Holiday without a birthday: the first celestial birthday of Alexei Kozlov

As usual, it would seem. The latest preparations for the weekly Friday concert of the group “Arsenal”, on stage – instruments waiting for their wizards-musicians, all listeners – are already in their seats at the tables, but in the stall on the front row at the central table there is Alexei Semenovich Kozlov, his place is empty. On September 25, the jazzman passed away after a brief illness, not living just over two weeks before his 91st birthday. Saxophonist Anna Koroleva, now playing with Arsenal, told how she learned about the death of Alexei Semenovich. It happened at the Aksenov-Fest in Kazan and there was symbolism in it - Vasily Aksenov and Alexey Kozlov were great friends:

- When we rehearsed “Diptych”, dedicated to the friendship of Aksenov and Kozlov, a large beautiful butterfly flew into the hall, sat opposite us, folded its wings and froze. We played the piece, and then we were informed about the departure of Alexei Semenovich — it turns out, we played exactly at the moment when it happened.

The evening turned out not to be sad, not mournful, but without Alexei Semenovich there was some emptiness in the air - he always set the tone, even if he was silent, was the center of attraction, creating a place of strength cherished by many around him. There were many hits written by Kozlov, including “Profanka”, “Sad Piero”, “Alai Bazaar” and many others. But another important component of the program was the memories, which were generously shared by the Arsenal of different years.

- Today I will probably be the only non-musician to appear before you on this stage. Just as, perhaps, I was the only non-musician who had the great honor to work for some time in the Arsenal ensemble Alexei Semenovich Kozlov, says choreographer Pavel Brune, who participated in the break dancing period of the group, October 13th was the first heavenly birthday of our teacher, our leader, the Great Alexei Semenovich Kozlov. We are here today to celebrate this holiday. And I'm going to say a few words that I can't but say thank you. The fact is that the Arsenal ensemble fell into my life when I was probably 15 years old. Since then, life has changed, as has the musical landscape. countries. With all due respect to so many musicians, to so many bands, I do not think that there is such a battering ram as the Arsenal ensemble was and remains today in all its reincarnations, forms and daring, and Alexei Semenovich Kozlov will forever remain the leader of this ensemble. October 13 of this year was my first birthday, probably in 45 years, when I didn’t call and say, “Alexei Semenovich, happy birthday!” I'll say it now. Today there is Lyalya (Kozlov’s wife, I can’t turn my tongue to call it otherwise – M.B.), today there are many friends, today the Arsenal ensemble will be on this stage, and I don’t want to delay this minute, I just want to say again, happy birthday, dear Alexei Semenovich!

The composition of the group changed literally every song this evening. Invariably on the stage remained Yuri Pogiba (keyboards), Vartan Babayan (percussion) and Anna Koroleva. They were joined by Evgeny Sharikov and Anatoly Kulikov (bass), Eduard Petrukhin and Arkady Baklagin (drums), Igor Ivanushkin (contrabass), Dmitry Skorykov and Mark Yusin (vocals). In the final – everyone knew that there was the only right way to finish the concert! – Alexei Kozlov’s Nostalgia sounded, the musician’s business card. The solo on hurdy-gurdy (or, more simply, on the wheel lyre) was performed by Andrey Vinogradov, the only one in Russia who professionally owns this instrument:

- I played with Arsenal from 1984 to 1988. Actually, I was a keyboard player, but when we did the break dance program, thanks to Pasha Brune, I learned to play the accordion. Alexei Semenovich gave the task to master an instrument that I, frankly, did not really want to perform - it was just laziness to master another instrument. And I think that at that moment, when I had to overcome the double odds of my life as a composer, as a pianist, I learned to be an actor, break dance, and master an instrument that I never thought I would ever be doing. I have been playing the wheel lyre for 10 years and, strangely enough, she has a lot in common with the accordion.

When the last note of Nostalgia sounded, all the participants of the evening took the stage and bowed. The audience demanded to play encore, persistently asked the musicians to return, but the musicians did not do this not because they do not like their listeners, but because after Nostalgia it is impossible. This time, the play, sounding from time to time, especially at Kozlov's birthday, was quite different - with notes of light sadness, great gratitude and great love, which the whole hall sent to Heaven the birthday boy.

Instead of a postscript.

One of the guests of the evening was a psychotherapist Alexei Sitnikov, who told few known stories that I want to keep in memory of Alexei Semenovich. Sharing.

On the "galactic scale" of Alexei Kozlov:

- In 1994, three professors came to teach in Oklahoma, the city-capital of oil - they were Yevgeny Yevtushenko, Yegor Gaidar and me. There was no money, Gaidar went to premiership, Yevtushenko stayed there, I worked as a therapist in a Methodist church, and Alexei Semenovich came to visit me. We lived in the same room, there was no money. Where can I get a dollar? He's an obnoxious neighbor, I can tell you right away who knows him, understands what I mean. We came up with entertainment: we rented a room in a Methodist church and did very interesting concerts. The first part — he played the saxophone, the second — I did hypnosis. We made $100-$200 and it was illegal. At the end of his visit to America, the Russian Embassy decided to organize an event for oil workers and make a concert in honor of his departure, call the city hall, the governor of the state, and bought for insane money some leading jazz band from New Orleans to accompany him. They come, you have no idea what kind of pontiffs! Some Russian will play with them! Alexei Semenovich went to wear a white jacket, and I stayed with the team, their leader nervously smoked and, addressing his musicians, said: “This Russian now taught us jazz more than we have known in a lifetime.”.

On Kozlov's skill:

- I'm a former musician, too. He learned to play the sitar in the family of Shankar (Ravi Shankar is an Indian musician, composer, sitar virtuoso - M.B.), they have more than three hundred musicians in the family. When I left, they said to me: “Do you know such a Kozlov?” Say hello, please.”.

I fulfilled the request, to which Alexei Semenovich said that he had a lot of ties with India, and told the story: I did yoga. And when I was asked to write the music for a documentary about India, I demanded that I be sent there for two months - I wanted to study culture and do yoga with a normal teacher. I came, found a yoga school, there was a woman, very good. I came to class, introduced myself, said that I was from the Soviet Union, began to study, and after the second class she comes up to me and says: “Russian, you probably don’t come again, stop crooking.” I was terribly upset, it hit my ego.” But on the eve of his departure, the embassy staged his concert again, and he sent her a ticket to rehabilitate himself. After the concert, she approached him and said

Alexey, can I ask you a question? Why did you come to my class?

- I wanted to learn yoga from a professional.

- What's yoga for you?

- The development of mentality, memory, breathing practices, mastering your body, said Alexey Semenovich. She took him by the hand and said, “Alexei, you have now controlled your body in a way that no yogi can, breathed in a way that no pranayama master can, you played without scores for three hours on stage – will you tell me about memory, body ownership and breathing practices?” Why do you need my yoga? You have your own