Date of Birth: 
Place of Birth: Cherepovets, Vologda Oblast, Russia
About Vjatšeslav Kobrin
- Vjatšeslav "Slavka" Kobrin (also transliterated: Vyacheslav Kobrin, Russian: ???????? ??????, 11 April 1958 in Cherepovets, Russia – 23 April 2016 in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica) was a Russian guitarist and songwriter. Kobrin was born in Cherepovets, Russia, in the family of musicians.
- His father was director of a philharmonic and his mother was a choirmaster.
- At the music school, Kobrin studied flute.In 1979, Kobrin founded the rock group Rok-Sentyabr (Rock September) in Cherepovets.
- Kobrin played the guitar and the flute, and sang as well.
- In 1982–1983, he collaborated with Yuri Shevchuk and DDT in recording of DDT's album Monolog v Saigone (Monologue in Saigon), later renamed to Kompromiss (Compromise).In the same year Estonian rock musician Gunnar Graps invited him to his Magnetic Band where Kobrin played the guitar in 1983–1984.
- In 1984, after Magnetic Band was forbidden performing in the Soviet Union, he joined Lainer, a band of Estonian singer Jaak Joala.
- In 1986, several musician from Lainer and Muusik Seif, a band of Tõnis Mägi, formed Kobrin Blues Band, a special project to perform at Levimuusikapäevad festival in Tartu.
- Later the same musicians formed Ultima Thule.
- Kobrin together with Riho Sibul became the main songwriters of the band.In 1990, after Ultima Thule tour in Canada, Kobrin left the band and decided to stay in Canada.
- He played in different bands, most significantly in the band of Michael Pickett.
- He became a Canadian citizen.
- In the Canadian period, he started with retail business by opening a store in Toronto.
- In 2005, he moved with family to Manuel Antonio in Costa Rica.
- Kobrin stopped his musician career and performed only occasionally, e.g.
- in Augustibluus festival in 2009 in Haapsalu and in festivals in Cherepovets in 2012–2013.
- In 2012, he had a reunion concert together with Ultima Thule and performed together with Canadian blues singer and blues harp player David Rotundo and a group of Estonian musicians under the name Slavka Kobrin & Friends in several concerts in Estonia and Russia, including in the Estonian national television morning program.
- In 2013, he performed together with an American singer and bassist James Werts and a group of Estonian and American musicians.In April 2016, Kobrin was found lying unconscious on the floor in his bathroom.
- He died in hospital on 23 April 2016.In the 1980s, Kobrin was considered one of the best blues guitarists in the Soviet Union.
- In his autobiographical book, Estonian writer and musician Mihkel Raud compared Kobrin with Jimi Hendrix.
- Kobrin himself mentioned Robben Ford, Steely Dan and Angus Young as performers who had influenced him.
- According to Estonian musician Jaak Ahelik, a band mate from Magnetic Band and Ultima Thule, Kobrin liked to listen ZZ Top, Steely Dan, AC/DC, Peer Günt, Earth Wind & Fire, Havana Black, and Prince.Kobrin was married, he had a son.
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