DakhaBrakha –Ukraine’s World Music sensation will be performing at WOMADelaide March 11th – 14th in the idyllic outdoor setting of The Botanic Gardens.
DakhaBrakha who were formed at the avant garde Dakh Theatre for Contemporary Arts in Kyiv and derive their name from the old Slavonic words for give and take are the foremost exponents of “ethno chaos” music which combines the elements of order and structure inherent in traditional and folk music and combine this with the chaos of free form experimentation and improvisation.
They ground their musical experimentation in the ritualistic songs of Ukraine and other Slavic neighbours and venture into a whirlwind of explosive rhythms and sounds from Asia and Africa. Their sound is at once wildly exciting and then mesmerising and mystical, melding soulful Ukrainian folk with the jazz and trance sounds that typify World Music.
DakhaBrakha are Marko Halanevych – (a philologist and actor by training who brings a sense of the theatrical to the group) and Iryna Kovalenko, Nina Garenetska, Olena Tsibulska – all graduates of the Ukrainian Folklore and Culture Faculty at Kyiv University.
This multi-instrumental band – percussion, didgeridoo, cello, accordions– have appeared in Folk, Rock and World Music Festivals around the world to rapturous applause.
They have even performed the music for Shakespeare’s Macbeth staged at The Royal Shakespeare Barbican Theatre in London.
DakhaBrakha regularly appear at the major music festivals in Ukraine, including Sheshory, Gogolfest and Krayina Mriy.
Their music graced the stage at such significant historical events as Maidan 2004 and the solemn concert commemorating Holodomor in Kyiv, 2008.
Their four albums have been critically acclaimed by lovers of World Music.
Peter Culshaw of The Observer calls them, “My favourite East European band …who mix Ukrainian folk with other global rhythms”
Charles Spencer of The Daily Telegraph says, “…the splendidly named Dakha Brakha Ethno-Chaos Band, sit on a raised platform, beating the hell out of a variety of percussion instruments, and the effect is wildly exciting…”
Lyn Gardner of The Guardian calls their music “…so mesmerising that you cease worrying about meaning and just go with the flow…”
DakhaBrakha are undoubtedly one of Ukraine’s living musical treasures.
Yuri Andrukhovych, Ukraine’s foremost contemporary novelist says that DakhaBrakha and Haydamaky are the two most significant bands in Ukraine at the moment. He regards DakhaBrakha’s Light the best Ukrainian album of 2010.
Do yourself a favour, come to WOMADelaide and see what music lovers are raving about. See for yourself why Europe and North America have fallen in love with DakhaBrakha.
WOMADelaide 2011 will be held from Friday 11 – Monday 14 March outdoors in Adelaide’s beautiful Botanic Park.
The WOMAD – ‘World of Music, Arts & Dance’ festival was co-founded in the UK by Peter Gabriel and was first presented in Australia as WOMADelaide in 1992. Since then it has gone on to become one of Australia’s favourite outdoor festivals and in 2010 it attracted 81,500 attendences over four days (not including children 12 and under, who are admitted free).
The program features performances and workshops on seven stages by some of the world’s best musicians, dancers and DJs, alongside street theatre and visual artists, the popular Taste the World cooking program, Artists in Conversations sessions and an All-Star Gala finale, together with around 100 food, crafts and display stalls and KidZone for children.
DakhaBrakha will only be performing at WOMADelaide during their tour of Australia.
For more information visit
http://www.womadelaide.com.au/
A WORD FROM DAKHABRAKHA
http://morezvukov.nl/www/DakhaBrakha/presspaket.pdf
For over three hundred years Ukraine didn’t exist on the political world map. For a long time our people were divided between two empires. We thank God and all the generations of people who have fought for our independence and took part in keeping of our songs, language and our traditions. The task we set ahead of us now is to reveal Ukraine to the world and more importantly to ourselves – Ukrainians.
The basis of our music are songs of our ancestors some of which have pre-historic roots. In these texts and melodies lies the identification of our nation. At the same time, we dare to experiment with art, combining our ethnic style with various instruments, rhythms and melodies of other music cultures of the world giving new sound and life to the old songs.
DakhaBrakha’s website is
