Ruslan Khain - bass, contrabass, balalaika contrabass

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Ruslan Khain is a professional bass, contrabass, balalaika contrabass player based in New York. Ruslan started to perform with Russian folk music and dance ensemble Barynya in 2005.

It all started in a Russian Conservatory for Music in St. Petersburg...

Classically trained from the early age of five, Ruslan has been exposed to and fascinated by music from the beginning. Worlds away from the birthplace of the jazz art form, at seventeen he discovered the great recordings of Count Basie, Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald and, later, such greats as Jimmy Blanton, Charlie Parker, Oscar Pettiford, Paul Chambers, Sam Jones, Monk and Bud Powell. Ruslan decided to take up the acoustic bass not long after discovering this intriguing genre of music, while attending the Mussorgsky College of Music. At twenty-four he formed his own group and began performing around the St. Petersburg area. Soonafter, he joined Gennady Goldstein's band. The excitement of performing live further intensified his drive, and the allure of the faraway jazz epicenter known to him only through old records and movies became impossible to resist.

In 1999 with bass in hand, Ruslan made his way to New York City and was performing in clubs around town within a week of his arrival. Well-received at clubs such as Smalls, Fat Cat, Smoke, Kavehaz, and Swing 46 (where he worked with the Kent Glenn Big Band and Trio), Ruslan has been keeping busy.

He performs regularly with the Valery Ponomarev Quintet and Big Band and has also had opportunity to sit in with such greats as Jimmy Cobb, Hank Jones, Frank Wess and Louis Hayes. Ruslan has also had the honor of recording with the great Clark Terry.

Augmenting the role of the sideman with his keen ear for composing, Ruslan's truest musical talent is made richly apparent--his melodic and swinging compositions speak for themselves, as well as his natural gift for writing arrangements.

Ensemble "Barynya" provided music and dancing for the MASLENITSA at the Embassy of Russia in Washington, DC. It was a long drive from Brooklyn for every BARYNYA member: dancer Vitaly Verterich, singer Victoria Pichurova, musicians Alex Siniavski (balalaika, Gypsy guitar), Mikhail Smirnov (garmoshka, guitar) and violinist Alexander Tseytlin. Login to YAHOO to see bigger photos from the inside of Russian Embassy in Washington.

Balalaika-bass and contrabass balalaika are the biggest in size, the strongest and deepest in sound of all traditional Russian music instruments used by New York based Russian folk dance and music ensemble Barynya.

BALALAIKA CONTRABASS DESCRIPTION: First string: D, major octave, Second string: A, contra octave, Third string: E, contra octave.

The playing method is the same as the playing method of the balalaika bass. However, the arpeggio is not used here. To obtain a harmonious and powerful tremolo without rattling, it is recommended to use a big and solid leather plectrum. The balalaika contrabass is the foundation of the orchestra and its' harmonious and rhythmic support. The balalaika contrabass plays the same role in the orchestra as the bass.

October 2006, John Michael Kohler Arts Center

videoclips from performance in Sheboygan, Wisconsin

Ensemble Barynya performed in Wisconsin with dancers Olga Chpitalnaia, Valentina Kvasova, Ganna Makarova, Andrij Cybyk, Vitaly Verterich, and Mikhail Nesterenko; musicians: Ruslan Khain - contrabass, Mikhail Smirnov - garmoshka, singer Alexander Menshikov, and Alex Siniavski - balalaika... view all videos, photos, listen to MP3, buy DVD and CD.

2 min 20 sec video clip. Russian music ensemble "Barynya" showcase at the booking conference on September 29, 2006 in Baltimore, Maryland. Alexander Menshikov - percussions, Mikhail Smirnov- classic guitar, Vadim Kolpakov-Russian Gypsy 7-string guitar, Ruslan Khain - balalaika contrabass, balalaika solo - Alex Siniavski

2 min 22 sec video clip. Russian music ensemble "Barynya" showcase at the booking conference on September 29, 2006 in Baltimore, Maryland. Alexander Menshikov - singer, Mikhail Smirnov-guitar, Vadim Kolpakov-Russian Gypsy 7-string guitar, Ruslan Khain - balalaika contrabass, Alex Siniavski-balalaika, Gypsy guitar