Category: News

The best-known Latvian jazzfunk band Very Cool People released a live album Woodstock’s Renaissance dedicated to the heydays of Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and The Doors. It was made together with Latvian pop singer Aija Andrejeva.

The concept of Woodstock’s Renaissance was born in 2020, when Very Cool People together with Aija Andrejeva performed at the international improvisation, jazz and global music festival Rīgas Ritmi. A concert program dedicated to Janis Joplin was presented there. It was later supplemented with songs by Jimi Hendrix and The Doors and became Woodstock’s Renaissance.

The new program was presented in April 2022 in the theater of Liepāja, a coastal town in Latvia. The recording of this album was also made there. The program has already been performed in many powerful concerts both in Latvia and abroad.

“Very Cool People are the real music hooligans with whom to realize a program like Woodstock’s Renaissance”, says singer Aija Andrejeva. “I feel like a fish in water with this band, because it is such a good hooliganism in combination with high professionalism, enormous work capacity and also unfathomable love for stage and studio work.”

Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and Jim Morrison have made an indelible impact on 20th and 21st century music – rock, jazz, even contemporary music. Therefore, the new program is not only entertaining, but also educational. With its help, younger listeners are getting to know legendary compositions, but older ones – remembering youth and, yes, the sex revolution!

The band members Elvijs Grafcovs, Māris Jēkabsons and Andris Buiķis has created a contemporary and exciting arrangements of songs by Joplin, Hendrix and Morrison for their jazz-funk octet together with the singer Aija Andrejeva who also has a strong emotional connection with the performed songs.

“Janis Joplin was a prill, an absolute person of senses, wrong in everything she did, because she did it with her heart and against the system”, says Aija. “When I was a little girl, I started to listen to Janis and fell in love with her, her voice and her personality. Thanks to Janis, I realized how unimportant really external image is, because music and story speaks above all else.”

Very Cool People are: Oskars Ozoliņš – trumpet, Māris Jēkabsons – tenor saxophone, Laura Rozenberga – trombone, Kristaps Lubovs – baritone saxophone, Elvijs Grafcovs – guitar, Māris Vitkus – keyboards, Jānis Olekšs – bass, Andris Buiķis – drums.

In the Woodstock’s Renaissance concert program, the group’s trombonist Laura Rozenberga also presents herself as another solo vocalist, while additional vocals were sung by Zane Biķe and Antra Krūmiņa. The album’s bonus track Mercedes Benz was recorded at a concert in the Latvian town of Sigulda, and Roberts Martini played the tenor saxophone in this track.

The new album was produced by Elvijs Grafcovs, mixed by Artūrs Sedriks Sinkevičs and mastered by Jānis Kalve from Labo Ierakstu Studio. It can be heard on major music streaming services and is also released in CD format, designed by Mārtiņš Legzdiņš.

Rock trio B OPTIMIST is going on a series of concerts in support of their latest album „GAITEŅI”. These concerts will also mark their 10th anniversary as a band. In the current setlist, the group will offer energetic rock music, performing songs from the new album, as well as the best material released so far.

On February 4, B OPTIMIST will perform in Liepāja, at the Fontaine Palace club, on February 11, they will visit Limbaži, at Music Bar Limbizkvīts, and on February 18, the group will play in Riga, Tallinas kvartāla Angārs.

Album „GAITEŅI” on Spotify

The band got together for the first rehearsals ten years ago, and after the first decade, they are grateful to everyone who follows and supports the group every step of the way.

On December 6, 2022, the rock trio published their fifth studio album “GAITEŅI”, which includes 11 original songs created in the last two years. From December 6, the album is available on the most popular streaming platforms.

In 2022, both the song “Akvareļos” and “Tie būsim mēs” were in third place on Radio NABA Latvia’s Top 10. “Akvareļos” was also included in Radio NABA’s top 100 most popular songs of 2022. The song “Nāku katru nakti” was on Kurzemes Radio 2020 top fifteen best Latvian songs. In the fall of 2020, the song “Kaut nedaudz kā tu” was in first place on Radio NABA Latvia’s Top 10.

B OPTIMIST play energetic and emotional rock music in Latvian since 2013. B OPTIMIST are Valters Levins on vocals and guitar, Linards Liepa on bass guitar and backing vocals, and Roberts Levins on drums. Their music is available on Spotify, Bandcamp, iTunes, Youtube, etc.

Eclectic rock band Dani Ryan from Riga have released WORLD – a new single from the upcoming third album.

Without further ado the band hands their newest song to the audience. The animated music video was made by the band’s guitarist and vocalist Daniil Ravinsky. The self-produced record was done by Daniil, Jānis Zariņš (drums) and Angelina Volkova (bass). The song is the first message from the newest album – “Songs of Comfort for Every Day” that will be presented to the wider audience on the 25th of March. The band also plans to do a presentation gig, the date for which will be announced in the social media: @daniryanmusic / daniryan.lv.

The synth-rock project Dani Ryan that was created by Daniil Ravinsky after the release of debut album “Open” (2019) has since turned into an actual rock band. After the experimental second album “Party!” (2020), Daniil Ravinsky (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Jānis Zariņš (bungas) and Angelina Volkova (bass) recorded a concert album called “Performance” that captures the band’s energetic multimedia live shows. “Radio Anna”, “Exciter” and “Meloman” are among the favorite songs of Dani Ryan fans. Thanks to active listeners, “Radio Anna” got into the TOP3 songs of Radio NABA and was often on air. Dani Ryan are keen on doing everything by themselves with a low to none budget. That includes the band’s new material that will be introduced to the audience this spring.

Aivo Oskis releases a music video for “Balti meli,” which is featured on his debut album “Suvenīrs”. The single’s lyric and music writers are Kaspars Ansons, Ilze Fārte, and Aivo Oskis. The song emphasizes the necessity of communication, openness, and respect for one another as well as the thin line between white lies and very hurtful lies.

A new song “Atkārtot vēl” was released by the producer association “YDJ”. The song was made in cooperation with the group “100. debija” member and composer Modris Skaistkalns, but the song was sung by Alice Haijima.

After a break of several years, the group Sudden Lights have released a song in English with the Latvian title “Aijā”. The song fuses the anxiety surrounding us with a soothing lullaby. “Aijā” was written last summer as the group’s response to the events going in the world, so it is a lullaby for ourselves and a raging world.

“Aijā” is among the songs taking part in the Supernova competition, whose winner will be awarded the right to represent Latvia at Eurovision.

“”Aijā” is a lullaby. And, in my opinion, the lullaby is the most beautiful and loving form of music. Witnessing the dark events in the world and people’s lives ruined by evil, we could not remain indifferent. That’s how the song came to be performed in English – it is our attempt to comfort everybody who is hurt by the events going on around us. The title of the song is in our native language – synonymous with the mood of a Latvian folk song – and is a word that’s impossible to translate,” says Sudden Lights soloist Andrejs Reinis Zitmanis, explaining the song’s meaning.

The song is accompanied by a video directed by Tom Harjo. Explaining the idea for the video, he says: “Based on the song’s musical message about anxiety and yearning for peace, visually we addressed the relationship between people and their fears. The fear of fear often turns out to be more frightening than the thing we fear. If we can learn to accept our fears and live with them, then we can realize that their main job is to protect us.”

Well, known Latvian music artist Ieva Kerevica has come out with a brand new music album “Romance”. The album has come to life together with label company Musica Baltica. This is the third solo album from the artist. The first was “Heritage” Vol.1(2020) with Latvian folklore arrangement, followed by the album “Centerwise: (2020) which consists of world music. Latest one is “Romance” (2023), and it’s her own original music album.

Ieva is a wide-profile artist, with an active career in a few Latvian theatres where she works as a vocal teacher with actors, singers, and other professionals.

In 2022 she was taking part in the world music festival “Porta” with her second album “Centerwise”.

The last album “Romance” has come to daylight from being inspired by close people’s stories and from her own life experiences. Love towards pop jazz, soul music, blues, and guitar music has put a beautiful cherry on top to finish this album and bring it to the listeners.
This wouldn’t have happened without the amazing and well-known team from the Latvian Jazz field and instrumental artists.
Madars Kalnins (Piano)
Norberts Skraucis (Contrabass)
Artis Orubs  (Drums)
Janis Kalnins (Guitar)
Atis Zviedris (Vocal Guest Artist)

Reinis Karklins (Sound Designer)
Record Studio ” AlejaRecords”

Pure gratitude goes towards KKF (Latvian Culture Capital Fonds) for support and involvement in this project.

Indie artist Jannsi (Jānis Uplejs) has released a five-song EP titled “For the Underdog”. The songs feature elements of indie rock, pop, and rap.

Jannsi is a 29-year-old graphic designer and pastor of an inclusive church in his daily life, and the EP is a reflection of his experience. “These songs are a reminder that life is full of different experiences, and it is important to find the strength not to get lost in it,” says Jannsi.

The mini-album starts with “(Not Made For) Life Alone”, an energetic indie anthem about a person’s need for others. “For the Underdog” is an encouragement for the marginalized not to be afraid and to resist societal pressure. “Don’t Look Back” is an encouragement to move forward even if others don’t understand it, while “Like You Always Do” is a song about unhappy love that Jannsi wrote back in high school. The mini-album ends with the song “Every Tear Will Dry” – a dedication to a friend who was lost to suicide.

Jannsi considers Twenty One Pilots, Shipsea, Laika Suns, Mike Shinoda, The White Stripes, and Nothing But Thieves to be his most important musical influences. He has previously released three singles and one EP.

The mini-album was recorded by Jannsi himself in his home studio, and the mixing and mastering of the song “Don’t Look Back” was done by Jānis Locs. “For the Underdog” is available on all popular music streaming services.

After two powerful releases on Josh Wink’s Ovum Recordings Taran & Lomov are back to their home label Amber Muse. They deliver a collaborative EP recorded with Latvian artist Agat, with a remix by techno producer Ksenia Kamikaza. The EP has a dark and abstract vibe that blends a dystopian atmosphere and raw percussion with analog synths.

“Lost Memories” is the first of the two originals, and it opens the release with stuttered vocals and a throbbing bassline that’s rich with sub-bass. Ksenia Kamikaza’s remix of “Lost Memories” is next on the release and it’s a brutal rework with heavy industrial percussion and tantalizing suspense. “Raum” is the second of the two originals, and it closes the EP with its blend of rattling percussion layered with spine-tingling synth pads.

The release is out now via Amber Muse records and is available from main online stores and streaming platforms.