Otava Yo in Russian musical 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".


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