Chervona
Encyclopedia
Chervona is a multi-ethnic, Russia
n and Eastern European-inspired band from Portland, Oregon
, that formed in 2006. They have become known for their old world
-inspired music and their highly energetic live shows.
Much of the band's repertoire consists of revamped classics of Russian folk songs as well as klezmer
songs from the Black Sea
region of Odessa
. The band also incorporates many original compositions into its live performances.
, Chervona quickly gained the attention of the Portland music scene and has since surpassed Miru Mir! in popularity and commercial success.
Miru Mir!, itself a side project of a now-defunct band, Starbugs, was founded by Andre Temkin, who came to Portland, OR in 1995 after reading an article that voted Portland Best American City. Among his major influences he lists Lou Reed
and The Beatles
, of which only bootleg
recordings were available in his native St. Petersburg, Russia.
Temkin met Roman Tchamsky and Andrew Alikhanov, both also Russian immigrants, in Portland and established various musical connections with the two. Tchamsky first played bass guitar for Miru Mir! and, after Chervona was founded, played tuba, which he learned during his time in the Russian army. Alikhanov, a former roommate of Temkin's, lent his clarinet to the group while maintaining a roster of other local projects, many of which he still plays with today. In 2007 Anton Van Oosbree substituted for the group's original accordion player, Vince Schmidt, on a number of gigs, but later became a full-time member after Schmidt moved to New Orleans, LA to pursue other musical endeavors. Around the same time as Van Oosbree's inception, Dan Marquis started to play drums along side Thomas de Almeida, giving the band greater scheduling flexibility and allowing the group to perform as a marching ensemble, albeit one with a vastly minimized drumline
. Marquis has since left the group for his native Indianapolis, IN. In an effort to round out the band's sound Adam Schneider also joined the group in 2007 and remains at the center of the group's horn section on trombone
. In 2009 Olimpia Trusty joined the band to further supplement the band's sound with violin
.
The band remains self-managed and has yet to sign to a label
.
Haiti
suffered in January 2010, Chervona participated in the Portland-based Groove Movement charity event to help raise over $4,000 in relief funds. The group has also donated its time by performing at bicycle events including the Multnomah County Bike Fair and Zoobomb's
Mini Bike Winter.
In April 2011 the group organized and headlined a "Help Japan!" benefit event, which raised over $1600 in Red Cross donations to help victims of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
.
' Bones and Brew Festival, Walking Man Brewery's Hoptoberfest and BridgePort Brewing Company
's Hop Czar release party.
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n and Eastern European-inspired band from Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, that formed in 2006. They have become known for their old world
Old World
The Old World consists of those parts of the world known to classical antiquity and the European Middle Ages. It is used in the context of, and contrast with, the "New World" ....
-inspired music and their highly energetic live shows.
Much of the band's repertoire consists of revamped classics of Russian folk songs as well as klezmer
Klezmer
Klezmer is a musical tradition of the Ashkenazic Jews of Eastern Europe. Played by professional musicians called klezmorim, the genre originally consisted largely of dance tunes and instrumental display pieces for weddings and other celebrations...
songs from the Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
region of Odessa
Odessa
Odessa or Odesa is the administrative center of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major seaport located on the northwest shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 .The predecessor of Odessa, a small Tatar settlement,...
. The band also incorporates many original compositions into its live performances.
History and influences
Chervona started as a side project of Miru Mir!, a multi-cultural rock/punk band known for its raucous energy and its "high-energy blend of bohemian bombast and international intrigue." After a number of initial appearances alongside well-established acts in the genre, such as Manu ChaoManu Chao
Manu Chao , is a French singer of Spanish roots . He sings in French, Spanish, English, Italian, Galician, Arabic and Portuguese and occasionally in other languages...
, Chervona quickly gained the attention of the Portland music scene and has since surpassed Miru Mir! in popularity and commercial success.
Miru Mir!, itself a side project of a now-defunct band, Starbugs, was founded by Andre Temkin, who came to Portland, OR in 1995 after reading an article that voted Portland Best American City. Among his major influences he lists Lou Reed
Lou Reed
Lewis Allan "Lou" Reed is an American rock musician, songwriter, and photographer. He is best known as guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter of The Velvet Underground, and for his successful solo career, which has spanned several decades...
and The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, of which only bootleg
Bootleg recording
A bootleg recording is an audio or video recording of a performance that was not officially released by the artist or under other legal authority. The process of making and distributing such recordings is known as bootlegging...
recordings were available in his native St. Petersburg, Russia.
Temkin met Roman Tchamsky and Andrew Alikhanov, both also Russian immigrants, in Portland and established various musical connections with the two. Tchamsky first played bass guitar for Miru Mir! and, after Chervona was founded, played tuba, which he learned during his time in the Russian army. Alikhanov, a former roommate of Temkin's, lent his clarinet to the group while maintaining a roster of other local projects, many of which he still plays with today. In 2007 Anton Van Oosbree substituted for the group's original accordion player, Vince Schmidt, on a number of gigs, but later became a full-time member after Schmidt moved to New Orleans, LA to pursue other musical endeavors. Around the same time as Van Oosbree's inception, Dan Marquis started to play drums along side Thomas de Almeida, giving the band greater scheduling flexibility and allowing the group to perform as a marching ensemble, albeit one with a vastly minimized drumline
Drumline
A drumline is a section of percussion instruments usually played as part of a musical marching ensemble. High school and college marching bands, drill and drum corps, drum and bugle corps, indoor percussion ensembles, and pipe bands usually incorporate drumlines; however, drumlines can exist...
. Marquis has since left the group for his native Indianapolis, IN. In an effort to round out the band's sound Adam Schneider also joined the group in 2007 and remains at the center of the group's horn section on trombone
Trombone
The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
. In 2009 Olimpia Trusty joined the band to further supplement the band's sound with violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
.
The band remains self-managed and has yet to sign to a label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
.
Current members
- Andre Temkin (vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, acoustic guitar) - RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects... - Roman Tchamsky (bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, tubaTubaThe tuba is the largest and lowest-pitched brass instrument. Sound is produced by vibrating or "buzzing" the lips into a large cupped mouthpiece. It is one of the most recent additions to the modern symphony orchestra, first appearing in the mid-19th century, when it largely replaced the...
, backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
) - RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects... - Andrew Alikhanov (clarinetClarinetThe clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
, backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
) - RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects... - Thomas de Almeida (drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
) - BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people... - Anton Van Oosbree (accordionAccordionThe accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
, trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
, backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
) - GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... - Adam Schneider (tromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
, backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
) - US Virgin Islands - Olimpia Trusty (violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
, backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
) - PolandPolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
Auxiliary members
- Alma Laskoniene (graphic designGraphic designGraphic design is a creative process – most often involving a client and a designer and usually completed in conjunction with producers of form – undertaken in order to convey a specific message to a targeted audience...
, promotionsPromotion (marketing)Promotion is one of the four elements of marketing mix . It is the communication link between sellers and buyers for the purpose of influencing, informing, or persuading a potential buyer's purchasing decision....
) - Molly Pettit (sound engineering)
Former members
- Dan Marquis (drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
) - Vince Schmidt (accordionAccordionThe accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
) - Ted Ochoa (trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
)
Festival appearances
- Bite of Oregon (Portland, OR)
- Slavic Festival (Eugene, OR)
- Burning Man'sBurning ManBurning Man is a week-long annual event held in the Black Rock Desert in northern Nevada, in the United States. The event starts on the Monday before the American Labor Day holiday, and ends on the holiday itself. It takes its name from the ritual burning of a large wooden effigy on Saturday evening...
Burnal Equinox (San Francisco, CA) - Red Marines (Palo Alto, CA)
- NW Folklife (Seattle, WA)
- PDX Pop Now!PDX Pop Now!PDX Pop Now! is both a local annual music festival held in Portland, Oregon, and the non-profit music education organization that organizes and promotes the event...
(Portland, OR) - Victoria Ska FestVictoria Ska FestThe Victoria Ska Fest is a music festival that takes place every summer in Victoria British Columbia, Canada. The festival is organized and executed by the Victoria BC Ska Society and an army of volunteers...
(Victoria, BC) - Under the VolcanoUnder the Volcano FestivalUnder The Volcano Festival Of Art & Social Change was an activist, grassroots gathering held at Whey-Ah-Wichen Cates Park on the traditional territory of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation in North Vancouver, BC in August. Under the Volcano was Canada's largest political arts festival and was 100% volunteer...
(North Vancouver, BC) - Arts Festival in the Forest (West Linn, OR)
- Polish Festival (Portland, OR)
- Portland Pirate Festival
Chervona in the press
- PDXposed TV segment Chervona on PDXposed
- Immigrant Revolution Party 2009 The Oregonian: Entertainment
Awards and recognitions
- Band of the Month, The Deli: Portland
- Best New Band 2009, nomination
- Best of 2010 Fans' Poll, The Deli: Portland
Charity and community appearances
In response to the devastating earthquakeEarthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
suffered in January 2010, Chervona participated in the Portland-based Groove Movement charity event to help raise over $4,000 in relief funds. The group has also donated its time by performing at bicycle events including the Multnomah County Bike Fair and Zoobomb's
Zoobomb
Zoobomb is a weekly bicycling activity in Portland, Oregon, United States during which participants ride bicycles rapidly downhill in the city's West Hills. Zoobomb began in 2002....
Mini Bike Winter.
In April 2011 the group organized and headlined a "Help Japan!" benefit event, which raised over $1600 in Red Cross donations to help victims of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
The 2011 earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tohoku, also known as the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, or the Great East Japan Earthquake, was a magnitude 9.0 undersea megathrust earthquake off the coast of Japan that occurred at 14:46 JST on Friday, 11 March 2011, with the epicenter approximately east...
.
Trivia
Chervona has performed at a number of beer-related events, including Rogue AlesRogue Ales
Rogue Ales is an American craft brewery founded in 1988 in Ashland, Oregon. The following year the company opened their second brewpub in Newport, Oregon where they are now headquartered. They operate brewpubs in Oregon, Washington, and California. Rogue exports throughout the US and internationally...
' Bones and Brew Festival, Walking Man Brewery's Hoptoberfest and BridgePort Brewing Company
BridgePort Brewing Company
BridgePort Brewing Company is an American brewery located in Portland, Oregon.-History:BridgePort was founded in 1984 by local winemakers Richard and Nancy Ponzi, and the brewery claims in their trademark to be "Oregon's Oldest Craft Brewery". The initial brewing facility, the Columbia River...
's Hop Czar release party.