LJOVA (Lev Zhurbin) - film composer, arranger, violist | music for film, Ljova and the Kontraband, and other projects

very old events (2009-2005)

Past Events (before we started using Artistdata, that is)

Date	Project	Venue	Location
January 8th, 2009 at 8pm	Frank London Band & Ljova and the Kontraband double bill	Mehanata	Lower East Side, NY
February 12, 2009, 10:30pm	BarmaLjova	Small Beast @ The Delancey	New York, NY
February 21, 2009, 7pm	The Providence String Quartet with special guests BarmaLjova	The Great Room	Brooklyn, NY
February 28, 2009, 7:30pm	Ljova and the Kontraband with Eva Flatscher & Jose Limon Dance Company	Tribeca Performing Arts Center	New York, NY
March 5, 2009, 7pm	Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas performs "Sounds of Women".	The Town Hall	New York, NY
March 8, 2009, 7pm	Ljova and the Kontraband with special guests Æ	Barbes	Brooklyn, NY
March 20 at 8pm	Ljova with Romashka	Hungarian House	Manhattan, NY
March 21 at 9pm (possibly 9:30)	Ljova with Romashka	Mehanata	Lower East Side, NY
March 28, 2009, 3pm	Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas and music students from NYC Public Schools premiere a new composition by Ljova, "Sugar Hill Bump". See more at the M.U.S.I.C. project page	Kaye Playhouse, Hunter College	New York, NY
April 5, 2009, 3pm	Ljova plays chamber music by Brahms & Dvorak, with Soheil Nasserri & Friends	Bargemusic	Brooklyn, NY
April 11, 2009, 10 pm	Ljova with Romashka	LPR	West Village, NYC
April 27, 2009 at 8:30pm	Ljova and the Kontraband at the Schizoid Music series, with special guests	Cornelia Street Cafe	Greenwich Village, NY
April 30 at 8:30 pm	Ljova with Romashka. 113 Ludlow St, $10 cover.	Mehanata (the Bulgarian Bar)	Lower East Side, NY
May 4, 2009	Ljova and the Kontraband at Kennedy Center's Contemporary Music Festival. [watch the performance online]	Kennedy Center, Millennium Stage	Washington, DC
May 9, 2009 at 7:30pm	World premiere of Niña Dance, a new song cycle featuring vocalist Sofia Rei Koutsovitis. [buy tickets!]	Zankel Hall, Carnegie Hall	New York, NY
May 14, 2009 at 7pm	Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas Gala concert	Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center	New York, NY
May 20, 2009 at 7 pm	Nigunim Unplugged - Ljova plays with Joey Weisenberg's band (Jake Shulman-Ment, Benjy Fox-Rosen)	Eldridge St Shul	New York, NY
May 26, 2009 at 7, 8:15, and 9:30	RIPFest Screening - THE ONE THAT I WANT an epic 7-minute film musical drama, created in 16 days - with music by Ljova [More info]	Anthology Film Archives	New York, NY
May 30, 2009 at 8 pm	Ljova with THE SHIN "Sound of Georgia" [More info]	DROM	New York, NY
July 16, 2009 - FREE	Kronos Quartet, performing 2 of Ljova's arrangements/transcriptions	Prospect Park Bandshell [info]	Brooklyn, NY
July 19, 2009	Ljova with Bangalore Breakdown	Joe's Pub [tickets]	New York, NY
July 23, 2009	Ljova and the Kontraband	The Jewish Museum [tickets]	New York, NY
July 26 and 27, 2009	Ljova with Nina Nastasia and Matthew Szemela	The Hideout	Chicago, IL
August 2, 2009	Alondra De La Parra conducts Ljova's arrangements of two Piazzolla Tangos [ticket info]	Colorado Music Festival	Boulder, CO
August 9, 2009 - FREE	Ljova with Romashka	Riverside Park Acoustic Sundays [info]	New York, NY
August 22, 2009	Ljova with Romashka	Eurasia Dance Festival [info]	Glen Spey, NY
September 10, 2009	Ljova and the Kontraband as part of Musicians 4 Harmony	Merkin Concert Hall [info]	New York, NY
October 8-10, 2009	Premiere of "Busk", a collaboration with choreographer Aszure Barton (see a video fragment]	Ringling International Arts Festival	Sarasota, FL
October 15, 2009	Premiere of Tales of Offenbach, a collaboration with choreographer Christopher Wheeldon, Morphoses Dance, and the Dallas Opera	Dallas Center for the Performing Arts (Grand opening) [info]	Dallas, TX
October 24, 8pm	Ljova and the Kontraband with special guest Jofre Romarion	Barbes	Brooklyn, NY

2008 Past Events

Date	Project	Venue	Location
January 5, 2008	Ljova & the Vjola Contraband, double-bill with the Brooklyn Rider	Joe's Pub	New York, NY
January 19, 2008	Ljova with Romashka at the Zlatne Uste Festival in New York.	Zlatne Uste	New York, NY
January 31, 2008	Ljova and Inna	Private performance at Ljova's parents 30th anniversary	Moscow, Russia
February 23, 2008	Ljova with Romashka!	Drom	New York, NY
March 8, 2008	Ljova and the Kontraband with Rob Kendt!	Barbes	Brooklyn, NY
March 9-15, 2008	Ljova teaching at the Winter Career Development Residency	The Banff Centre	Banff, Canada
April 4, 2008	Ljova as special guest for CD-Release by Alina Simone	Joe's Pub	New York, NY
April 10, 2008	Ljova performing with the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas	The Town Hall	New York, NY
April 25-May 3, 2008	Cupcake premieres, featuring music by Ljova, performed by Ljova and the Kontraband	Tribeca Film Festival	New York, NY
May 8, 2008, 1pm	Ljova and the Kontraband	Trinity Wall Street Church (Concerts at One series)	New York, NY
May 10, 2008, 9pm	Ljova and the Kontraband	DROM	New York, NY
May 18, 2008, 12pm	Ljova and the Kontraband	Philadelphia Book Festival	Philadelphia, PA
May 18, 2008, 4pm	Ljova and the Kontraband, double bill with the Yiddish Arts Trio	Princeton Arts Council	Princeton, NJ
June 5, 2008, 6pm	Ljova and the Kontraband	Petrushka on the Hudson Benefit	World Yacht, NY
June 6, 2008	Ljova with the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas	Avery Fisher Hall	New York, NY
June 12-15, 2008	Ljova and the Kontraband in collaboration with Freefall Dance Company	WalkerSpace / Joyce SoHo	New York, NY
June 14, 2008	Ljova with Romashka	DROM	New York, NY
July 11, 2008	Ljova and the Kontraband	Barbes	Brooklyn, NY
September 11-13, 2008	Ljova with Romashka and Wu Man	Phoenix Symphony World Music Festival	Phoenix, AZ
September 25, 2008	Ljova with Sanda Weigl	Barbes	Brooklyn, NY
September 28, 2008	Ljova and the Kontraband CD RELEASE with Frank London & Uli Geissendoerfer	Joe's Pub	New York, NY
October 2, 2008	US Premiere of "Tokyo!" (feat. Ljova's orchestrations) and the World Premiere of "Only Love" (feat. Ljova's original score)	Woodstock Film Festival	Woodstock, NY
October 15 and 16, 2008	The Knights w/Jan Vogler, cello: Shostakovich (arrangements by Ljova), Hendrix, and Copland and Ljova	Le Poisson Rouge	West Village, NY
November 12, 2008	Ljova arranging for the "Person of the Year" tribute to Gloria Estefan, with the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas, Alondra de la Parra, and special guests	Latin Grammys	Houston, TX
November 16, 2008	Ljova featured on NPR's "All Things Considered." Listen to segment here: ["Ljova: Giving Viola a Chance"]	NPR/Radio	Everywhere!
November 17, 2008	Ljova performs in Frank London's "Green Violin"	The Jewish Museum	New York, NY
November 20, 2008, 5:30-7pm	Ljova speaks on a panel about Composing for Films	The Art Institute of New York, 75 Varick, St., 16th floor	New York, NY 10013
December 6 and 7, 2008	Ljova with The Knights	Bargemusic	under the Brooklyn Bridge, NY
December 13, 2008, 8 pm	Ljova and the Kontraband $10	The Stone. Corner of Ave C and 2nd Ave	Lower East Side, NY
December 27, 2008	Ljova with Romashka	Mehanata	Lower East Side, NY
December 30, 2008, 7 pm	Ljova with Johnny Gandelsman	Barbes	Brooklyn, NY

2007

December 7, 2007	World on a String Band	Waltz Astoria	Queens, NY
December 6, 2007	Ljova and the Vjola Contraband, World on a String Band and the Luminescent String Orchestrii	Ukranian East Village Restaurant	New York, NY
November 28, 2007	Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas (dir. Alondra de La Parra)	Kennedy Center	Washington, DC
November 25, 2007	Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas (dir. Alondra de La Parra)	Sala Nezahualcoyotl, UNAM	Mexico City, Mexico
November 24, 2007	Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas (dir. Alondra de La Parra)	Palacio de Belles Artes	Mexico City, Mexico
November 20, 2007	Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas (dir. Alondra de La Parra)	>Myerson Symphony Center	Dallas, TX
November 15, 2007	Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas (dir. Alondra de La Parra)	NYU Skirball Center	New York, NY
November 10, 2007	Ljova with Percusia	Queens Library	Queens, NY
November 7, 2007	Ljova with World on a String Band	Goodbye Blue Monday	Brooklyn, NY
October 25, 2007	Ljova with Rob Kendt	Googie's Lounge, The Living Room	New York, NY
October 14, 2007	Ljova and the Vjola Contraband - double feature with the Parker String Quartet	Barbes	Brooklyn, NY
October 4-7, 2007	Performing in the premiere of Man: Biology of a Fall, an opera by Evan Hause	Kumble Theater	Brooklyn, NY
August 3, 2007	OPEN REHEARSAL with Ljova and Inna and friends	Joe's Pub	New York, NY
August 3, 2007	Ljova and the Vjola Contraband	Barbes	Brooklyn, NY
July 26, 2007	Ljova and the Vjola Contraband	Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)	New York, NY
July 12, 2007	Ljova and the Vjola Contraband	Arium	New York, NY
July 6, 2007	Ljova and the Vjola Contraband	Philadelphia Art Museum	Philadelphia, PA
June 22, 2007	Ljova with Dawn Upshaw, Osvaldo Golijov, and the Andalucian Dogs	Festival Saint Denis	Paris, France
June 20, 2007	Ljova with the Gustavo Santaolalla and Guests	Festival Saint Denis	Paris, France
June 13, 2007	Ljova with Uli Geissendoerfer and Bangalore Breakdown	German Consulate	New York, NY
June 12, 2007	Ljova with the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas, Paquito D'Rivera	Rose Theatre, Lincoln Center	New York, NY
June 8, 2007	Ljova and the World on a String Band	Banjo Jim's	Lower East Side, NY
June 1, 2007	Ljova and the Vjola Contraband	BAMCafÃ©, Sundance @ BAM Film Festival	Brooklyn, NY
May 31, 2007 \| 2 pm	Ljova and the Vjola Contraband	Soundcheck Live	Live Radio appearance on NPR/WNYC, FM 93.39
May 31, 2007 \| 6 pm	Ljova with Romashka	TBD	New York, NY
May 22, 2007 \| 10 pm	Ljova with the Walter Thompson Soundpainting Orchestra	Bowery Poetry Club	New York, NY
May 21, 2007 \| 8 pm	Ljova with the SEM Ensemble	Zankel Hall, Carnegie Hall	New York, NY
April 28, 2007	Mahavishnu Project	The Forum Theater	Metuchen, NJ
April 26, 2007	Ljova with Ingrid Gordon and Demetrius Spaneas	The Stone	New York, NY
April 19, 2007	Ljova with Uli Geissendoerfer + Group	The Stone	New York, NY
April 21, 2007	Mahavishnu Project	Makor	New York, NY
April 20, 2007	Mahavishnu Project	IMAC Theater	Huntington, NY
April 19, 2007	Ljova with Uli Geissendoerfer	The Stone	New York, NY
March 27, 2007	Ljova plays with Kate Havnevik	Hotel Cafe	Los Angeles, CA
March 22, 2007	Ljova plays with Kate Havnevik	Joe's Pub	New York, NY
March 17, 2007	Ljova performs "Long Island Sound" with Ensemble 212	Good Shepherd Church	New York, NY
March 8, 2007	Ljova and the Vjola Contraband	Barbes	Brooklyn, NY
Feb. 27, 2007	Recording Ljova's original score for Michael DiPaolo's film
Dec 13, 2006	Ljova with Inna Barmash (vocals) and David Yengibarjan (accordion) - original and folk music	Spinoza Haz	Budapest, Hungary
Dec 11, 2006	Kate Havnevnik, Guy Sigsworth	The Regal Room	London, UK
Nov 17-Dec 1, 2006	Assistant Composer and Recording for Francis Ford Coppola's film "Youth without Youth"		Bucharest, Romania
Nov 15, 2006	"Ayre" with Dawn Upshaw and the Andalucian Dogs (cancelled)	The New Crown Festival	Vienna, Austria
Sep 20-27, 2006	Jay-Z rehearsals and show	Royal Albert Hall	London, UK
Aug 22, 2006	Vjola Contraband	Barbes	Brooklyn, NY
Aug 8, 2006	Vjola Lounge Duo	JCC	New York, NY
Jul 21, 2006	Improvisations with Clifton	5C Cultural Center	New York, NY
Jul 20, 2006	Chassidic Jazz Project with Reuben Hoch	Makor	New York, NY
July 12, 2006	Ljova & Vjola Contraband	Joe's Pub	New York, NY
Jul 9, 2006	Soundpainting	Bowery Poetry Club	New York, NY
Jun 30, 2006	Theatro Slovak	Galapagos	Brooklyn, NY
Jun 21-25, 2006	Jay-Z rehearsals and show New York, NY	Radio City Hall	New York, NY
Jun 16, 2006	Vjola Contraband	OMFactory	New York, NY
Jun 8, 2006	Mexican American Orchestra	Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center	New York, NY
May 27, 2006	Soundpainting Recording Session
May 7, 2006	Romashka at Tubapalooza	Zebulon Concert Cafe	Brooklyn, NY
May 5, 2006	Cassis Recording
Mar 24, 2006	Ljova with Patrick Farrell (accordion), Sarah Alden (violin)	5C Cultural Center	New York, NY
Mar 14, 2006	Ljova with Patrick Farrell (accordion), Sarah Alden (violin)	Via Della Pace	New York, NY
Mar 3, 2006	Romashka	Philadelphia Museum of Art	Philadelphia, PA
Dec 7 and 9, 2005	Ljova in string trio with Donovan	The Concert Hall at the New York Society for Ethical Culture	New York

"Lost in Kino" is the third album from composer and violist Ljova (a.k.a. Lev Zhurbin), focusing on his recent film works. The album's 24 tracks feature a wide range of textures and emotional states, from collaborations with the Gypsy band Romashka, the alt-indie-folk Tall Tall Trees, to cameos from the Hungarian cymbalom virtuoso Kálmán Balogh (playing a cue from Francis Ford Coppola's film "Youth Without Youth"), pipa player Wu Man, among many others, and of course featuring Ljova himself on viola, famiola and fiddle. (See the detailed track list & credits at Bandcamp.) Scroll down to see three videos, featuring music from the new album. Read reviews of "Lost in Kino" in the New York Times, Lucid Culture, Sequenza21, Armchair Critic, Oliver di Place, and MundoBSO.

"[Lost in Kino] makes me feel like i'm in another land, one with knights and princesses, i love that. also made me get up and dance, wanna cry. great passion there." - film director Ry Russo-Young

Download and order your copy of "Lost in Kino" today at Bandcamp -- CD orders can be autographed by Ljova upon request. You can also purchase "Lost in Kino" on Amazon.com and iTunes.

"Lost in Kino" was released on December 15, 2011, and premiered live in a performance at New York's Lincoln Center, featuring Romashka, Tall Tall Trees, the PubliQuartet, and special guests.

VIDEOS:
Watch three videos, featuring music from Lost in Kino:
THE COUP - featuring footage by Charles Ludlam

RUSSIAN WINTERLAND - featuring film by Joseph-Louis Mundwiller

WAR THEN PEACE - featuring footage by Roman Khrushch

Thank you all! enjoy.

Ljova in NYTimes / Cupcake at the Atrium / The Girl and Her Trust

Ljova profiled in New York Times -- He Still Plays Weddings: A Musical Polymath’s Quirky Career by Allan Kozinn

Thank you to everyone who joined Ljova and the Kontraband at Lincoln Center's David Rubenstein Atrium last week, and filled the room to capacity for our anniversary show! We had a blast.

Below, enjoy "The Girl and Her Trust", D.W. Griffith's 1910 silent film, with a new score by Ljova and Clifton Hyde.
Recorded live at TunnelVision, inside Brooklyn's Atlantic Avenue Tunnel.

(Above - photo of Ljova and the Kontraband performing the score to "Cupcake", live at the David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center.)

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Recap

A quick welcome to readers of the New York Times and new fans - thank you for stopping by!

Here's a brief recap of Ljova's recordings, where you can get them, and how:

VJOLA: WORLD ON FOUR STRINGS - Ljova's debut album, featuring compositions for multitack'ed violas, is available on Amazon.com iTunes, Bandcamp, and other merchants.

MNEMOSYNE - the debut album of Ljova and the Kontraband, is available at Amazon.comas well as iTunes, CDBaby.com.

Both "Vjola: World on Four Strings" and "Mnemosyne" are also available as mp3 downloads from iTunes, Amazon, Bandcamp, and many other websites.

SONGS WE SING TO BENJY -- the work-in-progress album of Inna Barmash and Ljova (a.k.a. BarmaLjova), is currently for sale via Bandcamp.com.

For reviews, please see here.
For Ljova's full discography, see here.

Thank you all!

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4 shows / 1 week

August 8: Ljova and the Kontraband perform at the American Museum of Natural History

August 10: Romashka at the JCC in Manhattan - Rooftop performance and screening of "Black Lamb", a feature film with a score by Ljova, performed by Romashka.

August 12: Ljova and the Kontraband make their Lincoln Center debut at the Rubenstein Atrium, as part of Target Free Thursdays - FREE!

August 14: Ljova and Clifton Hyde create a new score to D.W. Griffith's 1910 silent film "The Girl and Her Trust". Presented as part of Tunnel Vision, inside Brooklyn's Atlantic Avenue Tunnel. (The event is now sold out.)

Join us!
For full details, see:
http://www.Ljova.com/schedule

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Niña Dance - live from Carnegie Hall

Now streaming on Carnegie Hall's website -- a live recording of Ljova's song cycle, "Niña Dance", from its premiere on Carnegie Hall's Zankel stage.

Featuring: Sofia Rei Koutsovitis (vocal), conductor Alan Pierson, Ljova and a wonderful ensemble.

Click here to listen & enjoy.

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Ljova and the Kontraband AMNH residency

Ljova and the Kontraband perform at the American Museum of Natural History in New York on three dates, as part of "Traveling the Silk Road" exhibition.

Join us May 2, June 6, June 13 and August 8, for 30-minute performances at 1:30, 2:30, and 3:30.

For more information about tickets, see the Schedule.

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Ljova related videos (via YouTube)

Ljova & My Perestroika at Sundance Film Festival 2010

Ljova is presently attending the Sundance Film Festival, in support of Robin Hessman's wonderful documentary My Perestroika.

Enjoy three of Ljova's tracks in the film's score:

Click here for My Perestroika showtimes at Sundance.

Contact Ljova directly, or click here to request a demo.
Ljova is also on Twitter as @ljovadotcom.

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Mnemosyne - Ljova and the Kontraband's first music video

(best enjoyed in full screen / HD)

MNEMOSYNE (It's autumn in the country I remember)
Music by Ljova (2007)
Lyrics by Trumbull Stickney (c. 1902)
Performed by Ljova and the Kontraband
featuring Inna Barmash (vocal)
and special guest, Frank London (trumpet)
Recorded by Peter Karl / Mixed by Anibal Kerpel / Mastered by Steven Berson
from the Kontraband's debut record album, Mnemosyne, available here.

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January 12th, 2010: Ljova and the Kontraband / Jofre Romarion New Tango Quartet at Joe's Pub - Sold Out

Thank you to all of our friends and fans who made this double bill sell out in presales - not bad for a 9:30pm show on a school night, in the middle of two major Arts Presenter conferences!

We had a blast - see you next time! Thank you!

--Ljova [and the Kontraband]
P.S. We'll post a few videos from the show soon.
[UPDATE] videos from Joe's Pub 2010 have been added to the Kontraband's growing YouTube Playlist.

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Birth of Benjy

Our son, Benjamin Avram Zhurbin (or simply Benjy) was born on July 1, 2009 -- he wishes you a Happy Halloween, and wants you to check out his growing mini-slideshow.

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Ljova interviewed in CompositionToday

Read an extensive interview with Ljova, at the website CompositionToday.

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Busk - collaboration with Aszure Barton & Artists

Aszure Barton & Artists
Directed and Choreographed by Aszure Barton
Music:Lev "Ljova" Zhurbin ("Less", from the album "Mnemosyne")
Lighting:Nicole Pearce
Costumes: Michelle Jank
DP & Editor: Kevin Freeman
Camera Operators: Aubrey Fernandez, Kevin Freeman

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"Only Love" wins Best Original Score for Short Film

Ljova's score for Lev Polyakov's short animation "Only Love" won the "Best Original Score for Short Film" award at the 2009 Long Island International Film Expo.
Watch the 3-minute music trailer on YouTube.

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toe tapper

Cynhops, for solo viola and dance.
Recorded at White Oak, Florida

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The One That I Want

THE ONE THAT I WANT
an epic 7-minute film musical drama, created in 16 days

starring:
Aléna Watters, Amy Verebay, Andrea Gallo, Richard Ugino

Directed by: Sean Gannet
Produced by: Virginia Cromie; associate produced by Jose Venutolo
Writen by: Ethan T Berlin & Eric Bryant
Music by: Ljova
Performed by: Ljova, Steve Tyler, Mathias Kunzli, Jeff Greenwald, Mike Savino & Ron Caswell

Filmed by Sasha Burdett, edited by Steve Tyler, choreographed by Melissa Rae Mahon

Premiering at RIPFEST, along with 5 other brand new shorts:
May 26, at 7, 8:15, and 9:30
Anthology Film Archives
New York NY
[thank you to all who came!]

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Ljova on All Things Considered

Ljova was recently profiled on NPR's radio program All Things Considered, in the segment Musicians in Their Own Words. The interview focuses on inspiration for several of Ljova's compositions, relationship to the viola and tradition, and the art of "phoning it in".

Listen to the story -- Ljova: Giving the Viola a Chance.

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Ljova at the Latin Grammys 2008

In November, Ljova had the privilege of arranging orchestral music for the "Person of the Year" evening honoring Gloria Estefan, produced by Phil Ramone, featuring performances by the Philharmonic Orchestra of Americas with Alondra de la Parra, and special guests John Legend (pictured above), Patti Labelle, Jose Feliciano, Santana, Kenny G The Miami Sound Machine and others. See the slideshow.

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Mnemosyne -- released!

MNEMOSYNE, the debut release by Ljova and the Kontraband, featuring guest apperances by Frank London, William Schimmel, Uli Geissendoerfer, Marcus Rojas, and Alon Yavnai, was released on September 28th, with a special performance at Joe's Pub, in New York.