Arvydas Jofė

Numbered among the most gifted Lithuanian drummers, Arvydas Jofė is distinguished for his exceptional energetic drive, subtle and harmonious blend of acoustic and electronic percussion, with occasional addition of his striking vocalisations. He is equally brilliant in performing with ensembles and in solo programmes that he has produced since 1992. As a drummer and composer, he began his career as member of various local rock groups and became involved in jazz in 1976. Since then he has performed with many of the best-known names in Lithuanian jazz. In recent years he has frequently appeared with the Lithuanian Jazz Trio, Labutis Jazz Quartet. He is a member of Artūras Chalikovas' group Jazz Brothers and drummer with the Kaunas Big Band. He is also active as a composer and teacher.

Jūratė Kučinskaitė

to be continued... - Don't Care

Saulius Šiaučiulis Quartet - Marjo

Vladimir Chekasin Big Band - Suite Adoration

Biography

Arvydas Jofė (b. 1957) is one of the most creative Lithuanian drummers, whose style is characterized by exceptional vitality and resourceful combination of acoustic and electronic drums enhanced by his unique voice. Besides performing with different groups, he has also given a number of solo programs.

He learned piano at Kaunas Music School and started playing drums at the age of 14. His musical career started with rock groups Bildukai, Nuogi ant slenksčio, Kadencija; later on he played with the ensemble Oktava. While a student at Klaipėda Department of the Lithuanian State Conservatory (1975-79), he started playing jazz with Saulius Šiaučiulis Ensemble and Pranas Narušis Big Band. After graduation he taught at Klaipėda Department and led the big band Versmė.

In 1983 he returned to Kaunas and played with the electronic music group Argo. He was a member of Romualdas Grabštas Quartet in 1984-86, and of Vladimir Chekasin Quartet in 1986-92. The drummer has been collaborating with Vytautas Labutis, Oleg Molokoyedov, Gintautas Abarius, Aleksandr Fedotov, Eugenijus Kanevičius, Artūras Chalikovas and others. In 1992 he made his debut as a soloist. He has performed across Lithuania and abroad, with different groups and solo.

In recent years Arvydas Jofė has been playing with the Lithuanian Jazz Trio, the group granted in 2004 the LT Identity award of the Lithuanian Institute for promoting Lithuanian jazz. With the Lithuanian Jazz Trio the drummer has been featured by the Jazz Expo in Genoa, Italy (2004), and the International Music Fair MIDEM in Cannes, France (2005). He is also a member of Jazz Brothers, led by Artūras Chalikovas, and a drummer of Kaunas Big Band.

Title/Year

arvydasjoffe@yahoo.com

Thanks
Arvydas Jofė - dr, perc, voc, electronics
1998 (CD)

to be continued...
Lithuanian Jazz Trio: Vytautas Labutis - saxes, synth, voc, Leonid Shinkarenko - b, Arvydas Jofė - dr, perc, voc, electronics
Trio JLS 001, 2005 (CD)

As a group member

Dixielands
Lithuanian State Conservatory Klaipėda Faculty Dixieland, dir. Pranas Narušis
Melodija C60 12671-2, 1980 (LP)

Credo
Saulius Šiaučiulis Ensemble: Rimantas Brazaitis - saxes, fl, Viktor Ignatov - ts, Saulius Šiaučiulis - p, Vladimir Kaplan - g, Virginijus Švabas - g, Romualdas Malinauskas - b, Arvydas Jofė - dr, Gintarė Jautakaitė - voc
Melodija C60 14569-70, 1981 (LP)

Antishow
Vladimir Chekasin Quartet: Vladimir Chekasin - reeds, Vytautas Labutis - reeds, Oleg Molokoyedov - p, Arvydas Jofė - dr
Leo Records LR 145, 1988 (LP)
Leo Records GY 413-416, 2003 (CD)

The Tree of Life 1
Judita Leitaitė - voc, Aleksandr Fedotov - sax, Gintautas Abarius - ky, Arvydas Jofė - dr
Messiah Records, 1993 (MC)

A Concert for the King
Judita Leitaitė - voc, Aleksandr Fedotov - sax, Gintautas Abarius - ky, Arvydas Jofė - dr
Art & Electronics, 1995 (MC)

In compilations

Birštonas-82
"Maiden Voyage"
Saulius Šiaučiulis Quartet: Saulius Šiaučiulis - p, Aleksandras Dunis - g, Romualdas Malinauskas - b, Arvydas Jofė - dr
Melodija C60 19021 006, 1983 (LP)

Conspiracy: Soviet Jazz Festival - Zürich
"Memories" (fragment)
Vladimir Chekasin Quartet: Vladimir Chekasin - reeds, synth, voc, Oleg Molokoyedov - p, synth, tp, Vytautas Labutis - reeds, synth, Arvydas Jofė - dr
Leo Records CDLR 809-812, 1989 (CD)

Lithuanian Jazz 1929-1980
"Traditional Dixieland"
Lithuanian State Conservatory Klaipėda Faculty Dixieland, dir. Pranas Narušis: Vytautas Grubliauskas - tp, Jurgis Barakauskas - tb, Pranas Narušis - cl, Povilas Jaraminas - p, Remigijus Mockus - bj, Romualdas Malinauskas - b, Arvydas Jofė - dr
"Marjo"
Saulius Šiaučiulis Quartet: Vytautas Grubliauskas - tp, Saulius Šiaučiulis - p, Romualdas Malinauskas - b, Arvydas Jofė - dr
Semplice SECD011, 2003 (CD)

Euro Jazz 2004
"Night & Day"
Lithuanian Jazz Trio: Vytautas Labutis - as, Leonid Shinkarenko - b, Arvydas Jofė - dr
Jazz & Tzaz 0040-2, 2004 (CD)

Jazzy Lithuania
"to be continued..."
Lithuanian Jazz Trio: Vytautas Labutis - saxes, synth, voc, Leonid Shinkarenko - b, voc, Arvydas Jofė - dr, perc, voc
"Day by Day"
Vita Rusaitytė - voc, Egidijus Buožis - p, Eugenijus Kanevičius - db, Arvydas Jofė - dr
Judita Bartoševičienė VMJ 001, 2004 (CD)

Lithuanian Jazz 1980-1990
"Moon Indigo"
Tauras Adomavičius - tb, Romualdas Malinauskas - b, Arvydas Jofė - dr
Semplice SECD014, 2005 (CD)

Laureates of the "Birštonas" Jazz Festivals
"Drumming" (fragment)
Vladimir Tarasov - dr, perc, Arkady Gotesman - dr, Arvydas Jofė - dr, perc, Gediminas Laurinavičius - dr, perc, Darius Rudis - dr
Birštonas' Cultural Centre, 2005 (CD)

Lithuanian Pop / Rock / Folk / Jazz Music Sampler MIDEM 2006
"Don't Care"
Lithuanian Jazz Trio: Vytautas Labutis - saxes, synth, voc, Leonid Shinkarenko - b, Arvydas Jofė - dr, perc, voc, electronics
Lithuanian Music Information and Publishing Centre LMIPCCD 034, 2006 (CD)

Jazzy Vilnius
"Suite Adoration" (fragment)
Vladimir Chekasin Big Band, Vladimir Chekasin - p, Vytautas Labutis - sax, Leonid Shinkarenko - b, Arvydas Jofė - dr, perc

"Lullaby"

Vytautas Labutis - sax, Oleg Molokoyedov - ky, Arvydas Jofė - dr
Judita Bartoševičienė VMJ 002, 2007 (CD)

Note Lithuania: Jazz

"Waltz"

Labutis Jazz Quartet: Vytautas Labutis - as, ky, voc, Oleg Molokoyedov - ky, voc, Eugenijus Kanevičius - b, Arvydas Jofė - dr

Lithuanian Music Information and Publishing Centre LMIPCCD+DVD 002, 2007 (CD)