Ljova and the Kontraband is ‘new’ music, i.e. chamber-jam music for the "remix generation". As if by alchemy, Eastern-European and Gypsy melodies, Latin rhythms, Jazz-inspired improvisations, and deeply rooted Classical forms are given new meanings in original compositions that fearlessly forge a new direction, with a nostalgic gaze towards the past. Since making its debut in June 2006, the ensemble has performed at venues such as New York's Lincoln Center & the Museum of Modern Art, The Kennedy Center in Washington DC, Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Colorado Music Festival in Boulder, and the Brooklyn Academy of Music, where it was the opening musical guest of the Sundance@BAM Film Festival. The Kontraband is also a mainstay at New York's Joe's Pub, and the Brooklyn-based club, Barbes. Founded by the maverick film composer, arranger, and violist Lev 'LJOVA' Zhurbin --- hailed by Billboard magazine as "one of New York's fastest rising composers and instrumentalists" -- the ensemble also features his close collaborators on vocals, accordion, bass and percussion. Inspired by his collaborations with Yo-Yo Ma, Osvaldo Golijov, the Kronos Quartet, the rapper Jay-Z and others, Ljova's compositions dazzle with intricate textures, odd rhythms and lilting melodies, creating music that is both fresh and timeless.
The creativity, joyous energy, the stretching of limits that can be part and parcel to jazz, combined with colors of deep, mysterious tones imbedded within the Eastern European sound, all make for a very exciting experience. Ljova and the Kontraband can speak in ways that are stimulating yet intimate. They are having fun in the making of this sound...and that can be felt! An audience is able to escape everyday life, letting go, surrendering to this unmistakable pull of a new world of adventurous time signatures. There, as well, is a unique balance created by this captivating, strong instrumental ensemble that is at times caressed, excited and taunted by Inna’s beautiful, deep, feminine vocals. They are all having a grand time and it shows!
This music of Ljova and the Kontaband comes out of who Ljova is. Having a depth of character beyond his years, Ljova is able to interpret life though his music, translating into subtleties of sound that span the emotions. He pulls from the interplay of working with many talented musicians and diverse projects, with each new undertaking bringing its own unique flavor. This is exactly what brings people back for more. When a flavor is so good, as well as unique, it isn’t easily forgotten. And just one taste just isn’t enough.
The more a wise man learns the more he knows how much he doesn’t really know at all. Ljova is in awe and full of gratitude for this path he has chosen ....or did it choose him? He is third generation to be on this journey in music with its infinite opportunities of expression. The collaborative joy experienced in learning with others of many cultures, coupled with an energy that comes from entering the door of each new project with both its risks and rewards is an adventurous path of growth, continued joy and wonder. The sound created is testament to this.
So the question becomes, how does one categorize the music of Ljova and the Kontraband? All that can be said is that is ‘new’ music with roots in the old. This melting pot growth of Ljova and the Kontraband’s music has opened up so many opportunities spanning the genres of world festivals to Lincoln Center. Instead of being a copy of what is already ‘out there’ Ljova’s venturing into the unknown has been the birth of a sound...i.e. Ljova and the Kontraband.
For a detailed overview of Ljova and his ensemble visit the easy to navigate, carefully laid out website at http://www.Ljova.com.
The NY Times article by Allan Kozinn, which profiles Ljova’s work from last summer, the review of Ljova and the Kontraband concert by Justin Davidson published in Newsday, plus numerous other articles are all a grand sign that many eyes and hears are waking to this new sound. http://ljova.com/reviews . If you are busy and/or your preference is video and you wish to gain a quick but entertaining idea of just who Ljova and the Kontraband are, visit Ljova’s EPK . http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=F913546554323D2C
Ljova -pronouced lay o va (viola), Inna Barmash (vocal), Patrick Farrell (accordion), Mathias Kunzli (percussion), and Mike Savino (bass & banjo) are Ljova and the Kontraband. This performance at the Cinema Arts Centre is part of a series curated and hosted by Premik Russell Tubbs, legendary jazz musician, who will also join the stage. They also will be joined in several numbers by two wonderfully talented young students from the Huntington area, Mikah Feldman-Stein (age 17) and Jonathan Bodian (age 13).
Cinema Arts Centre is fast becoming ‘the place’ known in the community, and beyond, for it’s quality music. Premik began his monthly series last January 29th, 2010 and for over a year now, CINEMA ARTS CENTRE has graced the community with phenomenal classic and innovative music that that at times like this rivals Lincoln Center. CAC is committed to expanding this offering with the same zeal and discernment it applies to film. HEARING IS BELIEVING.
INDIVIDUAL PERFORMER- SHORT BIOS:
Hailed by Billboard Magazine as "one of New York's fastest-rising composers and instrumentalists", and by the New York Times as “an eclectic with an ear for texture...strikingly original and soulful, “LJOVA” (Lev Zhurbin) was born in 1978 in Moscow, Russia, and moved to New York with his parents, composer Alexander Zhurbin and writer Irena Ginzburg, in 1990. He divides his time between performing as a violist in diverse groups ranging from his own Ljova and the Kontraband, to string quartets, jazz combos and Gypsy bands; studying and arranging music for Yo-Yo Ma, the Kronos Quartet, Jay-Z, Gustavo Santaolalla, Osvaldo Golijov, Alondra de la Parra and others; and composing original music for film, TV, dance, and the concert stage. www.Ljova.com
INNA BARMASH, vocal: Inna Barmash immigrated to the States from Lithuania, where she first started singing in Yiddish and Russian. While a student at Princeton University, she co-founded the Klez Dispensers, and has performed with numerous other klezmer groups in the tri-state area. Her explorations of the repertoire of Russian and Romanian
gypsies led to her co-founding of Romashka, a gypsy band based in New York. While roaming through clubs, cafe, and underground parties with Romashka, Inna encountered Ljova, and now they travel together with Ljova and the Kontraband, and their son Benjamin.
Accordionist PATRICK FARRELL moved to Brooklyn from New Orleans in 2007, and has quickly integrated into the New York City music scene. He plays in many different genres and musical situations around the city, from dance accompaniment and cabaret to club gigs, concerts and weddings. Farrell leads his own group, Stagger Back Brass
Band, playing original brass circus music, and is a member of new-music chamber ensemble Ljova and the Kontraband, Russian and Romanian Roma-music band Romashka, Michael Winograd's Klezmer Trio and Serbian-style brass band Veveritse, as well as appearing with numerous other groups and individuals around town. He has studied accordion in Macedonia, Serbia, Hungary and Romania, and has played in clubs, concert halls, streets, and serenades all over the US and Europe as well as Canada and Mexico. He has appeared on over 20 recordings and can be found at www.pattysounds.com.
Since his arrival in New York City in 1999, MIKE SAVINO (bass, banjo) has performed in an eclectic array of capacities. At once a composer, multi- instrumentalist, and songwriter, Savino has developed a highly personal and unique style, incorporating years of exploration into the jazz, folk, and world music traditions. He is the singer and banjo player behind NYC based alt-folk band Tall Tall Trees, whose music has been featured on a number of television programs including American Pickers and MTV's Teen Mom. Over the years he has had the pleasure to collaborate with a wonderful variety of artists including Kate Havnevik, Of Montreal, Ljova & the Kontraband, and Scott Kettner's Nation Beat, among many others. He currently resides in Harlem with his cat Stinko. He holds a B.F.A. from New School University's prestigious Jazz & Contemporary Music Program and is a self professed ethnomusicologist. As a composer, he has written over 200 pieces.
MATHIAS KUNZLI (drums & percussion) was born in Switzerland in 1975 where he lived until 1995. As a drummer and percussionist he has had the chance to perform or record with: Lauryn Hill, Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Project, Moby, Airto Moreira, Flora Purim, Oscar Castro-Neves, Gary Brown, Randy Brecker, Bob Berg, Marc Ribot, John Zorn’s Electric Masada, Jamey Haddad, Mark Soskin, Herb Pomeroy, Bill Pierce, Cecil Bridgewater, John Lockwood, Savina Yannatou, Dave Samuels,The Paul Winter Consort, Mike Richmond, Donny McCaslin, Eugene Friesen, Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, Matt Dariau, Tall Tall Trees and Frank London. www.mathiaskunzli.com
Guests artists to join in with Ljova and the Kontraband
Premik Russell Tubbs – Multi-Instrumentalist
Premik, a composer, arranger, producer and an accomplished multi-instrumentalist performs on various flutes, soprano, alto and tenor saxophones, wind synthesizers, and lap steel guitar. He has worked with everyone from Carlos Santana, Whitney Houston, Herbie Hancock, John McLaughlin, Ravi Shankar, Narada Michael Walden, Clarence Clemons, Ornette Coleman, Jackson Browne, Jean-Luc Ponty, Lonnie Liston-Smith, Scarlet Riveria, James Taylor to Sting and Lady Gaga just to name a few. He is equally adept in pop, R&B, jazz, world and experimental genres. www.premik.com www.myspace.com/premik
JONATHAN BODIAN –age 13
Eight Grade - West Hollow Middle School, Half Hollow Hills district.
Instruments: Guitar, bass
Jonathan’s passion began at age 8 with rock and folk standards. He soon transitioned to nylon strings, and has been studying latin-influenced classical and jazz with renowned composer-guitarist Jorge Morel for the past three years. Jonathan has performed extensively at many Long Island venues, and in master classes with guitarists including Peru’s Jorge Caballero, France’s Thomas Viloteau, Cuba’s Rene Izquierdo and blues with Long Island’s own Little Toby Walker. He also plays double bass and jazz guitar.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lM4TUw7i2dA
MIKAH FELDMAN-STEIN – age 17
Senior - Huntington High School, Huntington School District
Main instrument: Alto Saxophone
Additional instruments: soprano sax, tenor sax, and clarinet.
Mikah has been involved in the Nassau-Suffolk jazz program for three years where he's worked under the direction of Joe Schaefer and Bill Katz. He also has been in the high school's jazz ensemble for the past four years and has been in the All-County concert band since 6th grade on clarinet. Mikah was elected to participate in the 2010 All-State festival with the Instrumental Jazz Ensemble and then played again with this same group in 2011 for the Joseph R. Sugar Day festivities. As a senior, Mikah is headed to Wesleyan University next fall. He is planning to be a pre-med major with a minor in jazz performance. http://www.hufsd.edu/news/stories/2011/january/04a.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnLItFNAZtc
Journey Through Global Rhythms @ CAC February 25, 2011 ~ the finale, Afro Blue
(Both Jonathan and Mikah join in-Mikah solos)
And as always...EXPECT THE TRULY UNEXPECTED!!! A wine and cheese reception will follow the music.
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