Moscow Guitar Trio — a legendary musical ensemble of the Soviet era, active for over fifteen years and leaving a significant mark on the history of domestic light music. The project began as a duo of two talented musicians — Alexey Yakushev and Yuri Greshchenko, who had served as domra players in the Red Banner Song and Dance Ensemble named after Alexandrov. However, seeking greater artistic freedom, they switched from the domra to the guitar and began performing as a guitar duo, appearing both as soloists and accompanists at dances and concerts.
Over time, a third key member joined them — the Leningrad-based composer, arranger, and guitarist Victor Mironov, already known for his collaborations with Leonid Utyosov and for his role in the film Jolly Fellows. It was Mironov who initiated the formation of a full-fledged trio. He frequently traveled to Moscow, where rehearsals usually took place at Yakushev’s apartment, after which the musicians recorded at the radio or at the All-Union Recording Studio. Despite the name “trio,” many of their recordings featured drummer Leonid Loubensky, and sound engineer Victor Babushkin played a crucial role in shaping their distinctive sound.
The ensemble’s repertoire spanned a wide range — from dance pieces and arrangements of popular melodies to experiments with rhythms, including early attempts at rock and roll. Notably, their version of the piece Rock Around the Clock is considered the first officially recorded Soviet release in this genre. The musicians were actively involved in studio work, becoming part of a team of session performers heard on numerous Soviet records.
Particular attention was drawn to their 1965 recording — “Letter to Mother”, a setting of Esenin’s poem performed by Klavdia Shulzhenko, where Yakushev and Greshchenko, accompanied by pianist Boris Mandrus, created an elegant musical backdrop that enhanced, rather than overshadowed, the expressiveness of the singer’s voice. Though criticized by conservative reviewers at the time, this performance is now recognized as outstanding. The album Eternal Sun, released in the series The True History of Domestic Light Music, offers a retrospective of the trio and is compiled from three mini-albums on the Melodiya label.
It’s also worth noting the members’ contributions to cinema and culture: it was Alexey Yakushev who played the guitar in the iconic scene from the film “White Sun of the Desert”, which has become legendary for millions of viewers. Although the trio’s name is not as widely known today as it once was, their music remains an essential part of the Soviet-era soundscape, combining elegance, rhythm, and genuine performance mastery.
