Dr. Bajan, Russia/ Saint Petersburg – Sovietabilly – under the influence of klezmer, jazz, chanson and Folk music, plus rock ´n roll Sovietabilly came to be! (Balkan meets Charlie Parker, Manu Chao bumps into Gorky.)

Emotional, raw, savagely passionate and virtuoso all at the same time: Sovietabilly is modern urban folk music Dr. Bajan style. Urban speed-folk? World music art rock? As soon as you too become enmeshed into Dr.Bajan’s orgiastic trance, you will know that all attempts to find a single term of description are in vain, any one too narrow to fully grasp the total experience. Sovietabilly is a highly individual hybrid of Russian and European musical languages, with the unmistakable stamp of an outstanding accordion (bayan).

Dr. Bajan himself comes from Leningrad, where the electric guitar and rock music once represented the only way he could distance himself from the [hyperbolic?] facade that was Soviet existence at the time. Even back then it was already clear that he had a soft spot for fast solos. After a while, the guitar wasn’t subversive enough for him and he turned – back to his roots – to the bayan, the accordion.

A totally new perspective on his own musical tradition opened up for him. Up until then, the revolutionary anthems and Soviet pop hits of his musical environment provoked more eye-rolling than anything else, but now, exploring the roots of his musical heritage more deeply, he uncovered its connections to klezmer, jazz and folk music.

Dr. Bajan drew on all of these influences – plus a hefty dose of rock’n roll – to create a totally original, contemporary new form: Sovietabilly, music that conveys an intimate view of the dry-eyed and playful take of one post-Soviet cosmopolitan on life, the universe and groove. Balkan meets Charlie Parker in the kitchen of a Berlin walk-up flat, Manu Chao meets Odessa pentatonic. From the covers of Deep Purple right up through the much-loved „Kasatschoks“ – whatever he touches is transformed in the blink of an eye into Dr. Bajan.

His wildly intensive stage presence, his gift for improvisation and his sheer charisma catch everyone up into his spell right from the start. Dr. Bajan plays his audience and himself into a form of ecstasy. In its present makeup for three years, the band has played numerous festivals in Germany and abroad, where they’ve performed with other World Music groups like „Fanfare Ciocarlia,“ „Di grine Kuzine,“ „Folkabestia,“ „Apparatschik,“ „Dikanda,“ and more.

The Dr.Bajan Sovietabilly Band (formerly Dr. Bajan & Brain Drain) performs his unique music on traditional instruments. Aside from his stunning originals, composer Dr. Bajan also astonishes with brilliant cover-versions honouring favourite hits from throughout musical time.

The words are in Russian, the band international – a Russian, a Ukrainian, an Italian Swiss and a German – drawing their experience from across a variety of European musical culture genres. The violinist from classical and gypsy music, the double-bassist from the avant-garde spiced with Italian folk music, the drummer with a passion for jazz.

Together they create a fiery mix that infects your feet with dancing, simultaneously going straight to the brain. With their unbelievably intensive stage presence Nikolai Fomin, Anton Teslia, Davide de Bernardi and Alf Schulze won the sixth „World Wide Music Award“ at the „Musica Vitale“ 2004 music festival competition and the Berlin „Creole“ competition 2008.

references

Berlin – White Trash, Haus der Sinne, Kaffee Burger, Brandenburgische Auslandsgesellschaft e. V., Russischer Abend, Berliner Festspiele, KISTE, Clärchens Ballhaus, Huxleys Neue Welt
Leipzig
Potsdam – Festival gegen Rassismus
Eisenhüttenstadt – Club Marchwitza
Bayreuth – Glashaus
Wien – AkkordeonFest
CH, Basel – Red Nights Live
Zittau – Kronenkino
Giessen – Domizil
Darmstadt – Schlossgrabenfest
Augsburg – Blaues Haus
Freiburg – KGB Sowjet Vodka & Ice Bar
Dresden – Kulturenbühne
Fusion Festival
Halle – Kunstverein Talstrasse e.V.
Altkalen – Landschule Lüchow e.v.
Austria– Bruck / Wien
Stuttgart – Zelt bei den Berger Sprudlern
Ulenkrug – Hoffest
Greifswald – „Kulturnacht“, Koeppenhaus
Meißen – Meissener Weinfest
Halle – Kulturinsel Halle
Hildesheim – folk’n’fusion
Ratzdorf – Tanzwirtschaft Kajüte
Köln – Langen Nacht de Museen
Berlin – Cafe Savarin, Kaffee Burger, „Stella“, „Diller“, Haus der Sinne, Acud, Karneval der Kulturen, Haus der Berliner Festspiele-Kassenhalle, Klub der polnischen Versager, „Hoffest der GSW“, BAR 25, „Fete de la Musique“, Auftritt vor dem Zirkus Cabuwazi in der Wiener Strasse, Tante Käthe“ EM –Club, Antiquarium Schönwalde, Werkstatt der Kulturen, Kino Babylon
Potsdam – Casino
Belzig – ZEGG
Schaffhausen / Zürich, CH
Arles /Marseille , Frankreich
Lossburg/Schoemberg
Weissenburg , Schlossbergwiese Pegnitz
München
Austria: Bruck a.d. Mur / Wien
Bremerhaven Pferdestall
Neuruppin – Neuruppiner Museumshof
Potsdam -„Casino“
Dresden – Fabrikhalle
Berlin – Bloody Kalinka. Haus der Sinne, Ganovenball, Kaffee Burger, KUNSTHAUS FLORA, Bungalow mit Innenhof hinterm Mauerpark ,Komische Oper Berlin RODINA, Auferstehenskirche, Acud, Bucket, Bassy Club
Potsdam – Pub-a-la-Pub Studcafe
Köln – Stadtgarten
Hannover – Messe Hannover
Kaiserslautern – Privatveranstaltung
Cottbus – Privatveranstaltung
Brüssel -Festival Klinkende Munt
Naumburg/Saale – Open Air, Marientor am Marienplatz
Austria- Bruck a.d. Mur
Nürnberg – Festival „grenzenlos
CH – Glattfelden
Polen – Zary ZARSKI DOM KULTURY/ Lodz 4kultury
Belzig – Stadtfest
Dessau – Bauhaus
Unna – Landesstelle Unna-Massen
Cottbus – „Bebel“
Weimar – „Zwiebelfest“, Bühne Herderplatz
Berlin Jüdisches Museum
Berlin Tanzwirtschaft Kaffee Burger
7. INTERNATIONALES AKKORDEONFESTIVAL WIEN 2006
Gera Schwarzebiernacht
Freiberg (SS) Tivoli
Darmstadt Schlossgrabenfest 2006
Milano (Italien) Festival.
Limburg a.d.Lahn Festival
Belzig Altstadtsommer Festival
Kulturinsel Einsiedel FOLKLORUM 2006
Düsseldorf Mask off Festival
Berlin Kesselhaus CD-release-party!
Osnabrueck Deutsch-Russische-Kulturtage
Potsdam Archiv
Heidelberg Mediationskongress Universität Heidelberg
Berlin ICC
Berlin Tanzwirtschaft Kaffee Burger
Berlin Supamolly
Berlin Maschinenlhaus
Stadtmuseum Halle
Paderborn Hochstifttage, Bühne Rathausplatz
Bochum Kemnade International – Orient meets Occident, Wasserburg Haus Kemnade
Ratinger Kulturmeile, Marktplatz
Hattingen Hattinger Altstadtfest, Bühne Krämersdorf
Siegburg 10. Theaterfestival auf der Straße
Menden (Sauerland) Mendener Sommer
27. Gütersloher Sommer, Freilichtbühne Mohn’s Park
Kultursommer Kunst-Dünger
Brilon Open Air auf dem Marktplatz, 59929 Brilon, 20.00
Unna Summertime, Stadtgarten
Schweiz: Steinhausen, bei Zürich
Waldstock Open Air Spektakel
Reichenstein Open Air
Micro! Festival für Weltmusik & internationales Straßentheater
Berlin Multikulti Völkerball, Haus der Kulturen der Welt
Belzig Stadtfest, Mittelmeerstrasse
Berlin Konzertreihe „Junge Meister
Mannheim Theater
Magdeburg Feuerwache
Schweiz, Chur werkstatt
Schweiz, Basel wagenmeister
Schweiz, Winterthur kraftfeld
Schweiz, Zug chollerhalle
Bonn Kunst-und Austellungshalle (KAH)
St.Petersburg Klub Gribojedov
Stadtmuseum Halle
Hamburg Harburg
Potsdam Fussballfestival
Potsdam-Babelsberg
Frankfurter Theaterfestival
Stockholm Midsummer fest
Eurofolkfest Ingelheim Bonn MedienKulturNacht
Gera Schwarzbiernacht, Downtown
Berlin Werkstatt der Kulturen: Musica Vitale
Hamburg Studio CO2,
Bad Doberan Kornhaus
Rostock Rathauskeller
Düsseldorf Malkasten
Dresden Neue Mensa
Berlin Kaffee Burger
Berlin Party in Ministergärten
Jena Schwarzbiernacht
Dresden Parkhotel
Leipzig Zoo
Berlin Kietzer Fest Berlin-2003
Feldkirch-Österreich Pool Bar
Pegnitz Waldstok Festival
Nürnberg Festival
Linz Pflasterspektakel
Villach Festival
Herten Festival
Bruck an der Mur Festival
Kulturinsel EINSIEDEL FOLKLORUM
Frankfurt/Main Brotfabrik
Dresden Downtown
Weimar Zwiebelmarktfest
Giessen Domizil
Dessau Bauhaus
Magdeburg „Feuerwache“
Leipzig Moritz Bastei
Leipzig Kristall-Palais
Leipzig Moritz_Bastei
Berlin Kaffee Burger
Berlin Mudd-Club
Jena Rosenkeller
Lepzig Simphonie
Halle Objekt 5
Potsdam Al Globe
Offenbach ZAK Kulturkeller
Chemnitz Kraftwerk
Rostok JAZ
Erfurt Open-Air
Berlin Karnaval der Kultur
Jena Unifest, Rosenkeller
Leipzig Sport-Campusfestival
Berlin Kesselhaus, Fete de la Musique
Berlin Tempodrom, Fete de la Musique
FusionFestival
Greifswald OpenAir
Hohenlobbese Open air mit Freygang
Perleberg
Gera Schwarzbiernacht
Bismark Hotel ‚Weisser Schwan‘
Dessau Vollmondparty
Leipzig Unifest

press articles

„… resurrection of the ancient anarchic spirit of the Leningrad music scene in Germany.“ W. Kaminer

„… an album containing SpeedFolkProgPunk for the new century.“ Y. Gurzhy (Russendisko)

„… intoxicating mad humorous spectacle.“ Taz 03/2006, Irene Hummel

„… a highlight of urban world music!“ Ratinger Nachrichten 06/2005

„… they don’t play for the money or the audience but to shout out the rhythm.“ M. Degen

„… more ardent than a drunken regiment of Cossacks … furious, funny and at the same time a perfect concert concerning craftsmanship … the atmosphere tonight should exclusively be positive.“ Gießener Zeitung

„… a crash course through the music cosmos. … Nasdrovje!“ Florian Sedmak

„… no doubt about the ingenuity … Extremely highbrow complexity.“ Christina Seiler, 02/1997

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