YEGOR ZABELOV
One of the most original accordion players in Eastern Europe is a composer, an author of music for theatrical performances and movies. Zabelov’s music can be described as an experimental mix of accordion, avant-garde, jazz and neo-classical sounds. After performing all over Europe with his duo Gurzuf, Yegor focused on his solo career which sometimes expands to a trio where he continues to reveal the creative possibilities. He’s known to produce amazing sounds beyond the usual accordion music. Zabelov himself finds influences for his compositions in minimalist classics: Philip Glass, Steve Reich, Michael Nyman and also Arvo Pärt, Finnish experimental accordionist Kimmo Pohjonen and jazz trio Esbjörn Svensson Trio.
He started his professional education at the age of seven. In 2002 Yegor became a prizewinner of the International contest of folk musicians in Belarus. Yegor started composing when he was 20, during his studies at the musical college. Having achieved success in academic music, he became interested in different ganres of music, which led to projects with different Belarussian bands. With his duo Gurzuf he toured all over Europe.
Yegor Zabelov performing in Europe since 2009. Some of the highlights are Les Nuits Botanique in Brussels (BE), ESNS (NL), Moers Jazz festival (2017, 2019 DE), Malmö Sommerscen (SE), Europavox festival (FR), Rudolstadt festival (DE), Wildenburg festival (NL), Badenreffen festival Nurnberg (DE), Valley of Art festival (HU), Fusion Festival (Berlin, 2010), Vienna Accordion Festival AUS (2010, 2012, 2018), MENT festival Ljubljana (SI), Tallinn Music Week (EST), Music Meeting Nijmegen (NL), Sounds of Words festival Lublin (PL), SKIF St.Petersburg (RF), What’s Next in Music? Vilnius (LT), B-Sides (Switzerland, 2010), United Islands of Prague (CZ), Akkordeon Akut Festival (DE), Festival Baignade Interdite (Rivieres/Toulouse FR).
Press
This accordionist who’ll likely hold a room in complete awe, like Colin Stetson can do when he’s in full swing, conjures saturated, haunting, intense soundscapes on his instrument. The live recordings we’ve heard thus far tear up all pre-conceptions of what an accordion-led band would sound like. Growing up in the British Isles we so often associate it with centuries old folk music that you’d likely buy with a plastic tin whistle in a shop in Galway. But this sounds so innovative and eschews tradition to the point you imagine Thom Yorke would be begging for a guest spot. GigWise
Yegor Zabelov is one man from Belarus and his accordion who brings the instrument into unfamiliar terrain of soundtrack and modern classical atmospheres of a Philip Glass or an Arvo Part literally squeezing out atmospheres as well as wild textures and off kilter melodies from the squeeze box in an intense and gravity defying performances. John Robb, Loiderthanwar.
This was a sensational gig; starting with a few slow meandering forays into sound to set the scene. These gradually built up to a vortex of impassioned, though often mellifluous passages. Impressive blurts of noise created by some dizzying finger action and Baroque sweeps of the bellows created dramatic audio-visual contrasts and played nicely to the gallery. There is a palpable sense of melancholy in his music, regardless of how loud, or fast he plays (and things can get loud and fast). In fact, Zabelov often looked on the point of tears. It’s as if the instrument unlocks something in him he has difficulty in controlling on an emotional level. And it always seems (well the two times I have seen him) that at some point he his trying to eat the top corner of his instrument’s grille, like some demented beast of the forest. It wouldn’t surprise me: Zabelov disappears into another world, but you’re pretty happy to follow him wherever he is going. Sensational. Richard Foster, Louderthanwar.
http://yegorzabelov.com/en/
http://yegorzabelov.com/en/projects/yegor-zabelov-trio
https://soundcloud.com/yegor-zabelov-1
https://yegorzabelov.bandcamp.com
Yegor Zabelov Trio