M-ARTel (Russia) for Jazz Rock/Fusion

Michail Ivanov was born on November 16, 1975 in the city of Perm that later became a backdrop for the popular Russian series "Real boys". Revolutionary past of this area and the specific environment have led to the fact that he was expelled from the Perm School of Music for the fact that he had a row with the director. 

He was immediately taken into ranks of the Russian army, where Mikhail began serving in the signalman brigade, and finished in the Moscow Military District  at the rank of junior sergeant in Headquarters Band. However, the army did not attract him and young musician decided to become a civil saxophonist at his own risk. In 1997 he graduated from the jazz school in Ordynka and in 1998, to the surprise of many, he entered the Gnessin Academy, at the department at the great and terrible Professor Oseychuk. In 2002 he received the diploma that he is an expert, teacher and soloist of the dance orchestra and asked himself: "WTF?" As a session musician, performing all kinds of music, he has already proven itself with a good hand, but the role of a saxophonist on a call did not suit him.

Together with his wife, singer Natasha Levanova, and keyboardist Michail Spasibo formed the band named "Old wine in a new bottle". They thought that if only "modernize" jazz classics, put on the fashion groove and give it a modern expression, the whole world will fall at their feet with the words of gratitude and Grammy statuette.

First realized the futility keyboardist and sailed to entertain American retirees on cruise liners. Levanov family continued to stubbornly galvanize the corpse of traditional jazz. However, their efforts were not in vain. They gained invaluable arranger and performing experience, and by the end of the 2000 year band "Old wine in a new bottle" has become a permanent resident of the Moscow clubs. Michail had become a teacher, was playing in a big band of Oleg Lundstrem and George Garanyan, was working with Sergey Manukyan, Irina Shvedova, Natalya Gulkina and a certain amount of big artists.

In 2010 the "old wine" died and was reborn in a new capacity as the creative team of "M-Artel". From now on, the musicians were not related to the concept of "one team - one music", and could do everything, that allows them their professional fantasy. 

There are various projects, such as "I love 60s", "Children's Album", "Beatles on my mind" and "Assemblage point". What unites them is only a general principle of artistic musicians: "Mix it all up so your shoes fly!" and, of course, a love of music. Music, that makes us laugh and cry, love and hate, rejoice and suffer. To the music that fills our existence with meaning.