The City That Never Sleeps...

Review of

Myroslav Levytsky's

"The City That Never Sleeps" CD released in 2011.

Written by: William (Vasyl) Pawlowsky

CD The City That Never Sleeps

Date published: 08/24/2011

4.75 / 5 stars

Some time ago I discovered that my old friend Myroslav Levytsky had just put out a new CD. It in fact is only the second studio production that he has out, even though he has been around for some time. Fortunately enough, Myroslav and I are on great personal terms and he first sent me a number of tracks from the CD for a listen followed up by a signed copy for me personally and a limited number of personally initialled copies to be made available for those who want something different, for a price. We'll get to that a bit later.

Before I launch into reviewing this work, let me preface it by saying that I have known Myroslav for over ten years and have been involved in some of the collaboration he has done with the artists that appear on his latest release. I have written about Myros' here and will continue to do so as long as he continues to develop as an artists. He has always been, in my eyes, a musician's musician and is far from being in the mainstream, thus he has never had an easy row to hoe, but he ventures on and I have to give him credit for that in the very least.

Being a musician in any country is difficult, but being one in Ukraine where corruption is high, and intellectual property is something that is still not understood, after twenty years of the country's independence, makes things a little tougher than for most other artists, though regardless, Myroslav presses on. His gumption is something that admire, both as a musician and as a friend, and because of this I will digress.

Prior to the release of his first studio album Myroslav invited me out to his place near the Minsk metro station in Kyiv. I grabbed a Tetra-Pak® of pineapple juice I had in the fridge. I was living with a friend, his younger brother and their cousin. Myroslav had just received the master of that CD from BMG studios in Munich and he wanted to share it with me before they decided to putting it out.

As we listened to a copy of the master, Myroslav asked me where the juice was that I had brought. He poured us each a glass, and we looked at each other strangely. Not only were IP rights being violated, but so were consumer rights. We looked at our glasses, this stuff was practically water. A number of years later I found out from, directly from my friend's younger brother that he had spent an hour, extracting the pineapple juice from the Tetra-Pak® with a syringe and then re-injecting it with water. Kids – Sashko... you know I know that you did this, and some day you will pay! Just kidding. While our pineapple juice wasn't that sweet. Myroslav's tracks back then were, and I am pleased to say that the tracks on his latest release are also sweet. So without further delay, let me get to this new CD of Braty Bluzu featuring a great acquaintance of mine from Vienna Rens Newland.

Now, unlike so many others, I will get into a track by track review of this latest album by Braty Bluzu, and it's composer Myroslav Levytsky. Maybe I will finish writing this by midnight. It's nearly 20:00 now.

First of all I would like to say that I was pleased to see that the “jewel box” is going the way of the dinosaur, I hope. This CD is in a nicely packaged soft triple-fold package.. The art work on its exterior finely coincides with the title of the work . Who knows, maybe artwork on CD covers will be as coveted as those of our love vinyl albums we had in the past!

Now let's get to the nitty gritty.


No, wait! I have to say one other thing before getting into the music stuff. Rens Newland who is featured on all the guitar work here, recorded it at his studio on Vienna, so this is truly an international album, virtually, “Music Without Borders”!

So now let's get into a track by track run down of The City that Never Sleeps.

Damn it, my controller has died... No super small batteries for it at the moment...Seems to me I will reviewing this on cruddy headphones, as opposed to nice JBL-L19 studio monitors.

Well here we go!

The first track which is called “Intro” features the voice of yet unknown star Romchyk Vintersky, the young son of the band's drummer. It is clearly an atmospheric piece and for the most part sets up positive atmosphere of what awaits us. Who can resist the babble of a young child. Though this is not the only voice one will hear on this primarily instrumental album.

The second tracked called “Sky Coloured Blue Eyes”, features the colourful Oleh Levytsky on sax. While not a blustering Gerry Raferty style, Oleh can hold his own, and the tune has a very positive demeanour to it. Rens Newland first appears here on this album, and, clearly his years of experience are clearly heard. Did I not mention this is a musician's CD.

The third track called “World”, is oddly enough aptly entitled. We are not really sure what is going on now, and the beat set up and the violin, by Zakhar Valaha, son of the bands deceased violinist Andriy Valaha, gives us a sense of uncertainty, while at the same time some extremely positive energy. Ten years ago I spent some time living at Andriy Valaha's in Kalush Ukraine. After the Chervona Ruta Festival in $$$ Andriy suffered an aneurysm in his late twenties. He was a tenacious son of a gun, and I met his son Zakhar, who is clearly carrying on his father's legacy with Braty Bluzu.

Oh, sorry for the digression.. It is extremely clear that Oleh also puts his lips to the reed and blows out some great sax on this track, filled with the energy that our world now needs.

Now we move on to track number four, which can be considered the title track. The clearly electronically generated back beat to the entire tune, in my mind, shows the development of Levytsky in accepting new trends This is most likely the influence of his drummer Andriy Vintserskiy, though this in no way distracts from the composition. In fact the entire album was mixed at Vin Records, Andriy's studio in Kyiv. Oleh Levytsky's sax here is no less prevalent than in other tracks...

Now talking about sax! Clearly, Myroslav has employed his brother's abilities on the fifth track with out end. I will tell you my dear reader, there were probably a few nights that I awoke and knew Myroslav was working on this track entitled “Jazz – Ballet on the Themes of Short Stories by William Shakespeare”. Now, I'm not really certain how may short stories old Willy wrote... But if looking for a name for a song, Myroslav picked a good one here. Newland clearly weaves a fine tapestry in the tale with his guitar work and arrangements. A consummate professional!

The sixth track is in fact for me something special. Sure you all ask, “why?” Well it is a track that I was present at during its first creation between Myroslav and Rens. It was the end of June ten years ago. We had just completed the first collaboration between Myroslav Levytsky, Rens Newland and Lionel Lodge in Linz Austria as a project called “Music Without Borders” Rens had stated he had a few hours to sit down with Myroslav to record something if he desired. I was the medium. Myroslav spoke no English. After four hours, we had a piece. Rens turned to Myrsolav and asked, “What are you going to call your composition?” Myroslav looked out the window of Rens' studio.. and replied in Ukrainian, “ Videnskiy Lis” - Vienna Woods... The song has taken on many transformations in the last ten years, but I can listen to it over and over again, as it brings back some very positive memories of my time in Vienna with Myroslav and the guys he had pulled together for that project. “Vienna Woods” was an extremely pastoral piece when it was conceived, and has grown over its ten year existence.

The seventh track “Father and Son” probably has more meaning that I could even express here in this simple babbling about Myroslav's CD. I'm not going into why this is the case, though there is such a positive feel t this track that I would recommend it as a listen to any father who has a son. The light nuances of piano and guitar make it an extremely positive track. It almost becomes a discourse between two individuals, in this case , Rens Newland on guitar and Myroslav Levytsky on keyboards.

“With You”, now who would that be? I sometimes wonder myself, though I don't have to wonder much. The ultimately positive track right from the beginning even sounds like the words “With You”! If you have made it this far and haven't given up, you will clearly understand that this is a music lover's CD and not something for someone who hasn't the foggiest. Enjoy Oleh's sax here... it is a total sax chill. Wow I even heard some nice bass lines by Vitaliy Savenko on this piece.

Vitaliy and I go back a number of years... and I never expected him to be working with Myroslav when I met him at the “Cowboy Club” in Kyiv, playing bass with “Gaytana” covering a bunch of cover tracks. But I always enjoyed talking to him about music and life in general.

Goodness, only three more tracks to go! Yes, folks I am actually listening to this CD track by track and it is about the thirtieth time and I know I will listen to it many times more.

While “Two Evenings With Love” starts off in a very mellow state, don't be fooled. The interplay between the sax of Oleh and the guitar of Rens, boils into a frenzy that is clearly some hot stuff in the middle of a hot summer night. Slowly subsiding to a relaxed tempo of post coitus and then ... well you will have to listen to it if you want to understand what I mean....

When I was growing up I used to go picking mushrooms, and many other things that nature gifted to us. And I often heard from people in our community, if you don't want to get “Lost in the Forest” take my father along. We never got lost in the forest,. This along with the first track of the album is the only one which features “voice”. I would call it extremely experimental for this day and age. Why? Because I would say that most individuals are not ready for such a mix. Well maybe not most, but those who listen to mainstream, definitely. This piece features the haunting voices of a group called “Drevo” and I am almost tempted to give them the line: “We are not men we are Drevo”.

Finally we are getting to the end of my track-by-track review... Some are probably happy, others are most likely indifferent.

Now what could a track like “Rock – Jazz” mean to anyone? Clearly a fusion of both...

All compositions of this CD are of my good friend and former roommate Myroslav Levytsky, the album was published by Jive Music in Vienna Austria.

If you just need something to listen to, with all the crazy lyrics to boggle your mind you can pick up a copy of this CD initialed by Myroslav himself if you are in North America. Copies are limited, but you will have to drop me an e-mail and I will tell you how we can go about this. Once, I am out of copies you will have to deal with Jive Music in Vienna.

Nothing like plagiarism... and IP rights ignored

Plagiarism seems to be a disease that is inherent here in Ukraine, and not even just here! Now before all you Ukrainophiles, jump down my throat for being anti-Ukrainian let me continue.

Have you ever been on the Kyiv metro? For those of you who have, you have most likely seen the advertisements for term papers, theses and the like! And you can purchase all of these for a price. Sure similar services have sprung up worldwide since the advent of the WWW created by Tim Berners Lee, but the wide extent that this exists not only in Ukraine's capital, but throughout the country, can only lead to the degradation of society as a whole.

Those who follow Ukrainian politics can surely remember the case of Volodymyr Lytvyn, who had completely plagiarized an article originally by Thomas Carothers published in the 1998 Winter edition of Foreign Policy.

The plagiarism by public officials clearly erodes public trust in them, but what does that have to do with the music industry in Ukraine, readers may ask. It has everything to do with it, as well as those who purportedly provide insight to the industry.

Over a year ago I was listening to one of the local Kyiv radio stations, and it was not long before I heard at least three songs that were clearly ripped off melodies. One of these was a song by Scriabin, in which the very catchy melody of Peter Gabriel's Games without Frontiers simply mixed into the song, and their were others, but that is one that stuck in my head.

Though this is not the only instance that touches on the realm of intellectual property. A number of years ago my friend Myroslav Levytsky, noted that a film which had been produced simply used his compositions as part of a soundtrack to a documentary film. Recently, a TV show aired on Tonis on the green tourism used the music of another musician and group I know well, and while they don't exist any more, they still hold the rights to the material and should be compensated for its use. In neither of these cases was there reference to the music, the composer or band which holds the copyright. Surprisingly enough, one of the productions was done in the west, by our diaspora. However, there was a case of a young film maker from New York who about a year and a half ago asked me to speak to Foma of Mandry to use a 15 second piece of one of their songs. Foma, agreed after I told him of the subject matter, the song, and how much would be used, including mention in the credits at the end. How civilized and professional for a change!

Now back to the material that caught my eye! But before I continue I must digress. Back in 1999 when I arrived in Ukraine, I would frequent a place called the Cowboy Club on Passage in downtown Kyiv. Currently, this same locale houses Dockers ABC.

There I got to know the members of a band called Unity. The lead vocalist was a woman named Gaytana. There were many nights that I sat with the band after their sets and often left at the crack of dawn. Time passed and the Cowboy Club shut down. Later I would run into Gaytana at Art Club 44 on Jazz nights on Sundays. Over the years we became friends, and in the spring of 2003 or 2004, after not seeing her for a long time, I had been cast for video shoot for Marija Burmaka's song Dity Sontsya which Marika, and kindly gifted to Gaytana. Unfortunately, Eddy Klym of Lavina Music's ego somehow nixed the video, even though have earlier agreed with the concept and took an hour or two out of his busy schedule to bring his daughter down for the shoot on the banks of the Dnipro River, early on an April Saturday morning. It was cut down from a creative piece, to a piece concentrating on T&A, primarily those of Gaytana.

So it would come as no surprise to you dear readers, that when I saw the blog entry Gaitana (Part I) on Ukrainian Musical Matters it caught my eye.

As I read the material, and as an information specialist/librarian by training and knowing the style of writing of many publications in Kyiv having worked in journalism here, I wasn't so concerned about the material, but as to its source. Clearly, Orest at Ukrainian Musical Matters didn't have lunch with Gaytana at the Soho Steak House. So as I went through the article I was waiting for some type of citation. I found none! So here it is! The material was originally published in What's On a Kyiv-based publication.

So Orest, please explain to us all your position of ethics, IP rights and the rest! After our last little foray into the politics of language, and you clarifying to me who you are, I am starting to think that maybe plagiarism is genetic. Though it could have been simply an honest mistake!

Chicken Festival?

While Orest over at Ukrainian Musical Matters has done a great summary of the different music festivals going on in Ukraine this summer I can't see how he forgot the Chicken Festival being held at the National Exposition Center of Ukraine on June 28!

Actually, today was the first time I heard of such a festival, or should I say, saw an advertisement for it as I descended down into the bowels of the Kyiv Metro this morning. As a form of BTL marketing, one of Ukraine's largest chicken producers Nasha Ryabab holding about 45% of the market and under the control of Ihor Kolomoysky's Pryvat group have decide to enlist V.V., Druha Rika, Tartak, Gaytana and Jankoi Brothers to pump their product. While I can't remember the exact date of the festival... I really don't think it will be as well attended as the many different festivals Orest has described.

15th Anniversary Reunion Gig

Well it's now final, well at least according lead man and composer of Braty bluzu.

The 15th Anniversary reunion concert of Braty bluzu will be taking place on Tuesday July 24, 2007. The last time these guys played together, if I am not mistaken, was a gig at in New York City in about 2003.

While the line-up won't completely include the original members it's pretty close. For those who ever managed to see Gaytana perform with Unity at the now defunct Cowboy Club, which was located where Docker ABC is now located at the end of Passage in Kyiv, then you may notice a familiar face.

Andriy Melnyk, the group's bass player will be replaced by Vitaliy Savenko, the old Unity bass player. In short the line-up will look like the one below.

Myroslav Levytsky - Keyboards
Oleh Levytsky - Saxophone
Guitar - Serhiy Taftay
Bass Guitar - Vitaliy Savenko
Drums - Andriy Vintsersky

Finally I will meet Serhiy Taftay, whom Simon Kouklevsky of Ukrainian Time in Montreal was supposed to introduce me to a number of years back when I was home for a visit.

Over the last couple of weeks Myroslav Levytsky has been journeying between Ivano-Frankivsk, where he has been conducting rehearsals with his brother Oleh and Taftay who is visiting family, and Kyiv where rehearsals are taking place with Savenko and Vitsersky.

It may be a long time before such a line-up is assembled again, given the physical locations of its members.

Gig Location: Khmilna Botchka, 3 Bohdana Khmelnytskoho
Date: July 24, 2007
Start time: 21:00
Price: 50 UAH

For more information or to obtain tickets please e-mail bb15rokiv (at) gmail.com