Expanding Horizons with Crimean Tatar Music
KHAYAT is a Ukrainian artist and songwriter who performs in the folktronica genre. He combines ethnic vocals with electronic music. He dedicated 10 years of his creative life to playing the accordion. Also, he was a finalist in the Ukrainian TV contest “The Voice”. In 2020, he finished in second place in the Ukrainian music competition Vidbir, the winner of which would represent Ukraine in the Eurovision Song Contest.
Creator: Oleksandr Ostapchuk
Jamala’s music blends soul, jazz, electronica, and pop genres beautifully. Her sound and live performances are the hallmarks of Ukraine’s contemporary music scene. Her triumph in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2016 once again solidified this position. Seven studio albums, numerous EPs, and singles inspired her personal feelings and experiences.
Creator: Valentyn Kuzan
Usein Rіzaiovych Bekirov is a pianist, keyboardist, violinist, composer, arranger, and bandleader. A graduate of the Petro Tchaikovsky National Music Academy of Ukraine, he experiments mainly with jazz fusion, funk, and ethno-jazz styles. Crimean Tatar, Ukrainian, Azerbaijani, and Balkan folk music heavily influenced his original compositions. In the early 1990s, Bekirov’s family returned from Fergana, Uzbekistan, to their homeland in Crimea, Ukraine.
In 1997, Bekirov started performing with many established jazz musicians and participated in several international jazz festivals, demonstrating his ability to work with a variety of musicians and bands. In 2016, Bekirov released his debut album, taterrium. IIn 2019, Bekirov recorded his second album, 'Inspiration,' in which he compiled a concert for piano with an orchestra, 10 miniatures for a symphonic orchestra, and 10 jazz etudes for piano, alongside the numerous jazz compositions it contains.
European jazz festivals:
HanseStadtFest, Frankfurt, Germany
Krakov Jazz, Poland
Jazz na Odra, Poland
Jazz festivals in Ukraine:
Alfa Jazz Fest
Chernihiv Jazz Open
Jazzdilizhans
Jazz Bez
Kyiv Open Air
Jazz Kolo
Koktebel Jazz Fest
Source: Usein Bekirov's personal website
Balich specialises in jazz-rock, soul-jazz, folk-rock, classical-pop, and rhythm-and-blues-folk-jazz, and has been awarded prizes at various international jazz festivals. The singer’s repertoire includes classical jazz, Latin jazz and ethno-jazz compositions.
Creator: Ernest Kurtveliev
In the Crimean Tatar music project "Yuşan Zillya", Ukrainian folk songs meet poems by the Turkish lyricist Aşık Veysel. Experience the virtuoso performers Djemil Karikov, Nial Khalilova and Natalia Rybka Parkhomenko with saz, cello and vocals.
