Interviews

Myroslav Levytsky gives us emotions through the album Elegant Dualism

Myroslav Levytsky is born on 26 January 1963 in Chernivtsi, Ukraine. He is a pianist, composer, producer and unchanged leader of the Ukrainian jazz-rock group Braty Bluzu. From 1974 through 1980 Levytsky studies piano at both the Kalush music studio and music school. While neither of his parents were musicians “but they always had a sentiment to music”.

I began doing music from early childhood, I always liked that. My love for music started while playing the piano, and my first song which I decided to show to the audience  was  “Just a moment“, that I wrote when I was 21 years old. Since then I include it in my repertoire in every show.

We all know that your newest album  “Elegant Dualism”  turned out great, what can you tell us more about it?

The making of the album started in October 2014, Vienna at “Bizzy Man Studio” with the help of my longtime friend, guitarist from Holland Ransom Newland. “Elegant Dualism” is a result of the hard work Ransom did with weeks, and the creativity we had in the studio. This album is an acoustic duo – piano and guitar. It’s a mix of  jazz, acoustic, rock, psychedelic rock and it has an Ukrainian touch. “Elegant Dualism” was released at the beginning of 2015 by the Austrian publishing house  “Jive Music“. The album contains four of my songs and 3 songs of Ransom.

This album came in a period which was full with sadness and misfortune for Myroslav, so we asked him what was the real inspiration to him for this album.

The music for the album was written in a very difficult and dramatic period for me. A series of tragic events hit me. In March 2013 on the oncology clinic in New  York died bass-guitarist in Braty Bluzu, Andrei Melnik, with whom I played in a band for 20 years. In October 2013, my father died. Then in Ukraine started very dramatic events. The songs from the album “Soundtrock to my life“, “Orange Evolution“, “European Peace” were written in 2014 under the impression of what was happening with me. The music from this album is a cocktail of complex human emotions.

Everyone has their favourite musician, that inspires them, both as a person and an artist. Levytsky is guided by many music legends, that are very inspirational.

I am inspired from a number of musicians like Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, Rachmaninov, Sting, Peter Gabriel, Keith Jarrett, Oscar Piterson, Dave Grusin, Enio Morikone, ABBA, Tchaikovsky, Herbie Hancock, Schubert, Schumann, Garbarek, and I love the musicians who hit you right in the heart.

For Myroslav is also important for musicians to be original, to do their own music and do it with love.

I think that’s very important to have your playing style, your manner, your notes, to try to be yourself, no matter what kind of music are you presenting.

We all have dreams of our own, so does Myroslav, his dream is to play a concert at the award ceremony of Nobel Prize laureates at Stockholm. In front of my close family and friends. Levytsky does not waste any time, he is already working on a new album, that we now it will be heart melting as the last one.