INNA

Bio:

INNA ZHELANNAYA Musicians of the fabulous rock-band “Alliance” which was popular in Russia in 80-s and early 90-s made up a core of a band, created by Inna Zhelannaya in 1994. Music produced by the band couldn’t be defined by familiar genres’ peculiarities – it combined the elements of different rock streams, Russian folklore and other ethnic practices. Rock rhythm-section with strong drums, energetic electric guitar and transcendent sound of unique fretless 6-string bass, the usage of electronic devices, vivid wind-instruments range – all these indicated special band’s sound. In 1989 Inna begun her co-operation with a rock-band “Alliance”. At the same time she took interest in folk songs and melodies, with witch she came across due to Sergey Starostin – one of the best Russian folk and jazz musicians, a singer and multiinstrumentalist. Soon afterwards Starostin joined the “Alliance” and brought strong ethnic element to its’ music. In 1991 the first album “Sdelano V Belom” (“Made In White”) appeared and contained four remarkable singles by Inna Zhelannaya, which are often played during concerts in differentversions: “Tol’ko S Toboy” (“Only With You”), “Dal’she, Dal’she” (“Farther, Farther”), “Do Samogo Neba” (“Up To The Sky”), “Sestra Moya Noch” (“My Sister Night”). In 1994 the album “Sdelano V Belom” (“Made In White”) got Radio France International Grand Prix as “Best Pop And Rock Music In The East” and within the invitation of French radio “Alliance” participated in big concert of prize winners in Paris. In 1994 Inna Zhelannaya created her own team together with former participants of the “Alliance” – bass player Sergey “Grebstel” Kalachev, guitar player Igor Zhuravlev and of course Sergey Starostin. In 1995 her first CD “Vodorosl’ ” (“Alga”) appears. The album was highly appreciated by Russian press, musicians and audience and is still in demand. One of the songs “Tol’ko s toboy” (“Only With You”) was included in CD-compilation “One World” by "Putumayo World Music" along side with Peter Gabriel, Gypsy Kings, Bob Marley, Johnny Сlegg, Youssou'N'Dour, Angelique Kidjo and others. Supporting this album the band appears at One World Festival, Washington D.C., US, and also in NYC and some southern states. The high point of the US tour has become an appearance at the Olympic Games Opening Ceremony in Atlanta City. In October 1998 Green Wave Records (Moscow) released a CD “Inozemets” (“ The Farlander”), recorded in Holland. Later on this album was issued under license in the USA (by Shanachie company with the name “Inna And The Farlanders: "The Dream Of Endless Nights"). Since that the group took the name FARLANDERS and gave numerous concerts abroad. In the end of 1998 the group successfully played on one of the world largest forum of ethnic music Worldwide Music Expo (WOMEX) in Stockholm and got a great number of invitations from different countries. Since 1998 the group FARLANDERS took part in lots of the most prestigious festivals of ethnic, jazz, pop and rock music, played hundreds of concerts in Germany, UK, France, Spain, Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Finland, Switzerland, Austria, Serbia, Slovenia, Poland (including the concert of European stars on famous festival in Sopot), Czech Republic, Singapore, gave 20 concerts on well-known Edinburgh festival in Scotland). In 1999 the group visited the USA again within the new concert tour (Washington, New-York, Boston, Los-Angeles, San-Francisco). The telecasts and documentary films about the group started to be shoot, it’s concerts were aired by famous radio and TV companies, such as BBC (UK), ZDF, NDR, WDR, Radio Bremen (Germany), Radio France International (France), Radio Netherlands (Netherlands), Poland and Czech TV. Magnific articles and reviews were published by such editions as Rolling Stone, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Village Voice (USA), Scotsman, Herald (UK), Frankfurter Rundschau, Frankfurter Algemeine Zeitung (Germany), let alone numerious music magazines all over the world. Farlanders’ music got enthusiastic recall of such people as Piter Gabriel, Robert Fripp, Anderson Iann, Joe Boyd (one of the first Pink Floyd producers and very respected producer of ethnic music). The album “Inozemets” (“ The Farlander”) is listed among the best world music releases of 1998 and 1999 in World Music Charts Europe (according to the results of monthly research on European radio stations, held by European Broadcasting Union). The concert in Vupertale (Germany) in October 1999 was included by the magazine “Folk World” in top best world concerts of 1999. In 2000 Green Wave released its’ first concert album – “Moments”, recorded during the play in Bremen in fall of 1999. The same CD was simultaneously produced in Germany (Jaro). Ilja XMZ, founder of the band “MALARIA”, became its sound producer. Since 1998 he turned to be a constant sound producer of all band’s concerts and significantly improved the band’s sound on all concerts places from small clubs to many thousands open airs. In 2001 German JARO republished a CD, recorded in the begging of 90-s by the band “Alliance” together with Maria Boine, a Norwegian singer and “World Music” star. JARO’s copy is called “Winter In Moscow” (Mari Boine, Inna Zhelannaya, Sergey Starostin). In 2002 a new acoustical CD “Tantsy Teney” (“Dances of Shadows”) comes out (Inna Zhelannaya and Sergey “Grebstel” Kalachev) with execution by Kalachev and poems by Zhelannaya. In the end of 2003 a new studio album “Vymysly” (“Figments”) was recorded and was fully compiled of rock folklore versions. The album was issued by Green Wave in January 2004. In the end of 2004 Zhelannaya held a holiday concert, dedicated to band’s 10th anniversary. Famous Russian musicians took part in it: Aleksey Aygi (violin), Arkhadiy Shilkoper (French horn, flugelhorn, Alpine horn), Ivan Smirnov (acoustical guitar), Lev Slepner (marimba) and others. The concert place in Central Painter’s House in Moscow was too small for all comers and was overfilled. The concert was shoot and in 2006 was edited on DVD with the name “Inna Zhelannaya and Farlanders”. This anniversary concert became almost the last play of Farlanders – on Inna Zhelannaya dismissed the team. Later on they have gathered together only one – to take part in a Theatrical festival “GOLDENMASK” with Trey Gunn (King Crimson) on April, 2nd in 2005. In the fall 2006 Inna Zhelannaya started seeking for musicians for her new band and already in February 2007 the presentation of a new music project was presented in outstanding Moscow club “Apelsin” (“Orange”). The press told: “An amazing fusion of national folklore and trance with strong electronic sound was spread from the stage… Gorgeous music was hypnotizing, addicting and subjecting to trance…” The band was made of ace of aces. The rhythmic basement of the band was formed by two top-rank musicians – bass-player Sergey “Grebstel” Kalachev and drummer Andrey Romanika. In the concert album “Zima” (“Winter”), which appeared in 2008, virtuous passages of violinist Sergey Yakhushenko and electronic novelties of keyboard player Arkhadiy Marto were recorded. Since 2008 a new talented saxophonist Oleg Maryakhin joins the group instead of Marto and Yakhushenko who left the band and offers a whole arsenal of saxophones and electronic devices. The band of Inna Zhelannaya continues to work with folk materials, but none of the music specialists can attempt to determine the style of this music – it naturally combines the elements of progressive rock, jazz, psychedelic, trance and electronics.

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INNA Zhelannaya - vocal; SERGUEY "Grebstel" Kalachev aka Grebstel - bass, loop-station; OLEG Maryakhin - saxophones, trumpet; ALEXEY Tyazhelukhin - drums; VLADIMIR "Gubalance" Gubatov - sound.