Mama Diaspora vs Yuriy Gurzhy

Their style is unique, their beats are solid and groovy, their melodies and texts are moving

Mama Diaspora vs Yuriy Gurzhy is an international musical act, involving musicians who have their origins in diverse Ukrainian musical culture and arts. Their musical style is a international Band-Global Beat, World Fusion, Tropical, Balkano Moldavano-New Wave, Dub.

Mama Diaspora vs Yuriy Gurzhy is a relatively recent musical project as it is in existence for only three years, which has already created and published two musical EPs in 2010 and 2011 and has finalised a full studio album “DJ is Drunk” in 2011, featuring tracks “Secret Agent” and “Back in My Hometown” that became part of musical compilations in Ukraine, Italy and Germany. The musicians of Mama Diaspora – Ivan Derbastler (beats and grooves), Evgeniy Didyk (trumpet) and Igor Sakach (guitar, vocals and keyboards), as well as the vocal soul of the band, lyricist Yuriy Gurzhy, have an extensive performance experience from their other musical projects.

Influences and inspiration

History of the group and its composition

The Mama Diaspora started with artistic collaboration of Ivan Moskalenko (aka DJ Derbastler) and Igor Sakach (DJ Ingvo), having been formed in 2009 at a music festival in Belarus. Both Ivan and Igor have a profound background in music and performance experience.

Ivan Moskalenko (Derbastler) is well-known as a Ukrainian DJ, musician, music producer, Ukrainian club and rave pioneer, and a legend of the Ukrainian musical underground. He produced and mastered the earliest compilations of the Ukrainian electronic scene including, Torba Sound 95, Who is Next, SALEction 2000, Music for Space Lorry Drivers. Ivan was also musical director for the first rave Torba Partys 95-97, and founder of the underground projects Yarn and Radiodelo. He has played in the bands Shake Hi-Fi, Electrics, Foa Hoka. He is the co-creator of the Torba tapes, Sale! Rec, Thermos rec and Extra Estrada rec independent labels. Since 1995, Ivan Derbastler has authored the soundtracks for collections by clothing designer Lillia Pustovit, regularly taking part in Ukrainian Fashion Week since 1998. Ivan has participated in many international contemporary art forums: the Venice Biennale, Manifesta 5, the Palais des Festivals at Cannes, the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts, the Soros Centre for Contemporary Art in Kyiv, the Goethe Institute German Cultural Centre, the National Museum of Ukrainian Art, the Pinchuk Art Centre and at a number of international arts festivals. Ivan has closely collaborated with such groups as Gogol Bordello and its leader Eugene Hutz, RotFront and Yuriy Gurzhy, having produced remixes for the groups. Ivan’s influence on the musical style of Mama Diaspora’s works is essential.

Igor Sakach (Ingvo), born in Novy Sad, Serbia, has played in such groups as Broigel, and after having graduated from the Ukrainian National Academy of Arts in Kyiv, from a class of double-bass, started being active on Ukrainian electronic music scene since 1995, playing jazzy house, deep and funky house tracks. He collaborated with a number of Ukrainian jazz musicians, including Milosh Jelic of Okean Elzy on a Digital Balkan project, "Balkan Groove System" featuring Yuliya Lord and a Ukrainian folk group Bozhychi. He also collaborated as a keyboard player, DJ and stage producer with Stereoliza musical group. Igor has a major influence on composing, arrangements and musical production of the Mama’s records, performing on guitar, keyboards and as a vocalist himself.

In March 2010 the group was joined by Evgeniy Didyk, a trumpet player with extensive experience, diverse musical interests and a solid artistic background. Evgeniy is originally from Moldova, where he studied at the Chisinau musical conservatory, having graduated from a class of jazz and classical trumpet. He started his career by playing in Kuibul musical group and in 1999 he joined Zdob si Zdub, having contributed to recordings of the song well-known to every person on post-Soviet territory - “Having seen the night” («Видели ночь») by Kino. Later on he collaborated with Ruslana and Free National Band, having taken part part in the recording of Ruslana’s “Wild Dances” album (Eurovision song contest winner in 2005). In 2006 he recorded songs with the French group Red Cardell and Bacя Club. He also closely collaborated with Ukrainian folk pop group Sontsekliosh and participated in the Haydamaky musical group, working on their three albums. Evgeniy’s input into Mama Diaspora’s sexy jazzy sound gives a unique feel for the music of the group, creating unbelievable emotions and warmest sensations from the smooth trumpet jazzy sound.

Yuriy Gurzhy, a vocal soul of Mama Diaspora, became a part of the musical act in 2010. He originates from Berlin’s musical scene, coming there in 1995 from Kharkiv independent non-commercial music environment. Since his arrival to Germany he was involved in DJ-ing, playing and composing music. His creations were Russendisko, with a well-known writer and a close friend Vladimir Kaminer. Recently Yuriy became more known as the leader for energetic ROTFRONT Emigrantski Raggamuffin Kollektiv, started in 2003 by Yuriy and Simon Wahorn uniting musicians of five different nationalities. The group was declared to be the best world music act in Germany in 2009. As a DJ and producer, he did remixes for Amsterdam Klezmer Band and wrote songs for Shantel, including for the Shantel’s albums "Disko Partizani" and “Planet Paprika”. He worked on creating several musical compilations for such well-known labels as Trikont Records and Russendisko Records, being a director of the last one. For Trikont he did a compilation of "Funky Jewish Sounds from Around the World", within the framework of a project Shtetl Superstars, and another more recent compilation in 2010 called “Revolution Disco”. He has been an originator of charming and unforgettable poetry for Mama Diaspora and his contribution to its music cannot be underestimated.

Date of release of an album "DJ is Drunk": 2011

Genre: Global beats, electronic world fusion, eastern nu cumbia, balcanomoldavano, new wave, dub

Yuriy Gurzhy: Singer, Lyricist

Igor (DJ Ingvo) Sakach: Singer, Guitarist, Bassist, Groove-Maker, Producer

Ivan (DJ DerBastler) Moskalenko: Groove-Maker, DJ, Producer

Evgeniy Didyk: Trumpet player

International band

Label: extra-estrada.com

Management and booking: PK Pushkar (extra-estrada.com at e-mail: extra-estrada@smatsch.net)

Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/MAMADIASPORA?sk=info):

Myspace page: www.myspace.com/mmdiaspora

Soundcloud page: Soundcloud.com/mama-diaspora