Leléka - Kammerjazz

In the organizer's words:

It was a special moment. Burghausen in March 2018, Wackerhalle, LELÉKA took to the stage. The previous evening, the band had been crowned winners of the International Young Jazz Competition. Now they were able to prove that, beyond the fireworks of a short concert, the musicians were capable of captivating an audience in a large hall that did not yet know them. It was a triumph. Viktoria Leléka and her three fellow musicians succeeded in delighting the audience with songs that had their roots in Ukrainian folk music but their presence in modern jazz. Further competitions and successes soon followed, and so it became clear that the band, which had come together in Berlin in 2016 and had already shone as winners at the 6th Global Music Contest creole 2017 in Berlin, was claiming a place for itself in the European jazz scene.
However, jazz only partially captures the idea behind the music. It is the creative basis, rhythmically and formally based on improvisational freedom. Harmonically, however, there are chamber-jazz and folklore-like elements. In terms of melody, articulation and phrasing, Viktoria Leléka clearly and strikingly follows the folk music models of her Ukrainian homeland.
For her, it is the center of the music and that is what makes it so radiant. It is not a question of coloration, but of a connection between traditions, right down to the subtleties of emotion that her voice conveys beyond language. From the very beginning, bassist Thomas Kolarczyk and drummer Jakob Hegner have helped her to realize the concept, and pianist Povel Widestrand has also been part of the LELÉKA team since 2019 (which, by the way, means "stork" in German, a Ukrainian symbol for spring, happiness).
"And since our previous recordings were actually EPs rather than actual albums," Viktoria Leléka explains about the genesis of "Sonce u Serci" ("Sun in the Heart"), "including the sometimes very improvised result, we wanted to do everything right this time. I wrote a lot of arrangements, we rehearsed a lot. This allowed us to create pieces that reach further into the future". Some are about happiness and love, many draw directly on folk music or adapt its spirit. Current topics ranging from concern for nature to the Chornobyl memorial to human hubris are also part of the repertoire.
At its core, however, it is about confidence, musically, atmospherically, conveyed through the power of the melodies and the personalities who dedicate themselves to them. LELÉKA thus recommends itself as a band with a feeling for the nuances of everyday life that transcends sound cultures.

"This woman really is a phenomenon."
JazzThing

"A voice with aura and a bright, soft sound full of captivating natural power. The band's concert had very archaic and strong human messages to offer - and after the anti-war piece, the audience remained in breathless silence for 20 seconds. If music can do that, especially in a hall for over 1,000 listeners like the Wackerhalle in Burghausen, then it has its reasons."
BR Klassik

"Music that touches and gets under your skin; music that runs the entire gamut, from relaxed joy to devout silence and contemplation; music that brings together tradition and modernity."
Oberbayerisches Volksblatt

"The Berlin quartet Leléka, led by singer Viktoria Leléka, was the winner, transforming old folk songs from her native Ukraine into broad-based jazz in an amazingly coherent and fresh way, without losing the drama of the original material. Here, four highly talented musicians made music that clearly means a lot to them."
Süddeutsche Zeitung

Price information:

Tickets are available for 15/19 euros in advance at Culton Ticket and TixforGigs, B.O.: 19/25 euros. Advance booking runs until 17:00 on the day of the event, after that tickets are always on sale at the B.O.! +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++