KlezCalendar

Would love to see some of you at Joe's Pub tomorrow - Ljova Zhurbin - a
wonderful composer/violist/arranger (who happens to be my fiancee) - playing
with his new project, the VJOLA CONTRABAND, in conjunction with the release
of his debut release.

Some of my favorite tunes he's written of late are in the klezmer vein,
so at the show, listen up for his "Budget Bulgar" and the "Crutch-Ahoy
Nign"!!!! And for those farther away, here's an mp3 of the Crutch Nign, in
Ljova's matchless multi-track viola style. It's an impromptu tune recorded
for his mother's unfortunate slip-and-fall and subsequent need for crutches
(she's fine now, as you can tell from the tune :) ==>
http://ljova.com/ljova-crutch.mp3

Here's the full info about the show tomorrow:
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LJOVA AND THE VJOLA CONTRABAND
(with Luminescent Orchestrii)

*LJOVA AND THE VJOLA CONTRABAND - *http://www.ljova.com
From blues to Bjork, to Latin and Gypsy dances, to a nostalgic Russian
street-waltz, Ljova transcends the traditional boundaries of his instrument,
the viola. 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. The
VjolaContraband 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). 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.
_____***"Best of June 2006 Releases"****--------John Schaefer, WNYC-NPR
_____***"Rustic dances and evocative soundscapes, all crafted from ... the
gorgeously grainy purr of his fiddle"*** ---Steve Smith, TIME OUT New York
(July 6-12, '06)
"The borders separating classical music, folk, jazz and pop grow blurrier
every day, rubbed out by intrepid explorers from all points along the
musical spectrum. Russian-born violist-composer Lev "Ljova" Zhurbin stakes
an especially choice claim on uncharted territory with his solo debut.
Employing skills honed alongside Yo-Yo Ma, the Kronos Quartet and Osvaldo
Golijov, Ljova mixes rustic dances and evocative soundscapes, all crafted
from little more than the gorgeously grainy purr of his fiddle."

*sharing the bill with Ljova: LUMINESCENT STRING ORCHESTRII -
*http://www.lumii.org
-Music to make you dance, kiss and scream...straight out of New York
City's international underground party scene: an explosive mash of Romanian
Gypsy melodies, punk frenzy, salty tangos, hard-rocking klezmer, haunting
Balkan harmony, hip-hop beats and Appalachian fiddle, eaten and spit out by
violin, viola, resophonic guitar, bullhorn harmonica and a three quarters
Argentinian bass. "The balancing of frenzy and finesse is evidently a
trademark Luminescent Orchestrii approach, displayed to its utmost in the
insanely frenetic dance tunes... The three violins flirt willfully with a
cacophony teasingly offset by elegant classical flourishes, swirling and
eddying above the rhythm section's bruisingly aggressive but sharply-aimed
attack." **** (four star review at The Edinburgh Fringe) -The Scotsman