Performance · Other credits

Valery Ponomarev

Moscow, Russia

Valery Ponomarev is credited on 145 releases across 34 albums tracked on Gatefold, active 1967–2026 — the collector-built map of who actually made the music.

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145

Pressings credited

34

Albums

7

Decades active

8

In collections

Biography

Valery Ponomarev, Russian: Вале́рий Миха́йлович Пономарёв, Valery Mikhaylovich Ponomaryov, (born 20 January 1943) is a Russian-born jazz trumpeter. He has lived in the United States since 1973. Ponomarev became interested in jazz after hearing it on Voice of America, and felt a particular affinity for Clifford Brown. He dedicated countless hours to transcribing, studying and memorizing legendary jazz trumpet solos. In time he decided to flee the then Soviet Union and ended up joining Art Blakey's group the Jazz Messengers. After leaving, he formed his own band, Universal Language. On September 9, 2006, his arm was broken in an altercation with security at Charles de Gaulle Airport. The altercation involved his intention of carrying his trumpet with him onto the plane. Ponomarev tours with his tribute big band, playing both originals and music from the Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers repertoire. He teaches privately, and released his autobiography On the Flip Side of Sound in 2009. He teaches as part of the Wells Fargo Jazz for Teens program in Newark, New Jersey.

Bio from Wikipedia

Credited work

145 releases · 34 albums · active 1967–2026

  • Performance · 178
  • Other credits · 29

Studios: Sigma Sound Studios, New York · Island Studios · Sarm East Studios · Marcus Recording Studios

Discography

Records they worked on — most-collected first.

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