Max Dorbeko

Ekaterina Gotlib (Shemyakina) is a singer and pianist, a graduate of the Gnessin Russian Academy of Music, a participant in the television projects "The Voice" (Alexander Gradsky's team), "New Wave", "Star Factory". Ekaterina worked in Nikolai Arutyunov's "Blues League" (as a keyboardist and backing vocalist), Andrey Davidyan's "Sound Cake", and since 2005 has been leading her own funk project "Shemyakina Band". An actress of the Music and Drama Theater under the direction of Stas Namin, she performs the part of Sheila in the Russian theater and audio version of the musical "Hair". Among the songs she has created are the material that was included in the soundtracks of the films "Na Igre 2" and "Ladysh Serebristy" and in the repertoire of the groups "Assorti" and "Prime Minister" (as part of which Ekaterina became a participant in the Eurovision contest). Jingles recorded by her are played on the radio stations "Europa Plus", "Radio 7" and "Radio Mayak". She performs in collaborations with stars of the Russian jazz scene, including "Ilugdin Trio" and Sergey Golovnya. And in 2021, Ekaterina was invited to join "Sasha's Block Band" (USA), the headliner of the opening of the "Koktebel Jazz Party" festival. Guitarist Max Dorbeko, who works in the styles of jazz, fusion, rock, rhythm and blues, is known both for his solo career and as the leader and lead guitarist of the KOSMAXband project, which in 2015 became a semi-finalist of the TV show "Main Stage" (X-Factor Russia), and in 2019-2020, as an accompanying group, starred in two seasons of the children's vocal TV show "Battle of Talents" of the Igor Krutoy Academy. Max professionally plays both electric and acoustic guitars, ukulele and banjo, and is learning to play the Turkish oud (which is often called the Arabic version of the lute). He writes music and makes arrangements for many bright guitar themes that sound on the albums of Russian and foreign artists. Dorbeko, who actively tours in Russia and abroad, is also a unique teacher – in his courses, students begin to understand the guitar and play it meaningfully literally from the first lesson. Max is a participant and winner of prestigious competitions and festivals: first place in the Jazz nomination at the All-Russian competition “The Many-Faced Guitar 2006”, twice in a row – second instead of the Fusion nomination at the “Many-Faced Guitar” in 2006 and 2007. In 2006, he was awarded by the President of the Russian Federation (Decree No. 325 “On measures of state support for talented youth”), in 2011 he completed training at the American College of Music in Berklee (a special course in guitar technique under the guidance of Steve Vai). In 2014, Dorbeko performed with the legendary bassist Nathan East as part of the international forum “NAMM MusicMess Russia”. His music has been featured in films and has received prizes and awards: for example, the Best Original Music Award from the Istanbul Best Film Festival, Best Soundtrack for a Short Film from the Europe Film Festival U.K., and Best Sound Design for Medium Length Films from BIMIFF (Brazilian Monthly Independent Film Festival).