TWO
SIBERIANS
Out of Nowhere
Heads
Up
If you’re an jazz, folk, progressive,
or world music fan or just an average record buyer who is
feeling a bit jaded and underwhelmed by the latest pop music
offerings, Two Siberians have arrived to give you something
truly fresh and unexpected. Violinist Artyom Yakushenko
and guitarist Yuri Matveyev play a refreshing blend of fusion,
ethnic folk music, and their own unique stylings. Hailing
from Irkutsk, Siberia, which lies about 150 miles north
of Mongolia, these musicians come with an interesting pedigree:
Artyom’s father is known as the ‘father of Siberian
rock’ while Yuri’s parents are professional
folk dancers. Taking their cues from their heritage as well
as music they have heard and enjoyed growing up in one of
the more remote parts of the world, Two Siberians have created
a sound that amazes listeners who hear much that is familiar
in the duo’s work, but find it impossible to categorize
the music they are hearing.
The story of how these guys made it to Moscow
and then to New York, and how they financed their first
U.S. recording can
be read in its entirety on the Heads Up website.
Suffice it to say that these guys definitely have demonstrated
an unswerving devotion to their music. The opening track,
“Outpost Radio” gives the listener a full blast
of the duo’s sound, unenhanced by any other musicians.
Matveyev’s guitar is tightly controlled and driving,
while Yakushenko’s violin work is virtuosic and highly
musical. This less than three-minute piece builds in intensity
like the concluding sections of The Who’s “Baba
O’Reilly,” leaving the listener breathless in
its wake. The second track, “Allergic to Gravity”
introduces the rhythm section of George Whitty on synthesizers,
Matt Garrison on bass, and Mino Cinelu on percussion. Also
featured is saxophonist Michael Brecker, who heard the band
in New York and became a big fan, helping them to land gigs
at Lincoln Center and as an opening act at Tanglewood, where
they met with very receptive audiences. Listening to these
guys play with such an accomplished group of musicians tells
one right away just how good they are.
Matveyev’s solo piece “Cagey Bee”
is a bit of a flamenco fantasy that is all-too-brief, segueing
into “Come With Me Anyway,” a romantic piece
that continues to demonstrate a Latin influence. That influence
continues on the sensual “Natsha, Havana,” where
Matveyev’s snappy guitar work works up some real Cuban
heat. Yakushenko keeps the level of passion high on his
solo. “Amoroso” has the sound of an African
lullaby, with Richard Bona providing some gorgeous, Jaco-esque
bass and Cameroonian singing that is supported beautifully
by the duo’s guitar and violin work. Then there’s
“New Russian,” a real rock/fusion piece that
allows them to cut loose with some real stratospheric displays
of raw technique.
Several pieces, including “Lake Baikal,”
“On the Tundra” and “Vodka Diaries”
resonate with the natural beauty found in the duo’s
homeland. Says Yuri: "Lake Baikal is great place...magical
place. You can feel it." People think of Siberia as
being cold and icy, which it is in winter, but there are
a variety of seasons there and the countryside is often
unbelievably beautiful. Musicians are often inspired by
nature, and there is no doubt that there was plenty of inspiration
surrounding these two musicians. The CD ends with a lengthy
piece entitled “Searching for Power” that goes
through many changes of both style and mood. Ulitmately
it is a very powerful piece that ends Out of Nowhere
on a strong and memorable note. Clocking in at just under
an hour, this is a program of music that will grow in interest
with repeated listening.
