LJOVA (Lev Zhurbin) - film composer, arranger, violist

MNEMOSYNE, the debut release by Ljova and the Kontraband, featuring guest apperances by Frank London, William Schimmel, Uli Geissendoerfer, Marcus Rojas, and Alon Yavnai, releases on September 28th.

Join us for the CD Release party at Joe's Pub (part of their 10th anniversary celebration), and be among the very first to get a copy. Please get your tickets now - we've sold out there 3 times before..

See you soon!

The acclaimed new string quartet Brooklyn Rider has recorded two of Ljova's compositions, "Plume" and "Crosstown", for their debut CD release, "Passport". You can get a copy at their website or on iTunes.

At the same time, Brooklyn Rider recorded a new Ljova arrangement of "Parvaz" by Kayhan Kalhor, on their World Village debut release, "Silent City", which also features the title track, co-arranged by Ljova and Kayhan Kalhor. The CD itself comes out in September, but you can download the mp3s on Amazon and iTunes.

In January 2008, Ljova acquired a new 6-string acoustic instrument, built by Eric Aceto. It has the sounding range of the violin, the viola, and most of the cello, all in a package slightly larger than a violin.

Between January 26 and May 31, Ljova's friends and fans contributed names on his blog; now you get to vote on your favorites! Author of the best submission will win autographed CDs, as well as Ljova's gratitude.

Voting ends on August 31st.
==> Vote Here -- thanks! (For sound samples, see here.)

Welcome!
It's going to be a fairly relaxing summer.
All I have to do is:
-- edit, supervise the mix and mastering of the debut record by Ljova and the Kontraband. Find the cover art. Write the press release. Send it here and there. We've got a CD release show on September 28th at Joe's Pub. The clock is ticking (and so am I).

-- write a new composition for the wonderful violinist Shem Guibbory

-- practice, respond to email, and "approve" all of my Friends.

Upcoming performances:
July 11th -- Ljova and the Kontraband at Barbes (Park Slope, Brooklyn)
July 24th -- with Romashka at Washington Market Park (Tribeca)
August 7h -- with Romashka on the roof at JCC (Upper West Side) [get tickets]

Yes, it's going to be one daisy of a summer. Finally, a summer for heavy tomes.

LJOVA AND THE KONTRABAND in collaboration with FREEFALL DANCE present

LIE, LAY, LAID

June 12-15, 2008
Joyce Theater Soho - walkerspace
[more info] [review]

"In an exuberant show that went on for well over their allotted hour onstage, the group blended fiery gypsy dances, rustically melancholy songs without words, intricately and imaginatively arranged jazz and potently crescendoing classical melodies, often in the same song... This concert was exhilarating, transcendent, a blast."

-- Lucid Culture blog, reviewing a performance by Ljova and the Kontraband at Trinity Church on May 8th.
[read the entire review] [watch "Plume"] [watch the entire webcast]

"CUPCAKE", a short film starring Kinna McInroe and directed by Sean McPhillips, will debut at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival on April 25th.

The film features an original score by Ljova, performed by his group Ljova and the Kontraband with special guests Alon Yavnai on piano, and Marcus Rojas on tuba.

The film also features a special appearance by Ljova's wife, the vocalist Inna Barmash, who sings on the end-title song written especially for this project. You can hear it on MySpace and ReverbNation.

Ljova & the Vjola Contraband
has been renamed to

LJOVA AND THE KONTRABAND.

As a result, our new web address has changed, to:

http://www.Ljova.com/kontraband

Please update your bookmarks.

Thank you!
--Ljova

- In the era of hybrid everything, Ljova is practicing on a new instrument -- a 6-string hybrid made by Eric Aceto. It doesn't yet have a name -- hence, we're running a baby-naming contest. See more pictures, hear samples, and win free CDs for your help in the contest -- give it your best shot -- entries accepted until May 31.

- Ljova & the Vjola Contraband = Ljova and the Kontraband.
We've decided to shorten our name in the hope that now it will actually fit on a marquee. It's bound to be a little confusing as we try to rename our web presence and materials, so please hold tight. Same band, same ever-changing repertoire.

- We've posted a new video from our January 2008 show at Joe's Pub, and the Brooklyn Rider's have posted several more from their set - enjoy!

- Ljova & Inna went to Moscow in January to visit the Winnie "The Pooh" Sanders (pictured above), whose honeyed addiction sounds eerily like that of an alcoholic .. and also to celebrate Ljova's parents' 30th anniversary - congratulations to them! View our Moscow pictures.

- Ljova's music was featured on Delta Air Lines flights in January and February. Chose your airline wisely. (Delta flyers - Ljova's debut CD, Vjola: World on Four Strings, can be obtained here.)

Last but not least, a semi-anonymous snapshot of CURRENT PROJECTS:
-- mixing the debut recording of Ljova & the Kontraband
-- original score for a short animated film (with live orchestra!)
-- arrangements for a short-subject film by Michel Gondry
-- practicing!

Ljova & the Vjola Contraband are featured in this week's edition of New York Magazine, in an article by Justin Davidson profiling several developments in New York's indie-classical scene. Read The Next Next Wave online.

Thank you to all who came out to the LJOVA AND THE VJOLA CONTRABAND performance with the BROOKLYN RIDER quartet at Joe's Pub! We had a great time, and will post some videos shortly.

Our next show in Manhattan is on May 10th, at the DROM

Thank you again!
--Ljova

Youth Without Youth, writer/director Francis Ford Coppola's first film in 10 years, opens in select US cities on December 14th. Based on a novella by the Romanian author Mircea Eliade, the film is "a love story wrapped in a mystery. Set in Europe before WWII, a timid professor is changed by a cataclysmic event and explores the mysteries of life."

The film features original music by Osvaldo Golijov, with additional orchestrations by Ljova. Moreover, Ljova's composition "Middle Village" (originally available on Ljova's debut CD), was re-recorded especially for Youth Without Youth, featuring Ljova on viola, and Hungarian cymbalom virtuoso, Kálmán Balogh!

(The song "Middle Village", with new lyrics by Sarah Gancher, will appear on the upcoming CD by Ljova & the Vjola Contraband and featuring Ljova's wife, the vocalist Inna Barmash, slated for release in spring/summer 2008. While you wait, there is a video of a live performance, here.)

YOUTH WITHOUT YOUTH links:
-- Main IMDb page with cast and crew info
-- Showtimes in your area
-- Trailers
-- the Soundtrack CD is available for sale on Amazon.com

Enjoy the film!

(FFC, Osvaldo Golijov, Anahid Nazarian, Ljova, and most of the music recording team.)

Does it get better? Let's discuss! Three great bands, one low cover, all in a fabulous room with a humongous dance floor... this Thursday!

WORLD ON A STRING BAND
LJOVA AND THE VJOLA CONTRABAND
LUMINESCENT STRING ORCHESTRII

Thursday, December 6, at 8pm
Ukrainian East Village Restaurant
All details at http://Ljova.com/borscht

Special welcome to listeners of WNYC's New Sounds, where some of my music is being featured tonight. Here are some items of further entertainment:

CDs & tracks for sale:
1. VJOLA: WORLD ON FOUR STRINGS, is my debut CD, which includes "Ori's Fearful Symmetry" (get it via CDBaby or iTunes).
2. Three tracks from the upcoming album by my ensemble, Ljova and the Vjola Contraband: Untango, Tango Heavy and Szeki. (More info about the ensemble is here.)

Free Track for download: Heat Me Up!

Free videos online
1. Transience -- a new short film by Olga Rozanova, with music by Ljova
2. Live performance videos of Ljova, the Vjola Contraband, and related projects.
3. Zaznobila / Baro Foro -- superb music video featuring Ljova, his wife Inna Barmash, and the great Gypsy band Romashka.

In Person
Last but not least, I will be performing original and traditional Eastern-European music with the World on a String Band on November 7th, at 9pm at Goodbye Blue Monday, in Brooklyn. Please come by and say hi!

Please stay in touch!
Please join my mailing list and drop a line. You can also find me on MySpace, on Facebook, and on Last.fm. Material for Remixing is available on CCMixter.

Now, that's quite a menagerie of links - enjoy yourself!

--Ljova
(pictured: John Schaefer, host of WNYC's New Sounds and Soundcheck.)

Just out: "Transience", a gorgeous new short film directed by Olga Rozanova, with an original score by Ljova. The film is presently in the Ford Film Challenge, sponsored by Ford and the London Telegraph. It was shot in Greece, edited in Moscow, and the music is from New York.

Vote for "Transience" by November 11th, and you'll be entered to win a $4,000 home theater system!

==> To view the film and vote, visit:
http://fordfilmchallenge.telegraph.co.uk/site/

Click "View Entries", and scroll down for "Transience". View it on fullscreen - it's beautifully shot, and while the online sound is mediocre, hopefully soon you'll hear it in theaters, with 5.1 surround.

Thank you for viewing - and voting!
--Ljova

Inna & Ljova are back from honeymoon, and here are all the pictures.
(Wedding pictures are coming - soon.)

Honeymoon in: Stockholm Latvia Lithuania - Vilnius Lithuania - Kaunas Lithuania - Trakai Warsaw Budapest Croatia - Split Croatia - Korcula Croatia - Dubrovnik Venice

Inna and Ljova were married on August 12!

more pictures and videos are surely to come!
(This pic of Inna + Ljova & the Musicians, ©2007 by Jean Barmash)

The Inna and Ljova pre-wedding spectacular, at Joe's Pub.

Thank you for coming to our show!

As promised, here's a selection of free mp3s you can share with your friends.
Preview and download them here:

1. 1. Bagel On The Malecon
2. 2. Tango Heavy
3. 3. Tuchi v Golubom - Clouds of Blue (featuring Ljova's fiancee, Inna Barmash)
4. 4. Ana Ona (featuring Vieux Farka Touré, Inna, Ljova, and a mix by DJ MiNiMaL_aRT)

You may also enjoy listening to an interview/live performance by Ljova and the Vjola Contraband on WNYC's SOUNDCHECK with John Schaefer. (Stream the show above, or download the podcast here).

Here are a few more items you can purchase for a reasonable contribution:

• VJOLA: WORLD ON FOUR STRINGS, my debut CD (via CDBaby or iTunes)
• Two more mp3s from the "Serpent's Breath" soundtrack here:
  • 1. Untango
  • 2. Szeki.

Enjoy the music, and please keep in touch. If you haven't already, please join my mailing list via the Contact page to be notified of future shows, screenings, and mp3 downloads.

Thanks + best,
--Ljova