EXIT project (band)

EXIT project is an instrumental, Nu Jazz, World Music, IDM, electronic music, art rock, experimental music, and jazz fusion band from Russia. The band created its own unique style which was labeled as art-fusion. Of all the variety of music ever released under EXIT project logo one thing is always common: a subtle mixture of live instruments and electronics. The band is being represented by IKON internationally.

The Concept
Music aiming people, not the showbiz In terms of management and music distribution EXIT project was from the start conceived as a musical project to promote innovative ways for music distribution and promotion in media, culture and economics. The motto of the project is – "The way out exists" – implies on the one hand, the way out for creative musician, bounded by the limits imposed on music content by commercially driven show business; on the other – the alternative way for music distribution. According to Valery Mofodovsky, director of EXIT project, the official goal of management of the project is "popularization and implementation of the concept of free music distribution in commercial and non-commercial purposes".

The style
Art-Fusion. The group does not bound itself by some narrow style of music. The musicians of EXIT project say that they "use all means of expression in music at hand to bring the music in". Virtually every other album is somehow different in style. Music of EXIT project comprises the elements of Instrumental Music, Nu-Jazz, Chill-out, Downtempo, IDM, Electronic Music, Art-rock, Experimental Music, and Jazz fusion Musical critic and publisher Vladimir Impaler named this unique blend and stylistic approach as Art-fusion.

Licensing
Music of EXIT project is issued under Creative Commons CC-BY-ND, which allows anyone to use it for any (including commercial) purposes without payment to the author, with requirement to mention/cite the author and prohibition to make any derivative works out of it. The music is subject for free copying, broadcasting and sending/spreading among friends. The music is positioned as a gift to anyone who is interested in music free from the pressure of the media/show industry.

Innovations in music publishing formats
EXIT project are innovators in music publishing formats. In October 2012 the band's release LiveSplashes became the first in the world music album to be published in 3plet format. Before that in 2008, EXIT project presented their third album asmultimedia playcast – a synthesis of music, visual art and poetry: thus the music is perceived straight from the screen/speakers as a part of a holistic mix of multimedia art comprising sound + image + word. Thus internet is used as a full-scale environment for publishing music, not a mere vehicle to deliver audio files for the listener to download.

Before the debut in 3plet format there was a similar effort: a release for iPhone – Appbum (APPlication alBUM) – a new format of publishing music, a smart combination of iPhone application and music album. The release is available for free. The author of the idea for such appbum release is band's director Valery Mifodovsky.

Current Live Show program
In spring 2010 the band started working on a new live program – Color Splashes – which is a mix of contemporary Nu Jazz and Electronic music music. As some critics as well as musicians themselves admit, this is bightest and most colorful live show the band has ever produced. The on-stage line-up consists of Oleg Smirnov (Programming, Bass, Guitars), Vladimir 'BIG' Glushko (drums), Maria Logofet (violin), Anastasia Boguslavskaya (alto sax), Oleg Mariakhin (baritone sax, trumpet), Jon Kukaryamba (percussion, vocals, effects) and band's live sound man – Nikita Filippov. The band is now performing shows in clubs and at festivals. The concert debut of this program was released in 2012 as a 4-track concert EP "LiveSplashes" on a CD and in a 3plet format. The release received numerous acknowledgements and reviews around Russia and the USA. The current touring band consists of 5 musicians on stage and a soundman. The current live show program, as well as reviews, videos and music etc. is available at band's official website.

History
EXIT project was formed in 2001 as an open experimental music community of musicians. "Open" means that any thoughtful and contented musician could join in and contribute. The point was from the start to create a non-commercial music project. The first linup was: Roman "RO-mix" Smirnov (Guitars, Programming, Vocals), Michael (keyboards, vocals, programming). The duet released the first album of EXIT Project – "Live Electricity" (2001) under caring pursuit of the band's director Valery "MIF" Mifodovsky (Promotion, Management). Soon Michael parted, but in a year the band grew in size, when Oleg Smirnov (Guitars), Vladimir "Big" Glushko (Drums), Michael "Kotovsky" Finagin (double bass), Anton Kochurkin (Flute) joined the project.

The first album of the project Live Electricity, was released in 2002 by the label СD Land Records. Several songs from the album entered different compilations. All the sale proceeds from the album were directed to the WWF program (protection of animals). The album received highly positive reviews from the critics, and the band was identified to have its own unique style.

In 2004 having played some local-scale shows and recorded a demo-release called Quintet Michael "Kotovsky" Finagin and Anton Kochurkin left the band. The Quintet was fully live band contrasting predominately electronic first album Live Electricity. The remaining lineup, literally a trio of Roman "RO-mix" Smirnov, Oleg Smirnov and Vladimir "BIG" Glushko developed further the material and rearranged it to fully include electronic instruments into live gigs. The trio appeared in several remarkable festivals in Russia and Ukraine in 2006 anв was noted by the critics as well as publicity.

Meanwhile, the second album of the band, Hack The World, which was mostly a solo work of the bands oldest participant – Roman "Ro-mix Smirnov. "Hack the World" was predominantly Electronic music,and was self-released freely on the internet in 2005 by the declaration FREE!MUSIC 2.1, which allows anyone download and use the music freely. Some of its tracks where used in an audio-story Karandash i samodelkin v Egipte, by Moscow-based art project called Audio-Theater. The album became a success, and the musical journals Salon Audio Video and Avtozvuk released the album in a 50,000 copies edition as an add-on to the journal issue. Songs from the album were also used for the audio-show Space Mowgli based on a story by Strugatsky brothers and in Peoples book based on Yevgeniy Grishkovts's Rivers. However, the album was totally a studio work and the tracks have never been performed live.

After the success of Hack The World the band started an active touring career in various Moscow clubs and Russian and Ukrainian jazz, alternative and rock festivals, including InProg 2006, Space of Joy (2006), Pustye Holmi (2006), etc. It was in these days when the unique style of the band was named by the critics and musicians themselves as art-fusion. All of a sudden, Roman "Ro-mix" Smirnov left the touring band, but kept on his studio musical work, both – on his own and together with Oleg Smirnov. Vladimir "Big" Glushko and Oleg Smirnov kept the on-stage unit on the move with amazing new members joining in – percussionist and showman Jon Kukaryamba (Deti Picasso), bass guitarist Timur Pirogov (Marc Almond), jazz vocalist Katerina "Kotya" Zinich (26 Hertz), keyboardist Gregory Sandomirsky (Goat's Notes, Lampa Ladino), Alexander "Aliss" Alekhin – proceeded to contribute to the bands powerful performance. The line-up played several full-scale solo concerts and together with acknowledged Russian avantgarde sax player Sergey Letov (Pop Mechanica, Sergey Kurekhin, Saiyenkho, Vladimir Volkov, etc.) recorded two of them – one on the O2 TV channel and the other at Golden Mask festival (2007). On 22 October 2007, the band and the performer Sergey Letov were the first to perform at the program Brat Jivyom ("Taking Alive") on the Russian TV channel O2TV. However, this material was only released three years later as "Live at Golden Mask" (2007). The following year (2008) the line-up broke up, having naturally completed its agenda. The band also announced that their live performance with Sergey Letov in the previous year on the TV channel O2TV will be released on a DVD. Eventually the album was released in 2010, and it was called Shanti Place.

Meanwhile, in 2007 Roman "Ro-mox" Smirnov with contribution of Oleg Smirnov and some other sidemen recorded EXIT project's third album Mystery Journey of Girl with her Death (2007). The album was released without any early notice on the FREE!MUSIC web site. Being primarily a studio work, the sound of the album was a more distortion oriented and included more traditional music elements ang song0line compositions. The album had a vast success both in Russia and beyond.

In 2008 the new – parallel – line-up was formed consisting of Oleg Smirnov, Roman "Ro-mix" Smirnov and Kirill Parenchuk playing soprano sax and Indian percussion instrument called tabla. This subproject was called "Shanti Place", and was a fully equal mix of live electrinics and Indian-like instrimental influences. The musicaians performed together for about a year at various festivals (Neuman Art 2008) and club gigs. The band announced the intentions to proceed with the release. The album will be probably released later with the same name – Shanti Place.

The same year the drummer Vladimir "BIG" Glushko formed his solo free-jazz project called personal EXIT engaging various international artists into his spontaneous improvisational performances.

In 2010 the band released the amazing concert album featuring collaboration with avant-guard saxophonist Sergey Letov – "Live at Golden Mask" recorded live in 2007. The tracks were played live for years, but have never been released before. The CD was released by Russian major label "Soyuz Records".

In 2012 The concert debut of live program was released in 2012 as a 5-track concert EP "LiveSplashes" on a CD and in a 3plet format. The release received numerous acknowledgements and reviews around Russia and the USA. The CD was released by Russian major label "Soyuz Records".

Later In 2012 the band's producer and bassist Oleg Smirnov released a studio side project in collaboration with multi-instrumentalist Kirill Parnchuk. The multi-media album "Son Cherished Most" is a unity of music, visual arts and text citations as well as a 10 minute documentary film revealing the concept and the process of creation.

The band is recording the new studio CD to be released late 2013.

Present members

 * Oleg Smirnov (Guitar, Bass, Programming)(2003–present)
 * Vladimir «Big» Glushko (Drums, pecussion)(2003–present)
 * Valery «MIF» Mifodovsky (Promotion, Management)(2001–present),
 * John Kukaryamba (percussion, effects, voices) (2006–present),
 * Anastasia Boguslavskaya (alto saxophone) (2007–present),
 * Maria Logofet (violin) (2010–present),
 * Oleg Mariakhin (saxophones, trumpet) (2012–present),


 * Roman «RO-mix» Smirnov (Guitar, Programming)(2001–present)
 * Kirill Parenchuk (tabla, soprano sax) (2008–present)

Past members

 * Katerina «Kotya» Zinich (vocals) (2006–2010)
 * Michael «Kotovsky» Finagin (double bass) (2003—2004)
 * Anton Kochurkin (Flute)(2003—2004)
 * Timur pirogov (bass) (2007—2008)
 * Gregory Sandomirsky (keys) (2007—2008)

Studio Albums

 * Live Electricity (2002, СD Land Records)
 * Hack The World (CD 2005, available for free download, broadcast and distribution under Creative Commons)
 * Mystery Journey of Girl with her Death (CD 2007, Digital, available for free download, broadcast and distribution under Creative Commons)
 * Shanti Place (Digital 2010, available for free download, broadcast and distribution under Creative Commons)

Concert albums

 * Live at Golden Mask (2007), at concert at Golden Mask festival feat. Sergey Letov (sax)
 * LiveSplashes (2011), live release featuring 4 tracks of 'Color Splashes' program

Compilations and other releases

 * EXIT project – demo 2001.
 * Play magazine – № 3 2002 (Russian edition)
 * Propaganda − 2 (CD, compilation) 2002
 * OpenMusic Compilation (CD 2002), Alt Linux.
 * Propaganda − 3 (CD, compilation) 2003
 * Music for designers – Compilation (CD, 2003) Indexdesign
 * Quintet (demo 2004, available for free download, broadcast and distribution under Creative Commons)
 * Play magazine – "replay" № 12 2004 (CD compilation)
 * Free!Music Compilation (CD, mp3 compilation), Alt Linux.
 * CD: EXIT project «Hack the World» AutoZvuk magazine №2/2006, Salon Audio & Video magazine №2/2006
 * Music for the Brains – 3: «Submerging» AutoZvuk magazine №4/2006, Salon Audio & Video magazine №4/2006 CD SAV 06051
 * EXIT project «Mystery Journey Of Girl With Her Death» (DVD edition to Mobi magazine №12 2007)
 * "FREE!Music compilation – Music for the People" (DVD edition to Mobi magazine №12 2007)
 * CD Free!Music AutoZvuk magazine (№1 01.2007), Salon Audio & Video magazine (№1 01.2007)
 * CD StereoSummer Compilation of Russian electronic music. Avtozvuk magazine (№8 08.2007), Salon Audio Video magazine (№8 08.2007).
 * «Ad Astra». Raussian  music. (AutoZvuk magazine №4 01.2007, Salon Audio & Video magazine №4 04.2007)
 * GoldenMask.Club – compilation – Zibaldone (2007, BAd TaStE, btp27)
 * New year streamer (AutoZvuk magazine (№1 01.2008), Salon Audio & Video magazine №1 01.2008)
 * CD Music of Blogosphere AutoZvuk magazine (№7 07/2008), Salon Audio & Video magazine №7 07/2008
 * "Four Seasons – Russian Winter" – third compilation of Russian СhillOut-music – 2009 (CD, compilation) Pitch Music Publishing & Fusion label
 * Gorchitza RMXS 2009 Lavina Music (Ukraine)
 * "Four Seasons – Russian Autumn" 2009 (CD, compilation)
 * Tunguska Chillout Grooves vol. 2 2009 (CD, compilation)
 * Tunguska Electronic Music Society – Tunguska Chillout Grooves vol. 3 (Lilith & Selena) 2009 (digital, compilation)
 * Tunguska Electronic Music Society – Tunguska Chillout Grooves vol. 4 2009 (digital, compilation)
 * Tunguska Electronic Music Society – Ellipsis: Tunguska.Shaman.Vimana. 2010 (digital, compilation) Tunguska Electronic Music Society
 * EXIT project – Mystery Journey of Girl with her Death (DVD edition for Mobi magazine) № 84; Aug 2010
 * EXIT project «Paper Release». CD for paper Ballet promo (International Paper, 2010)
 * Tunguska – Favorite (DVD edition for Mobi magazine) № 86; Oct. 2010

Trivia

 * The overall total number of copies of various CDs featuring EXIT project is above 800.000
 * Music by EXIT project has many times been used in WWF videos. and Greenpeace videos
 * EXIT project was the first band to support free music distribution movement – Free!Music.
 * Album Mystery Journey of Girl with her Death was the first Russian music album to be published under Creative Commons
 * Though two members of the band, Roman and Oleg, have the same surname, Smirnov, they are not brothers. Smirnov is the most common surname in Russia (ahead of Ivanov), or as they themselves joke about it: "Were not brothers just a rare surname".
 * Roman "ROmul" Smirnov and Valery "MIF" Mifodovsky are among the founders of the non-profit organization "FREE!MUSIC".
 * In 2005 PepsiCo released a CD which included a few of the songs from Hack The World in remixed versions. The band didn't like the remixes so much that they asked their name wouldn't be mentioned on the CD.
 * EXIT project was the second in the world to have released their album on a flash memory stick USB Flash (March, 2006)
 * The band doesn't fight piracy. Moreover – it supports free distribution: the CD edition of band's drummer Vladimir "BIG" Glushko personal EXIT has another – blank – CD suggesting to make a copy.

External References

 * exitproject.org – official band's web resource - ENGLISH
 * - DOWNLOAD APP "3PLET" FROM ITUNES
 * exitproject.pdj.ru – official band's web resource - Russian
 * 
 * (Russian)
 * Tunguska Electronic Music Society
 * Appbum – free release for iPhone