Video from Leonid and Friends
Passion. Persistence. Perfection. By Scott Schwebke
With multiple sold-out U.S. tours under its belt and hundreds of thousands of fans around the world, Leonid & Friends continues to astound its global audience with its unique ability in capturing the spirit, musicality, and fire of American supergroup Chicago. And what is even more stunning is that Leonid & Friends, comprised of 11 of the finest musicians in Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, and Belarus, haven't seen Chicago perform live, yet replicates the band’s complex arrangements amazingly note for note. Chicago has never been in Russia, and none of us have attended their concerts," said Leonid Vorobyev, a multi-instrumentalist who is the band’s leader. "We have only recordings and videos (to help us learn Chicago songs)." Ironically, Vorobyev wasn’t always a fan of horn bands, and as a teenager gravitated to the hard-driving guitar-based sounds of the Beatles, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Deep Purple, and Grand Funk Railroad. "In the early 1970s in the USSR, electric guitars, amplifiers, and drums were rare to find so at school we were playing self-made instruments," Vorobyev explained. "We were allowed to rehearse in the same room with a horns band. Those musicians almost always were drunk and quite often tried to play with us our rock songs. It was a nightmare, and I hated them all!".. from the website: leonidandfriends
If like me you grew up listening to "Chicago" then you will be amazed that this tribute band sounds better than the original group! Enjoy - Andy
Singer from Chicago Tribute Band Weathers Ukraine Invasion in Kyiv
Vocalist Serge Tiagnyriadno of the one-of-a-kind Russian-Ukrainian band Leonid & Friends was preparing to depart for a months-long tour across the U.S., including shows in Los Angeles and other major cities.
But in recent weeks, the Ukrainian native sent his wife and children scrambling across the Ukrainian border to neighboring Poland. He stayed behind in Kyiv as Russian jets dropped bombs on his city.
“It feels like you’re watching a movie about the apocalypse,” says the bearded musician from his home in Kyiv, still under siege from Russian forces, “with no end in sight.”
Tiagnyriadno, 40, is abiding by the rules of martial law in his homeland — all men between the ages of 18 and 60 are required to remain in the country so they are available to be drafted into the military if needed. If called, he will serve, he says.
In Kyiv, Tiagnyriadno takes care of his elderly parents, helps his Ukrainian neighbors as a volunteer and shares the horrific details of the war on social media. All amid the intense shelling by Russian forces that he witnesses through his window.
Mere months ago, the band for which he provides vocals was enjoying acclaim won online and solidified in person.
For now, the band is still hoping to launch its tour. “We are monitoring the situation closely but as of now, the tour is moving ahead as scheduled,” said Gil Jacobs, the band’s agent, in a statement.." from the article: Singer from Chicago Tribute Band Weathers Ukraine Invasion in Kyiv
(I've Been) Searching So Long
Video from Leonid and Friends
Live After Tour
Video from Leonid and Friends
Chicago tribute band from Russia exceeds skill of original group
"October concertgoers will have the opportunity to witness the result of a YouTube collaboration among friends on the other side of the world that went viral.
Leonid & Friends, a group covering songs by the classic American rock band Chicago, will play at the Clyde Theater on Wednesday, Oct. 27.
There’s one catch to this group, however — no one in this global cover band has ever seen Chicago perform live. In addition to this anomaly, these talented musicians come from Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, and Belarus.
REINVENTING THE SOUND
Leonid Vorobyev is the leader and founder of the group, but also fills a number of other roles in his work with Leonid & Friends.
Vorobyev acts as a producer for the band, in addition to playing bass and piano, singing lead and backing vocals, and transcribing all the musical scores so that the musicians can accurately replicate the jazzy sound for which Chicago is known.
Vorobyev also plays the producer role in all of the cover band’s audio and video creations.
The band’s official website recounts that, after retiring several years ago, Vorobyev “decided to give himself a gift to celebrate his retirement by recording a cover version of Chicago’s 1975 song, ‘Brand New Love Affair.’”
However, because there were not any scores of the single available for musicians to use, he transcribed the song by ear. Vorobyev and his friends recorded the transcribed music. That launched the collaborative project now known as Leonid & Friends.." from the article: Chicago tribute band from Russia exceeds skill of original group