Ilan Chester

Ilan Chester
Background information
Birth name	Ilan Czenstochowski Schaechter
Born	(1952-07-30) July 30, 1952 Tel Aviv, Israel
Genres	Latin pop
Occupation(s)	musician singer songwriter record producer
Instrument(s)	Keyboads piano vocals
Years active	1965-present
Labels	Color Philips Sonográfica Sony Music

Ilan Chester (born Ilan Czenstochowski) is a Venezuelan musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. Born in Jaffa, Tel Aviv, Israel in 1952, to Ashkenazi parents, Ilan emigrated to Venezuela in 1953.

Biography

2010 award winning Latin Grammy, Israeli-born and Venezuelan-raised Ilan Chester is a multi-talented musician, singer and composer with more than 35 music productions who has incorporated a global range of influences into his music. Chester grew up with the Jewish, French and Italian melodies he heard as a child at home and later he was equally enamored with American R&B (Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder) and the British rock movement (Beatles, Yes, Jethro Tull).

At the age of 19, in 1971 he first met Hare Krishna devotees and two years later he was initiated and given the spiritual name Havi Das by his spiritual master A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Chester has stated on record that 'Krishna consciousness is and has always been my true source of inspiration. It is the love found in the hearts of the devotees for Krishna that has motivated me to write songs.' He and his family continue to be active practitioners of the Vaishnava Bhakti tradition.

His music has grown to include elements of Classical Music, Jazz, Afro-Caribbean, and Venezuelan Folk music. A former member of rock and pop bands like "Trams", "Way" and "Melao", Ilan has also recorded four productions for the English speaking market. Chester became famous as an exceptional artist in Venezuela and all over Latin America since launching his solo career in 1983 filling up massive auditoriums and theaters. After a series of memorable albums, including "Amistad", "Solo faltas tu", "ASI", "Songs Books of Venezuelan Love", Vols. 1, 2 and 3, he attracted even more international attention with the platinum-selling album "Corazón Navideño" and a 6 CD collection where he has sold more than 500,000 units in a few weeks in Venezuela alone. Ilan Chester is recognized everywhere by artists and critics alike as one of the most talented composers and singers in the Spanish language. Many of his songs became international hits by Latin stars like Mark Anthony, Cheo Feliciano and Chayenne and he has followers all around the globe.

Discography

Release	Album
1978	Night and Daydream / Wheels of Time
1979	Por Principio... Fin Color/Corp. Los Ruices
1980	Songs from the Future
1983	Canciones De Todos Los Días Philips/Sonográfica
1984	Amistad Philips/Sonográfica
1985	Ilan Chester (Sólo Faltas Tú) Philips/Sonográfica
1987	Al Pie De La Letra Sonográfica
1988	Ilan En Vivo Sonográfica
1990	Opus # 10 CBS/Sonográfica
1992	Un Mundo Mejor Sony Music/Sonográfica
1994	Terciopelo Sony Music
1995	Ilan Chester En Vivo Sony Music
1998	Cancionero Del Amor Venezolano Independent
1998	Bhakti Alcione
1999	Ofrenda Para Un Niño Independent
2000	Ilan C. En Vivo (Gira Nac. Amor Vzlano) CD Manía El Nacional
2000	Sínfonico - En Vivo Independent
2000	Cancionero Del Amor Venezolano II Independent
2001	Corazón Navideño Latin World
2002	Ilan Canta Onda Nueva Independent
2002	Cancionero Del Amor Puertorriqueño Independent
2004	Así Sonográfica
2006- 2008	Cancionero Del Amor Venezolano III Independent
2013	Symphony of the Soul

Compilation

Release	Album
1991	Lo Mejor de Ilan Chester Sonográfica
	Ilan Chester de Colección Sonográfica
	Ilan Chester de Colección Vol. 2 Sonográfica
1999	32 Grandes Exitos (Serie 32) Sonográfica/Universal
2000	Ilan Chester El Músico de Venezuela CD Manía El Nacional
2003	20 Exitos de Ilan Chester (Lo Máximo) Sonográfica
2006	Hits EMI International
2008	Cancionero del amor Venezolano 1, 2 y 3
2009	Coleccion: Tesoros de la musica Venezolana ( 6 CD's)

External links

• Official website(in Spanish)
  • Discography
  • iTunes
• Asi, Album (2005) at Amazon.com