Musical trip down memory lane: Ой Марічко чічері

One of the things I love (possibly the most!) about hosting Nash Holos is the opportunity to share Ukrainian music I love with listeners of the show.

Here's one I shared this week.



I have the song on a CD I picked up in Ukraine a few weeks ago. It's a compilation of 200 mp3s of tracks recorded back in the day.

There is little IMHO to wax nostalgic over in the soviet era. But if memory serves me, there was more appreciation for Ukrainian folk music. Probably as a result of that appreciation, more of it was being produced in contemporary arrangements like this.

OTOH it could be a global trend in our era away from indigenous folk music towards bland commercial conformity in the music industry, thanks to well-heeled promoters and smart marketers.

Thank goodness for people who market gems like this ... and put them up on YouTube!

******

 

Край - A great Ukrainian musical tradition!

Nice to have a front-row seat to a musical moment of "living history" in Ukraine!

Sofia Rotaru version from 1979:



The sentiment and tradition carried on by a new generation:

Spectacular violinist coming to Canadian stages starting in Vancouver

One of the performers traveling across Canada this month with The Talents of Ukraine 2011 show tour is contemporary violinist Innesa Tymochko. Now a New Yorker, Innesa originally hails from Lviv, Ukraine where she studied music and launched a musical career that had her performing on stages throughout Europe.

In a recent interview on Nash Holos Ukrainian Roots Radio, she revealed that she was a child prodigy at age 6. While she studied classical violin, she was also enthralled by the beauty and power of traditional Ukrainian folk music. In fact she was so drawn to it that she developed her own "fusion" style of contemporary Ukrainian folk music.

With charming candour, she admits to an abiding love of Ukrainian folk music, the stage, and pleasing audiences with her music. This woman's joy of performing shines through the minute she first pulls the bow across the strings. She'll then take you on a musical journey that is guaranteed to pluck the heartstrings of any Ukrainian folk music lover.

This will be Innesa's first trip to Canada and she is very excited to be part of this tour. It starts out in Vancouver on Tuesday, October 11 at the Vancouver Center for the Performing Arts. After that it's on to Vernon for a Wednesday evening performance, then to other points east, wrapping up in Montréal on October 25.

If you haven't bought your tickets yet, don't wait a minute longer! This will be a show you don't want to miss.

Along with Innesa, you'll be delighted with the performances of two outstanding singers from Ukraine as well as the spectacular Donbas Song and Dance Company of Ukraine. Tickets for the performances in Western Canada can be purchased from Ticketmaster, and elsewhere from the venues where the show is being held. Details at the Boen Arts website and in earlier posts (here and here). 

Innesa has her own website which is www.innesa.com and you can read more about her and order her CDs there.

Meanwhile, I found a few YouTube videos of Innesa performing. They’ll give you an idea of her onstage charisma. But there’s nothing like the real thing! So I hope you'll join me in seeing her perform live on stage in Vancouver... or at a venue close to you.

This is Vivaldi's Storm, which opened the show we chatted on:



This is her performing Podolianka at her own wedding.



...and someone else's wedding (where she puts me in mind of the late Al Czerny):



For those earlybirds amongst us, here she is doing a medley of Ukrainian Christmas tunes:



And one more medley of Ukrainian folk tunes:

See you at the show!

Musical mockument of Ukraine's "democrats"

My friend Stepan Pasicznuk (a.k.a. "Ludwig") employed his classic Brit wit in this song he wrote about the pathetic state of Ukraine's parliament.

These clowns want all the perks of a civil society without putting out any effort to be civil themselves, much less act with any decorum or dignity in their role as representatives of their country and constituents.

They deserve much more contempt than this gentle satire but it's nonetheless quite amusing and cutting enough.

Great video snapshot of Ukraine

Just came across this lovely video showcasing the splendours of Ukraine.

The few typos and oddly translated idioms ("dissolve into meadows" and "inhale a gulp of fresh air") only enhance the charm of the outstanding videography ... and music.

The group btw is called Stelsi and I hope they'll agree to send me some of their awesome music to share on the show.

The video was made in 2008, the year that I visited Ukraine with my mom, two sisters and two nieces. Now I am feeling very nostalgic about that trip, so maybe this is the time to revisit it and share the rest of my memories here.

I also recorded some live music at a restaurant we visited in Kyiv by a group called Cheremosh. Unfortunately they have no website or CDs, but I can tell you they were terrific! And I can share their music with listeners of Nash Holos. :-)

So much to blog, so little time! But, I'll try my best to keep up and bring it all to you in good time.

In the meantime, enjoy the video!

‪

Kubasonics on hold after 15th anniversary celebrations

In 15 years The Kubasonics have gone where few polka bands have gone before.

But then, The Kubasonics are not your average polka band.

Their unique brand of speed-folk incorporates elements of

New York Ukrainian Polka band Hrim releases new album

Hrim is a Ukrainian band based out of New York City which just released their self-titled debut album in May 2011.

Since its inception in 2005, Hrim has performed at festivals, weddings, zabavas, and other functions throughout North America in cities including New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, Buffalo, Washington D.C., Toronto, Montreal, and many more.

The band recently performed at the Hopak in the Park festival in Melbourne, Australia along with a sold-out zabava there.

The band continues to perform non-stop and hopes to explore other areas of the Ukrainian diaspora with their music.

Their sound is a mix of traditional music styles – polkas, tangos, and waltzes fused with more modern rock, ska, and punk styles. It is a distinctly Ukrainian sound, yet absolutely unique to the group.

Hrim consists of Roman Palylyk (bass and vocals), Peter Drobenko (accordion), Will Wyatt (guitar), Peter Kolinsky (vocals), and John Drobenko (drums).

The band was fortunate to collaborate with other talented musicians on the album including Slau Halatyn (backing vocals and guitar), Andrij Stasiw (piano and composer), and Olenka Dolak (cello).

You can find out more about Hrim at their MySpace page.You can also follow them on Twitter and Facebook. To purchase the album, visit their CD Baby page where you can either download mp3s or buy a physical CD. Hrim will be releasing the album on iTunes as well.

You’ll be able to hear Hrim on Nash Holos Ukrainian Roots Radio in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, here’s a sneak preview from a couple of years ago at the Toronto Ukrainian Festival.

Enjoy!

Missing BC's annual Ukrainian cultural festival

There's something for everyone at the annual BC Ukrainian Cultural Festival ... non-stop dance competitions by dancers from all over British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest, fabulous Ukrainian cuisine (usually provided by Judy Hrynenko of Prairie Cottage Perogies), live music by roving musicians, and all kinds of Ukrainian arts, crafts, and cultural displays.

Nash Holos - Feb. 20, 2011

The podcast of this week's edition Nash Holos is now available for download!

• Kultural Capsule with Vasyl Pawlowsky features Stepan Pasicznyk (Ludwig), former accordionist with The Ukrainians and now with The Ukes

• A Spiritual Moment of Ukrainian Christian Heritage with Fr. Ihor Kutash of Montreal

• Ukrainian proverb of the week

• Upcoming events in BC’s Ukrainian community

• Plenty of great Ukrainian music!

Enjoy!

Ukrainian folk group Zubrivka at the Toronto Ukrainian Festival

Here's the schedule for their festival performances:

Saturday, September 18 from 6:30 – 8:30 pm EDT
Sunday, September 19 from 3:30 – 4:00 pm EDT

Bloor West Village Ukrainian Festival
2440 Bloor St. W
Toronto ON

This TV special about them is in Ukrainian but even if you don't understand the language, you'll understand the universal language of the music.

Enjoy!

Astounding talent - virtuoso violinist Vasyl Popadiuk

If you are anywhere near Toronto this coming weekend, do not miss the chance to see this amazing musician perform live.

I have a couple of his CDs... which get a fair bit of airplay on Nash Holos. They are incredible enough as it is, but no comparison to seeing him on stage. So if you haen't yet, you can only imagine!

The first time I saw him was back in 1993, in Vancouver's Centennial Theatre. At the time he was with the Hopak Ukrainian Folk Dance Company of Ukraine. The troupe disbanded shortly thereafter, presumably due to a good number of members falling in love with Canada and deciding to stay.

However, the show was, in a word, spectacular. One of the acts was this young man sawing away on a violin ... and the way the hairs stood up on the back of my neck, I just knew that wouldn't be last I'd see or hear of him.

He settled in Toronto, where he developed a cabaret act calling himself Papa Duke. I'm told he has since recently relocated to Ottawa.
An earlier post I did on him just ahead of his concert in Hamilton last year featured a few videos of him performing.

Here's another one:

Mad Heads - Toronto Ukrainian Festival headliner act

My first exposure to this fabulous video and song was in Crystal Lake, Saskatchewan, at the Adult Ukrainian Language Immersion Camp my sister and I attended a few years back.

Presumably Mad Heads will be performing it at the Toronto Ukrainian Festival this coming weekend.

If you can't make it to the festival to see Mad Heads perform live, or you just love hearing the song and watching the video, here you go.

Enjoy!

See Dunai at the Toronto Ukrainian Festival

Here's a sneak peek of what Dunai may have in store for you this coming weekend at the Toronto Ukrainian Festival.

They're playing a traditional Ukrainian folksong, Yikhaly Kozaky (Їхали Козаки), actually quite a gruesome and tragic tale played in a very upbeat polka style ... which is the norm for this song btw.

Well, who said Ukrainians don't have a sense of humour? OK it can be somewhat twisted at times but, what they hey. If you can't laugh what's the point of being alive?

For the Ukrainian-impaired, they give the plotline in English before they start playing.

Enjoy!

Nash Holos podcast and audio archives updated for this week

For those who didn't catch the program when it aired on Sunday, visit the Nash Holos website for the podcast!

Here's what's on:

• Meylakh Sheyket, of the Jewish Heritage Museum in Lviv, Ukraine, talks about he month of Elul on the Jewish calendar, and how it is observed by the Jewish community in Ukraine.
• Vasyl Pawlowsky presents another Kultural Capsule on the Montreal Ukrainian Festival which took place last weekend.
• Irena Bell, of the Ukrainian Hour Radio Program in Ottawa, profiles Martha Bielish, the first female Ukrainian Canadian senator

This week's music mix features several acts who will be performing at the Toronto Ukrainian Festival this coming weekend, including psychobilly band Mad Heads XL from Ukraine, folk group Zubrivka from Toronto, virtuoso violisnist Vasyl Popadiuk of Ottawa, and folk rock band Dunai from Ajax, Ontario

I'll be posting a few videos of these acts that I particularly like. Here's one by Mad Heads.

Enjoy!

Ukraine's Eurovision near-wins

On last Sunday's radio program (international edition) I played Ukraine's 2007 and 2008 entries. The latter was a request from a new listener in Japan, and I thought it would be fun to play them back to back. Both years, Ukraine came second in the Eurovision contest.

There was a very lively discussion on this blog back in 2008 about these artists and the direction Ukrainian music has been taking. You can check it out here, but in the meantime, here's the wild and crazy 2007 entry.

Cheremshyna - Ukrainian Canadian trio from Montreal

On the August 22 show, Vasyl did a Kultural Capsule feature on Cheremshyna, a female vocal trio from Montreal.

These gals have been on the Ukrainian Canadian music scene for several decades, and while they've slowed down a bit on the recording side of things, they're still making the rounds of local festivals and events.

Cheremshyna became very well known in the days before the internet and social media, when networking was done face to face ... and maybe over the phone with a little help from the Ukrainian BBC, i.e., Баба Бабі Сказала (Granny told Granny).

Of course musical excellence may have also played a contributing role in their popularity!

In the 1980s and 90s they released several albums ... Volumes 1, 2 and 3 on vinyl (and cassette) and then on CD The Best of Cheremshyna and По Стежках Мрії (Along Paths of a Dream). They also released a wonderful Ukrainian Christmas album back in the 80s with a bunch of other local performers. It originally came out on vinyl and is currently available on CD at Yevshan, along with their "Best of" CD.

Unfortunately, Cheremshyna doesn't have a website, but I did manage to find this YouTube video someone put together online. It's a slideshow with one of their recordings in the background...Ой там за лісочком (Oy tam za lisochkom) which means "there beyond the woods."

Enjoy!

Kubasonics in concert with Haydamaky in Edmonton

Ukraine’s famous Carpathian Ska band and EastBlok Music recording artists, Haydamaky, return to Edmonton July 27, 2010 for a one-night concert engagement at Edmonton Events Centre.

Fusing the sounds of reggae, ska, punk and traditional Ukrainian music – Haydamaky have cleared the path for a new wave of Ukrainian music dubbed “Kozak Rock.”

Opening for Haydamaky is Edmonton's own Kubasonics who take Ukrainian music down a number of interesting different paths.

Showtime is 8pm-11:30pm.

Tickets are available at the Ukrainian Bookstore in Edmonton (10215-97th street northwest) or by TicketWeb (1-888-222-6608).

For more information contact Nadine Samycia nadine@bottomlinepro.com or call 780-988-8914.

H/T - UCC-APC

Hutsul Hoolihan

Saw this guy Saturday night ... what a great show!! He was one of the performers at the Ukrainian charity ball in support of Ukraine House and the Ukrainian Paralympic team.

Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to speak with him but picked up a couple of his CDs. This song aired on Nash Holos Sunday night. It's a rather cutting indictment of the politician who lost the recent presidential election. But a great tune. Enjoy!

Trip down memory lane: 1984

The quality is a little dicey but watching this video took me on a wonderful trip down memory lane.


Ron Cahute had hair, and the MC at this festival was my former co-host on Nash Holos from 1990-96, Bohdan Zajcew!

It was great fun watching this. Three fabulous songs ... enjoy!

Ride Cossack Ride

I want to see this show on my next trip to Ukraine!