Russia - Moscow

 

Photo credit: By Ludvig14 - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31764182

We arrive in Russia's capital Moscow, home to the Kremlin, the centre of power, and unsurprisingly a rich music scene. We'll just scrape the surface with some local acts.  First up is all female ethno-experimental quartet FolkBeat, who started life in 2012.  They combine traditional Russian folk songs with contemporary pop idioms using beatbox techniques and loop stations incorporating hip-hop, drum'n'bass, jungle and punk influences.  Here is a song from their 2016 album FolkBeat & Friends - The Joyful Meeting called I Can't Stand It:

Folk & jazz composer and performer Sergey Starostin was born in Moscow was born in Moscow in 1956 and is famous for his modern interpretations of archaic Russian, Tuvan and Sámi folk music often combined with jazz.  He went through several phases from traditional to more jazz influenced music and back to his original roots.  He collects and makes some of his own instruments including various flutes such as the kalyuka overtone flute and reed instruments.  During his research he recorded thousands of tracks of authentic songs and instrumental compositions.  On his 2004 album Easy As Pie he combines with percussionist Mario to produce a very pared back folk album, which was a result of a jam session.  It includes a version of this song called Deep:

Singer/songwriter Inna Zhelannaya (b. 1967 in Moscow) started her career in rock music as part of various bands and writing her own material.  In 1989 she began collaborating with the above mentioned Sergey Starostin, who introduced her to folk music.  In 1994 she founded her own rock band called Farlander, with whom she performed for nearly two decades.  In 2013 she changed direction again with a new band, incorporating more folk elements as well as psychedelic rock, producing her own psych folk style.  Her 2014 double album Izvorot (The Bending) received much critical comparing her to King Crimson meeting Russian roots.  This a song from the album called Palisade:

Experimental singing group the Dimitri Pokrovsky Ensemble was founded in 1973 in Moscow by Dimitri Pokrovsky himself and his wife Tamara Smyslova to research, collect and perform traditional Russian village music.  Pokrovsky has since died in 1996, but the choir goes on and has recently celebrated its 50 birthday.  Here's a track from their 1991 album The Wild Field (re-released in 2019) called Mosquito:

Gypsy guitarist Vadim Kolpakov was actually born in Saratov in 1981 near the Caspian Sea, but is now based in Moscow.  He is the third generation in his family playing the 7-string gypsy guitar.  Together with his uncle Alexander he formed the Kolpakov Duo.  Here are the 2 opening tracks of their 2010 album Introducing the Kolpakov Duo called Suite of Gypsy Tunes and Dui,Dui:

In the mid 1980's, when Perestroika and Glasnost began to bloom in the old Soviet Union, 4 students around Igor Yuzov got together playing music in their dorm.  Rock'n'roll was still banned, but having a rebellious streak they combined Russian folk with this decadent western genre to create their own Russian folk'n'roll.  They called themselves Limpopo after the river in Southern Africa, because it sounded exotic.  They were having a lot of fun together and at their peak performed at a Soviet/American peace walk.  That's where Igor met an American woman, got married and emigrated to California.  Soon the other band members followed him and they reformed, initially busking on the streets of Santa Monica, adding ridiculous dance moves and a good dose of humour to their performances.  They became so popular that they were discovered by a producer who invited them to record their song.  They went in for one session in which they recorded 20 songs, which became their debut album Crazy Russian Folk'n'Roll in 1991.  Later they entered a talent competition, which they won.  Nowadays they go under the name of the Red Elvises with some changes in personnel.  Here is the winning entry to the talent show called Korobeyniki, which features on the debut album:

 

I can't find out much about singer Anna Hoffman, other than she is based in Moscow and specialises in Sephardic music, the music of the Jewish community that inhabited the Iberian peninsula until they were largely expelled by the late 15th century.  They spoke their own Spanish dialect called Ladino and mixed cultural influences from Spain, North Africa, Turkey and the Balkans.  Hoffman's voice is strong and expressive as her backing band Romancero Sefardi subtly accompanies her.  Here is a short concert of hers showing women's songs of the sephardic tradition, some of which feature on her 2013 album Juego de Siempre:

Finally the all female vocal ensemble and internet sensation Beloe Zlato (White Gold) originally formed in the city of Norilsk in deepest Siberia, but are now based in Moscow.  They all studied music and got together over their shared love of traditional Russian folk.  They made a name for themselves on YouTube performing in romanticised rural settings, wearing simple dress, sometimes traditional costumes, sometimes just jeans and T-shirts, singing in beautiful harmonies a Capello or accompanied by a balalaika.  Their recorded music is not available on the usual channels, but their videos are a joy to watch, as they exude a fresh and carefree energy.  Here is an example of a song called A Week:

That's it from Moscow, next we're heading towards St. Petersburg.  As usual, you can follow my virtual ramblings on my Tripline map.