I doubt you can fully predict the person's character by the eyes, but one thing is clear though, NN does have honest eyes. In addition this musician is pretty modest, despite the fact that he is well known in Belarus and beyond. You can catch him live at the “Singing Fountains” cafe, an excellent jazz joint in Minsk .
--Usually the lead singers and guitar players are the main attraction at the concerts. Why you have chosen the bass guitar as your main instrument?
N: I think it's a Soviet era artifact, when bassists stay out of the spotlight. Western musicians proved that any instrument can play more than a background role in a band, and plenty of virtuoso bass players lead their own bands. I used to play six string guitar, but switched to bass in truly belief that it's The Main foundation of music. I like that type of global thinking: the woman got to be the most beautiful, the camera got to be the best! And I just got to be in charge of the main music engine!
I have two basses now- a four string and a six string. Six string bass allows me to achieve the ultimate self-expression when soloing. I am a little lazy, and do not practice as much as some pros abroad, thanks to a less demanding competition here, in Minsk.
--So you make living by being a musician? If you had to choose between music and anything else, what occupation would you pick as an alternative?
N: Actually my main income comes from arrangements, studio work and mastering. Playing and composing music come somewhat second. Also I do some photography and computer video. For instance I've just produced the DVD package for Irina Dorofeeva. I love music, photography and video. It does eat up all my time… I didn't have a “conventional” vacation for more than a twenty years. I promise to myself: no computer on weekend! It doesn't work- I'm back to my desk on the Saturday afternoon…
--Looks like you are a real One-Man-Band, multi-talented individual.
N: Yes, if I put all my stuff together, it's pretty wide spectrum. Lika Agurbash, Irina Dorofeeva and many others use my songs. Recently I've decided to pay more attention to my own musical voice, try to explore new horizons of music, find something fresh and new and stay at the cutting edge of the industry.
--Does your music suffer from mixing creative and business processes?
N: Speaking frankly, I'm not a “manager” type of guy. Maybe I could have used my reputation to fix things, but I'm not interested. During the last four years all pieces of the puzzle came together, one by one, and some things just happen the right way.
--You mean you've reached the moment of “cosmic harmony”? Do you feel the eternal rhythms of the Universe?
N: It's not that easy in this world. You know: what goes up, must go down. If you ruin the harmony- problems will arise. I have a strong mathematical background and I feel the rhythm behind the Life itself. Despite of lack of top musical education, I use a very complex rhythmical structures in my music.By the way, I just realized that for the past four years I've recorded 24 albums! Wow , lots of work .
--You've been a bass player for “Pesnyary” for a long time, it might be the most significant point of your career. What's your attitude towards “Presnyary” clones?
N: Nobody's perfect… A saying says: ” Help the gifted, mediocrities will stick out anyway…” The bottom line – if you have to say something, you don't need to wrap it in “Pesnyary” package. I left the band for some creative reasons. Mouliavin said: “It's a pity that the wrong people leaving the band…”
N: Soon after I've left “Pesnyary” , the whole country succumbed to lip-synching onstage, a very sad state of live music. I really disrespect lip-synching artists, and if our president would make a law against it, I think it could inject some fresh beginnings into our life. I know from my mastering experience, you can make a decent singer out of a person who can barely speak, but on stage, please have mercy! And after all, money is not everything. I started to turn down some arrangement work just because I'm not in peace with myself.
--You are a serious jazz artist, and jazz music is based on improvisation. How about saying: ” The best improvisation is a well prepared one” ? What's the balance between spontaneous and structured parts in your music?
N: I'm into playing jazz not for a long time. Before I was into jazz-rock and funk. I think if you are a well rounded musician, you always improvise, with God's help. Every musician has his bag of tricks and learns from his or her colleagues . That's how we grow- learning from each other.
--Music as an art started from distinguishing harmony from noise, and now seems we are going back- more and more noise. What do you think about “Industrial” and some other “Noise” styles?
N: I really don't know much about all that modern stuff. Although I respect any musicians who channel their energy into creativity instead of doing drugs and alcohol.
I guess I'm very conservative, first come traditions and academic knowledge.
--How would you describe yourself as an individual?
N: Kind, Good, Talented.
--Any imperfections?
N: Sure, like all humans. It's laziness and anger, which occurs mostly as a reaction to injustice.
--Is it fare that cheap pop culture is in higher demand that the real professional music?
N: Most of the people here are not very educated in terms of musical culture. Seems like foreign tourists do applaud and appreciate our sets in “Singing Fountains” the most.
I hope that the whole situation will improve with time, musicians good will, and hopefully some support from government.
Interview by Irina Shumskaya.
Translation by Alexander Rastopchin www.rastopdesigns.com