Over (Privet Records, 2016)
Singer-songwriter Julia Vorontsova presents the Bard musical genre, a Russian musical from the Soviet Union era that mixes poetry and pop songs, expressing concerns that were not addressed in Soviet Russia.
The musical arrangements on Over include musical instruments such as ocarina, cello and kalimba although the overall result is a collections of introspective original songs sung in Russian with a pop and rock feel.
Vorontsova grew up in Russia. “I feel very Russian, but sometimes feel like I hopped in a time machine in the 19th century, only to leap out in the 21st,” says Vorontsova. “I feel between eras, between places, but that in-between place is a very creative place.”
As a young teenager, she moved to Warsaw (Poland), and then eventually to the United States. The adjustment to her new homes were challenging so Vorontsova played her guitar ad wrote songs as a way to cope with displacement. Ultimately she returned to Russia and later spent time in the US, France, and back to the US.
In 2004, Mark Dagley and Lauri Bortz of Abaton Books released a critically acclaimed album of Vorontsova’s songs, titled From Saint Petersburg with Love (Abaton Book Company, 2004) that brought attention to her songwriting skills.
The lineup on Over includes Julia Vorontsova on vocals, guitars, ocarina and kalimba; Mac Quayle on piano; Ian Walker on bass; Aaron Sterling on drums; Zeke Zema on guitar; Marie-Sophie Leturq on cello; Ariadna Rodriguez on violin; and Dedit Mushatsi on vocals and guitar.
Over is a deeply expressive album that will introduce you to the Russian singing-poet tradition.
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
