Lev Polyakin, violinist for the Cleveland Orchestra, will perform with a jazz quintet at SARAVÁ on December 4th. The ensemble, which includes Joe Hunter on piano, Marty Block on bass, Bob Fraser on guitar, and Roy King on drums, will perform Brazilian favorites and jazz classics inspired by greats like Armstrong, Fitzgerald, Garner and Grappelli. Polyakin, originally from Uzbekistan, has performed extensively as both a classical and jazz musician around the world. The other musicians are highly acclaimed jazz artists in the Cleveland area.

1. THE RUSSIAN BLUE QUINTET
FEATURING LEV POLYAKIN
Thursday - December 4, 2008, 8 PM – Close
Lev Polyakin, the much loved Cleveland Orchestra violinist will perform with a quintet of Cleveland's
finest musicians, including Joe Hunter, Marty Block, Bob Fraser, and Roy King. Lev performed 3 times at
SARAVÁ and this promises to be another unforgettable night of Brazilian favorites and Jazz Classics.
Polyakin and his ensemble are inspired by such greats as Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Erroll
Garner and Stephane Grappelli and are featured on the jazz CDs Russian Blue, The Other Side of the
Road and Christmas Kaleidoscope.
ABOUT THE PERFORMERS
Lev Polyakin grew up in Uzbekistan, completed hi studies at the Moscow Conservatory and emigrated
to the United States in 1980. He joined the first violin section of the Cleveland Orchestra in 1982 and is
presently assistant concertmaster. He also serves as concertmaster of the American Academy of
Conducting Orchestra at Aspen Music Festival. Polyakin has appeared as soloist with the Moscow
Chamber Orchestra, the London Mozart Players, Royal Philharmonic, and the Cleveland Orchestra.
Classical recording credits include Melodia, BBC, National Public Radio, and Decca.
Joe Hunter is One of Cleveland’s most popular and busiest jazz pianists. He plays almost every night
somewhere with his trio or solo. He is also a featured pianist with Ernie Krivda’s Fat Tuesday Big Band
and an important part of Bill Rudman’s concert series at Cuyahoga Community. He also played in the
CSU Jazz Ensemble, directed by Howie Smith, and toured with the ensemble to Brazil in 1979.
Martin Block, "Boy Bass-Player", was born in 1947 and has been performing the bars, restaurants,
theaters and concert halls of Northeastern Ohio and the world since the age of fourteen. A graduate of
Kent State University, he was bass instructor at the University of Akron and has traveled extensively as a
performing musician. He has accompanied such local greats as Pat Pace, Bill Dobbins, Alex Bevan, Mike
Petrone, and Lev Polyakin. His experience covers many musical styles –
Classical, Rock Theatrical, Klezmer – but jazz has always been his passion. Mr. Block's association with
Robert Fraser and Roy King spans more than 30 years, and with Lev Polyakin 15. Block and King can be
heard regularly at Nighttown in Cleveland Heights on Saturdays.
A legend among Cleveland-area guitarists, Bob Fraser’s resume boasts a wide array of performance
highlights, including playing on Maureen McGovern’s “The Morning After,” and performing with The
Cleveland Orchestra under Pierre Boulez and Christoph von Dohnányi. He has supported musical greats
as Luciano Pavarotti, Maria Schneider, Pat Pace, Bill Dobbins, Grover Washington and the great Marion
McPartland. Fraser often performs with The Cleveland Jazz Orchestra, is an active theater orchestra
musician, and currently serves on the faculty of Cleveland State University’s Department of Music.
Drummer Roy King is a graduate of Cleveland Heights High School and holds a B.S. degree in Music
Education from Kent State University. He currently performs at Nightown Restaurant on most Saturdays
with his own trio, which includes Bassist Martin Block and some of the best pianists in northeast Ohio.
King teaches drumming privately at Woodsy's Music, Kent, Ohio, and Vance Music Studios, Lakewood,
Ohio.