Jazz trumpeter Valery Ponomarev was born in Russia and came to the U.S. in 1973. He has been an American citizen since 1979, and has worked with Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers for four years. With the Messengers, he performed at major concert halls, clubs, and festivals all over the world and recorded 11 albums. He also made numerous television appearances with the Messengers in Europe, Japan, and Brazil. In the United States, he has made television appearances on "To Tell the Truth," on the PBS network, National Geographic Today, and CNN. 
The long list of jazz luminaries Mr. Ponomarev performed, traveled, and recorded with, in addition to Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers, includes super stars of modern jazz such as: Benny Golson, Max Roach, Joe Henderson, Jimmy Cobb, Don Braden, Curtis Fuller, Charles McPherson, Mark Gross, the Duke Ellington Orchestra under Mercer and Paul Ellington, the Arturo O'Farril Afro Cuban Jazz Big Band and many others. 
He recorded eight solo albums, most of which originally were rated at top billing. His first book "On the Flip Side of Sound" has generated numerous very favorable comments and reviews by the absolute best in music business. The 52-minute documentary “Trumpeter from Russia”, after this book, was awarded the Gold Remi Aword at the 2011 Houston, TX International Film Festival. His life is also documented in short films "Messenger from Russia" and "Frozen in Amber". 
Mr. Valery Ponomarev’s new book – Art Blakey’s Passwords to the mystery of creating Art and Universal success – came out in early 2020 on BookBaby.
In addition to playing with The Jazz Messengers: The Legacy of Art Blakey led by Valery Ponomarev Mr. Ponomarev leads and writes for his big band VPJBB a.k.a. “Our Father Who Art Blakey”. The VPJBB performed at Dizzy’s, Iridium, Jazz Standard, and other venues in NYC and appears regularly at the legendary “Zinc Bar” in the Village. The band's CD featuring Benny Golson accumulated numerous well-minded and raving reviews. It also made the list of the best recordings of 2016.  
Valery Ponomarev Big Band: Our Father Who Art Blakey: The Centennial – Summit Records. Release date January 17/2020. Reviews are being posted on Mr. Ponomarev’s Facebook page as they appear in the press.
The most typical comments: And I give all the credit to Valery for his excellent writing and keeping the Messengers’ spirit alive and well.
...a band to perform large-ensemble versions of Messenger classics .....faithful representations of the source material, more reincarnation than reimagination.
Valery Ponomarev is a hard bop trumpeter who plays with both fire and sensitivity..... has put together first class band that has a solid footing in hard bop jazz.
...the arrangements do not copy the past and instead are creative within the hardbop genre.
...Art Blakey would have enjoyed sitting in with this big band. 
For fans of great jazz played right, not just fans of Blakey, this fast ball right down the middle hits all the right notes in fine form.
It is obvious that Mr. Ponomarev knows how to capture the energy and essence of Art Blakey.
...this reviewer’s opinion that Valery Ponomarev’s big band makes magical music.
You will enjoy playing this gutsy, energized, hardbop album over and over again.

Mamiko Watanabe - piano,

Boris Kozlov - bass,

Jerome Gillespie - drums