Otava Yo in action

Otava yo is a new folk project from St. Petersburg. Otava yo mostly plays Russian folk songs and tunes which were popular when their parents were young. Bagpipes, Russian gusli, fiddles, guitar and percussion -- Otava yo plays powerful dancelike music which could be called Russian Beat. At times the music of Otava yo can make you laugh, even if you aren't a Russian.

A group of professional folk musicians in St. Petersburg, Russia, spontaneously formed OtavaYo in 2005. They wanted to create new interpretations of Russian folk music, accessible to all audiences, and to revive old favorite Soviet tunes. After working on its "Russian beat"concept for three years the band released the album, "Once Upon a Time".

Some call them "modern buffoons" while others describe the music as "communal flat groove". Both are true. OtavaYo serves up its music in a vigorous manner with a good dose of humor, mixing up overdriven traditional Russian instruments with a stereotypical Russian look, whichsimultaneously frightens and attracts the tourists. OtavaYo aims to dispel the belief Russian folk music is boring and not danceable.

OtavaYo performed in Mexico, France, Estonia, Portugal, Latvia, Slovakia, Poland, Germany, Netherlands, Austria and India.

The band's second music video, "The Tale of Ivan Groove", is No.1 on World Music Network's October Video Chart and has received positive reviews and nearly 100,000 views since it was published on YouTube in April, 2012.

OtavaYo turns Russian folk songs into powerful dance music, a new Russian Beat. The band "can take great concert halls by storm with their Slavic temperament and fire. . . an authentic example of what will happen if a classical Russian Ivan gets into a groove."
(Kiviberg, Viljandi Folk Festival)

A group of professional folk musicians in St. Petersburg, Russia, spontaneously formed OtavaYo in 2005. They wanted to create new interpretations of Russian folk music, accessible to all audiences, and to revive old favorite Soviet tunes. After working on its "Russian beat"concept for three years the band released the album, "Once Upon a Time".

Some call them "modern buffoons" while others describe the music as "communal flat groove". Both are true. OtavaYo serves up its music in a vigorous manner with a good dose of humor, mixing up overdriven traditional Russian instruments with a stereotypical Russian look, whichsimultaneously frightens and attracts the tourists. OtavaYo aims to dispel the belief Russian folk music is boring and not danceable.

Witty song introductions emerged with the music, livening up already energetic performances. The band is very popular in its home city of St. Petersburg, playing some 80 concerts a year at various venues and events. The past three years were especially successful. OtavaYo played atseveral well known European folk festivals, breaking records in festival CD sales and meeting the President of Estonia; made music videos; received an award from Bratislava's Humor Academy; and with support from the St. Petersburg Committee of Culture produced a play based on Russian Christmas songs, subsequently released on an album in December 2011.

OtavaYo performed in Mexico, France, Estonia, Portugal, Latvia, Slovakia, Poland, Germany, Netherlands, Austria and India.

The band's second music video, "The Tale of Ivan Groove", is No.1 on World Music Network's October Video Chart and has received positive reviews and nearly 100,000 views since it was published on YouTube in April, 2012.


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