Ljova & Vjola Contraband + Romashka January 17, 2006

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 17th at 9:30 PM
~~>Ljova & the Vjola Contraband
Sneaky original music from the heart of NYC.

~~>Romashka
Gypsy music for dancing and dreaming

@ Joe's Pub,
425 Lafayette Street between e. 4th and Astor Pl.

$15.00

ABOUT THE PERFORMERS:

THE VJOLA CONTRABAND is the live ensemble performing the music from VJOLA: WORLD ON FOUR STRINGS, the debut release of maverick film composer, arranger, and violist Ljova (Lev Zhurbin) -- http://www.Ljova.com. Inspired by his collaborations with Yo-Yo Ma's Silk Road Project, the Kronos Quartet and Osvaldo Golijov, Ljova draws on a multitude of cross-cultural influences, and echoes them in unique pieces, recorded almost exclusively on multi-tracked viola.

From blues to Bjork, to Latin and Gypsy dances, to a nostalgic Russian street-waltz, Ljova transcends the traditional boundaries of his instrument. Using inventive improvisation and arranging techniques, his compositions dazzle with intricate textures, odd rhythms and lilting melodies, creating music that is both fresh and timeless.

~~>> BILLBOARD MAGAZINE: 27-year-old Russian-born Lev Zhurbin (aka Ljova), one of New York's fastest-rising composers and instrumentalists

~~>>NEW YORK TIMES: Eclectic with an ear for texture...Throaty melodies supported by pizzicato rhythms, lush choral figures and counterpoint

~~>>TIME OUT NEW YORK: Rustic dances and evocative soundscapes, all crafted from ... the gorgeously grainy purr of his fiddle.

featuring: Ljova (viola), Sarah Darling (viola), Patrick Farrell (accordion), Mathias Kunzli (percussion) and Mike Savino (bass)

ROMASHKA http://www.romashka.net is a driving force in New York Citys burgeoning gypsy and Balkan music scene, playing Gypsy and folk dance music from Russia, Romania, the Balkans, and beyond. Romashkas sound has deep roots and fierce vitality, showcasing both technique and attitude. Lithuanian-born singer Inna Barmash fronts a band of wildly versatile musicians with years of Klezmer, jazz, rock experience.

Based in New York, the band was born in fits and torrents in the fall of 2003. Roaming from cafes and all-night jams, to apartment parties and subway stops, the band quickly catapulted to pulsating clubs and underground parties, drawing a loyal following from downtown party revelers and outer-borough-dwelling ethnic communities alike.

~~>> AllAboutJazz: A Balkan beat, gypsy fire, a Serbian brass band, a sexy vocalist, a dazzling show... This is hot music for cold nights; Romashka rocks.

~~>>The Forward: Wildly Kinetic Rhythms . Bittersweet, Sepia-toned nostalgia

~~>>Rootsworld: crisp and danceable, with sassy, jazzy horns, crashing percussion, and throbbing accordion. Vocalist Inna Barmash warbles as slinkily as a Balkan Edith Piaf.

featuring: Inna Barmash (vocals), Ben Holmes (trumpet), Jeff Perlman (clarinet), Jake Shulman-Ment (violin), Ljova (viola), Joey Weisenberg (guitar), Timothy Quigley (percussion) and Ron Caswell (tuba)

Event submitted by Eventful.com on behalf of innabar.