He was born on June 11, 1967 in Yaroslavl, Russia. At 12 years of age, he began playing in a children’s orchestra. Shortly after entering a local musical college at age 15, Sipiagin was introduced to and inspired by what few taped jazz recordings were available in Russia of jazz music, and later auditioned for and was accepted into the Moscow Music Institute where he combined classical studies with explorations into jazz. At 19 and after receiving his Baccalaureate, Sipiagin served the mandatory 2 years in the Russian army and then, upon release, continued his music studies at the Gnessin Conservatory in Moscow.

In 1991, Sipiagin moved to New York City in pursuit of jazz, sitting in on jam sessions and eventually snagging his first jazz gig in ’92, playing every Monday night at Sweet Basil with the Gil Evans Band directed by Miles Evans, later becoming a member of Gil Goldstein’s Zebra Coast Orchestra which replaced the Gil Evan’s Band slot. In 1994, Sipiagin joined the George Gruntz Concert Jazz Band while also performing with drummer Bob Moses’ band, Mozamba. Trumpeters Earl Gardner and Randy Brecker introduced Sipiagin to become a member of the Mingus Big Band in 1995, of which he is still a regular member, as well as the Mingus Dynasty and Mingus Orchestra. Dave Holland invited him to be a regular member of his big band in 2000 and currently with his various small groups, and in 2003 he recorded with Michael Brecker’s Quindectet, which he toured with alongside Michael Brecker’s Sextet.

Sipiagin has also performed with Eric Clapton, Dr. John, Aaron Neville, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Kenny Werner, Elvis Costello, Michael Franks, Dave Sanborn, Deborah Cox, legendary producer Phil Ramone, etc., with many of the recordings of which he was a part winning the Grammy’s.

As a soloist, Sipiagin has 16 recordings out to his credit, largely with European label Criss Cross Jazz, and has toured extensively throughout Europe, Asia and Russia with his group. His album “Destinations Unknown” (Criss Cross) released in 2011, placed 25th in Down Beat’s 77th Readers’ Poll, the same poll in which he is listed in the Best Trumpets list, as well as having placed 4th in Down Beat’s Critics’ Poll for Rising Stars on the trumpet. Sipiagin is also a co-leader of another Criss Cross recorded project, the critically acclaimed quintet Opus 5, co-led with Seamus Blake, David Kikoski, Boris Kozlov and Donald Edwards, with two releases out to date.

http://www.alexsipiagin.com

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