz clubs in NYC, having already featured many famous artists like Peter Bernstein, Grant Stewart, Joe Magnarelli, Ralph Lalama, Tivon Pennicott, Dida Pelled, and others. I have recently had my own show there for the first time, and I have been going there to sessions for a while before then. I love it because it feels like a home where you share stories through songs and get to see people's faces when you perform, so it's very intimate and interactive. Besides, Rie and Mitch who run the club are so nice and welcoming, which I think makes a huge difference! I always had great conversations with people there and a good time singing, so it's definitely one of my favorites!

What do you think is the most important thing you are contributing musically?

In any musical situation, I try to do whatever fits best. If it's an intimate setting, I won't belt out higher notes (unless it's appropriate musically), and if it's a more upbeat environment, I won't try to sing a melancholic ballad (again, unless a change of mood is what I'm specifically going for). I think there's a time and place for everything, so I think the most important thing that I'm contributing musically is being sensitive to the setting and players. Of course, I know that every musical situation is different and I'm far from perfect!

Did you know...

Throughout my life, I've been to more than 20 countries! Since Belarus is a small country, my parents always made an effort to go abroad and show my older brother and I different countries in Europe, and they cultivated a love for traveling and learning languages. I also speak two languages other than English: Russian and Belarusian!

The first jazz album I bought was:

I've been listening to a lot of jazz albums before I ever bought a physical one, since records or CDs are not as popular in Belarus (I guess I'm the child of the digital age). However, when I got to New York I visited the Jazz Record Center and bought my first vinyl, which is Fine and Mellow by my favorite Ella Fitzgerald, featuring Joe Pass, Tommy Flanagan, Zoot Sims, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Clark Terry, Ray Brown, Louie Bellson, and Harry "Sweets" Edison. Funny enough, I haven't gotten to listen to the physical record yet because my roommate's record player broke before we got a chance to get it played, so now it's still waiting for its time!

Music you are listening to now:

Cecile McLorin Salvant: Mélusine (Nonesuch Records)
Sheila Jordan: Better than Anything: Live (There Records)
Oscar Peterson: The Will to Swing (Verve Records)
Billy Strayhorn: The Peaceful Side of Jazz (Blue Note)
Hank Jones: I Remember You (Black & Blue)

Desert Island picks:

Nancy Wilson and Cannonball Adderley: Nancy Wilson & Cannonball Adderley (Capitol Records)
Mulgrew Miller and Wingspan: The Sequel (Maxjazz)
Stevie Wonder: Innervisions (Motown Records)
Sarah Vaughan: Sarah Vaughan at Mister Kelly's: Live (UMG Records)
Ella Fitzgerald & Count Basie: Ella and Basie! (Verve Records)

What are some of the essential requirements to keep jazz alive and growing?

I think that it's essential to be well-versed in the jazz tradition first, but to keep the mind and ears open to new approaches and ideas. In the community as a whole, I think it's important for both musicians and the audience to keep an open mind. I think nowadays the definition of the word 'jazz' is constantly changing and the music is branching out, so we can no longer put it in a single 'box.'

What is in the near future?

This summer, one of the performances I'm looking at is the Northampton Jazz Festival Jazz Arts Night out this August, in addition to more Sofar NYC shows in July. I'm also planning to record and release some of my own music, but that's still in the works! I would love to put out an EP or my original songs, which is a project I've wanted to do for a long time that I will make happen in the near future.

What is your greatest fear when you perform?

I think that my greatest fear when I perform is being emotionally detached from the music. If I look back at some of the times when I didn't feel quite right, I realize that I either wasn't comfortable enough with the music, didn't feel emotionally connected or was just plainly overthinking it. Nowadays I try to think through what I'm trying to convey emotionally and bring myself into that mindset as much as I can.

What song would you like played at your funeral?

I wouldn't like anything too sad to be played at my funeral, but one song that I'm in love with is "Don't Worry 'Bout Me,"" specifically the version performed by Sarah Vaughan. When I heard her, I didn't recognize her at first because she was so young on the record, but I fell in love with the song and its melancholic message. I think Sarah would bless the family and friends in attendance with her angelic voice.

What is your favorite song to whistle or sing in the shower?

I sing so many songs all the time to myself! In the shower or to myself when I'm walking around I usually sing whatever I've been learning most recently or just randomly scat. For instance, I always seem to sing "Stairway to the Stars" since that's one of my favorite standards or "Almost Like Being in Love" (because I hear it so much recently). Or, more often than not, songs that my students sing always get stuck in my head. For instance, one of my students was learning "Blank Space" by Taylor Swift and I just couldn't get it out of my head afterwards.

By Day:

By day I teach private lessons at two music schools, in addition to performing.

If I weren't a jazz musician, I would be a:

If I weren't a jazz musician, I would probably be a doctor of some kind (since that track has been paved for me quite well by my family of doctors) or a psychologist. I have always been interested in psychology and learning about the mind in general. But that's definitely an alternate universe scenario, I couldn't be more grateful to be where I am today.

If I could have dinner with anyone from history, who would it be and why?

If I could have dinner with anyone from history it would definitely be Stevie Wonder. Stevie has always been one of my idols and I loved his music ever since I was a kid. I think he's a songwriting genius and his music has always inspired me. I think he's incredible at conveying important social messages through music too and I would love to talk with him about that. In addition, he just seems like a kind and interesting person to talk to and I would love to ask what different aspects of his life were like.

What would you tell your younger (teenage) self?

I think that whatever happens in life happens for a reason. However, if I were to say something to my younger self, I would tell her that if she is going through something hard, it will always get better eventually. Also, I would tell her that it's not worth worrying about things that she can't control. Of course, I think that I'm still young and I keep learning something new every day.

If I could go back in time and relive an experience, what would it be?

When I was about fifteen years old, my family visited our friends in Italy, and there was a mountain near their house. My dad saw it and, even though there was not really any trail except a couple markings on the trees, one day we randomly decided to go up the hill together while my mother and brother were in town. The trail was really steep, and hiking up was very hard, but when we got to the top, a gorgeous view of the town and the sea opened up to us, which I will never forget! I will never forget that sense of calmness and accomplishment that I felt when we finally got to the top, and I'd like to go back to relive that experience. Overall, I'm really looking forward to the rest of my life and I hope I make many more new memories that I will be able to go back to.

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