Miraife

Miraif - was created in 1998 by composer , pianist and arranger Armen Merabov and singer Mariam Merabova . Initially, it was organized as an ensemble of the "mainstream" direction, but subsequently the team began to cover more and more different jazz styles: from jazz and blues to funk and fusion music ^[1] . Miraif is one of the most sought-after jazz groups in Russia today.

In 1999, at the invitation of the People's Artist of Russia , a member of the Union of Composers , Yuri Saulsky, the collective gave a concert in the House of Composers as part of the Young Talents of Russia program. Miraif were presented as a new and promising jazz project ^[2] .

In 2000, the group was invited to take part in a live broadcast on the Daryal-TV channel in the program Night VJ. Presenter - Cyril Hookah ^[2] .

May 31, 2000 - the presentation of the disc “The Bridge” was successfully held at the Empire casino. (Friends came to congratulate the group and take part in the concert: Murat Nasyrov , Sergey Voronov and CrossroadZ , Temo, Pascal , Alex and the Alex Show, Sona , Miss Araxia , Gia Dzagnidze and Modern Blues Band. Scenography of the presentation of the album The studio of Emil Karat was engaged. ^[2] .

In 2001, Miraif took part in a concert dedicated to the presentation of the Russian Intel Internet Prize at the Moscow Art Theater. Gorky . Mariam performed in a duet with Peter Podgorodetsky . Also this year, on the second channel of the Berlin television, within the framework of the cultural exchange between our countries, there was an hourly broadcast about the Miraif group. ^{[2] [1]} .

In 2002, they took part in a marathon concert on the Daryal-TV channel in honor of the ^second anniversary of the Night VJ program ^[2] .

May 29, 2002 - the broadcast of the program "Kitchen" was released at the TVC , in which the team performed the song "Through The Test Of Time" (from the Patti Austin repertoire). Presenter - Valery Maryanov ^[1] .

In 2004, Mariam and Miraif recorded the next Intelligent Music album. The music producer and author of most of the compositions was Armen Merabov ^[3] .

In 2005, an hour-long radio bridge was held with New York , live, by the MIRAIF group and Mariam, in Oleg Frisch ’s program “Music Poster from Oleg Frisch” ^[4] . According to the presenter, the transfer was, judging by the number of calls, not just successful, but phenomenal. At one time, the program was attended by: BB King , Brenda Lee , Ima Sumak , Chaka Khan , John Kander - author of the musicals Chicago, Cabaret, New York, New York.

In March 2006, music critic Jacob Richardson published a review of his Intelligent Music album on the American Evolution Of Media music portal. The composition “ Lover Man ” was recognized as one of the best, and for a week was in the first place ^[3] .

• Armen Merabov - keyboards (died August 15, 2019 ^[5] )
• Mariam Merabova - vocals
• Denis Prushinsky - saxophone , flute
• Oleg Shuntsov - drums
• Pyotr Ivshin - drums
• Sergey Ostroumov - drums
• Anton Gorbunov - bass
• Alexander Bakunin - bass
• Leonid Birzovich - guitar

Former members

• Konstantin Babayan - drums (emigrated to the USA )
• Anton Davidyants - bass (emigrated to China )
• Dmitry Sevastyanov - shock (died August 15, 2017 after a long illness ^[6] )

• 2000 - "The bridge" ("Bohemia Music")

1. Summertime
2. Route 66
3. There Will Never Be Another You
4. I want to go home
5. Once i loved
6. Blue seat
7. All of me
8. Blues for mama
9. How Do You Keep The Music Play

• 2004 - Intelligent Music (Intelligent Enterprise)

1. Lover Man (George Gershwin)
2. My Funny Valentine (Richard Rogers)
3. Mad About The Boy (George Gershwin)
4. The Daddy Has Come (Armen Merabov)
5. Cry Me Rever (Arthur Hamilton)
6. So Easy (Armen Merabov)
7. Din-di (Antonio Carlos Jobim)

• miraif.com - the official site of Miraif
• Video channel Mariam Merabova and Miraif on YouTube
• The official page of Miraif on VKontakte social network