UK

LJOVA AND THE KONTRABAND with ROB KENDT

March 8, 2008 at 8pm
Barbès, Brooklyn NY
376 9th St. (corner of 6th Ave.)
F train to 7th avenue.
Door: $10

Celebrate March 8th - Russia's equivalent of Valentine's Day, and elsewhere recognized as "International Women's Day" - by bringing your favorite International Woman and joining us at Barbès for our second annual special program of originals and covers to honor and romance the bewitching sex.

This year, swooning with us, will be the wonderful singer-songwriter ROB KENDT (website, MySpace), who himself got engaged just a few weeks ago at Inna & Ljova's apartment.

LJOVA AND THE KONTRABAND (formerly Ljova & the Vjola Contraband) -- is 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. 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 features two violas, 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..

Ljova, viola
Inna Barmash, vocal
Patrick Farrell, accordion
Mike Savino, bass
Special Guest: Rich Stein, percussion

Watch videos of Ljova and the Kontraband on YouTube!
Ljova and the Kontraband reviewed by Justin Davidson in NEWSDAY

View Rob Kendt's excellent videos on Youtube!

Ljova (on viola) joins Kate Havnevik and Guy Sigsworth for a special set @ the newly re-opened Regal Room in London, UK.
December, 11 2006 at with KATE HAVNEVIK @ the Regal Room
The Distillers, 64, Fulham Palace Road, Hammersmith, London W6 9PH
Nearest tube: Hammersmith
(This gig was formerly to be held at ULU..)

Kate Havnevik (Website | MySpace) is a Norwegian singer and songwriter from Oslo. Her debut album, the electronica infused Melankton, was released in March 2006 on iTunes and April 2006 (on physical CD) in Norway, before being licensed internationally later in the year. Havnevik has been working on three albums simultaneously - Melankton, an untitled project and an acoustic album entitled Embla. Several of Kate's songs were featured on the US hit TV series "Grey's Anatomy."

Guy Sigsworth (Website) is a legendary producer and musician, part of Frou Frou, who has also worked with Imogen Heap, Madonna, Britney Spears and Björk.

Lev 'Ljova' Zhurbin (Website | MySpace) is a composer, violist and arranger, recently hailed by Billboard Magazine as "one of New York's fastest-rising composers and instrumentalists." He divides his time between performing as a violist in diverse groups ranging from string quartets to jazz combos and gypsy bands, studying and arranging world music for the likes of Yo-Yo Ma and the Kronos Quartet, and composing original music for film, TV, theatre and the concert stage.

January 31, 2006 @7:30pm
The Barbican
London

Ljova performs with soprano Dawn Upshaw, and the all-star lineup of the Andalucian Dogs (including the guitarist/film-composer Gustavo Santaolalla, the hyper-accordionist Michael Ward-Bergeman and clarinettist David Krakauer) in the European Premiere of Osvaldo Golijov's AYRE. This concert also celebrates the European release of the Ayre recording on Deutsche Grammophon label. (You can obtain the US version of the CD at Amazon.com.)

For ticketing and info, visit the Barbican website.