MOVA

“Only Once Does Love Bloom”: MOVA and Albert Tsukrenko — A Birthday Concert Honoring Volodymyr Ivasiuk

Did you know that Ukrainian funk of the 1970s is just as driving and energetic as Western hits of that era? On March 5, the band MOVA and Albert Tsukrenko invite you to a festive concert celebrating the birthday of Volodymyr Ivasiuk, where legendary melodies of the 1970s will be given new life.

What to expect?
Funky grooves, live signature performances, iconic Ivasiuk songs, and the emotional spirit of the Ukrainian 1970s.

The First Performers of Ivasiuk’s Songs

Volodymyr Ivasiuk is the author of more than 150 songs, including the legendary hits “Chervona Ruta,” “Vodohrai,”and “Only Once Does Love Bloom.” He is considered one of the founders of Ukrainian pop music.

One of the first performers of Ivasiuk’s songs was Lidiya Vidash, whom the composer entrusted with the premiere performances of “I Will Go to the Distant Mountains,” “A Mountain Fairy Tale,” “Echo of Your Steps,” and “Chestnut Trees.”

Sofia Rotaru played a key role in the stage life of Ivasiuk’s songs. Performing his works became decisive for her creative breakthrough.

Nazariy Yaremchuk and Vasyl Zinkevych shaped the sound of Ukrainian pop music in the 1970s. Together with them, Volodymyr Ivasiuk performed “Chervona Ruta” — a song that made his name known throughout the country and became a symbol of a new Ukrainian pop era.

“Mustached Funk”

Ukrainian “mustached funk,” though born under Soviet censorship, fully resonated with global musical trends while retaining a distinctive Ukrainian character. Syncopated, “springy” rhythms typical of Western Ukrainian music harmonized naturally with the groove of world funk. For ensembles such as Kobza, Smerichka, Arnika, Vodohrai, and Berezen, funk was not an imitation but a natural continuation of their own tradition. This very sound will form the basis of the concert program.

Concert Program

MOVA and Tsukrenko will showcase the broad palette of that era. Albert Tsukrenko — an eccentric host and a profound researcher of Ukrainian pop music — will talk about the history behind the songs and present rare archival video and audio recordings, helping the audience immerse themselves deeply in the 1970s.

The stage will feature both well-known Ivasiuk hits such as “Spring Has Its Own Fate,” “Invite Me into Your Dreams,”and “The Song Will Be Between Us,” as well as lesser-known funky tracks from the 1970s that reveal a wider musical picture of the era. Performed by MOVA, these retro songs will sound in arrangements that максимально recreate the original compositions. Guest musicians will join the quartet on stage.

Performing for You

MOVA Band:

• Olha Stetsenko — vocals, guitar

• Marian Karpinskyi — bass guitar

• Ivan Korop — guitar

• Andrii Yuskevych — drums

Also featuring:

• Yevhenii Dubovyk — keyboards

• Ihor Boichuk — trumpet

• Nazar Vachevskyi — saxophone

We invite you to celebrate Ivasiuk’s birthday anniversary together with an atmospheric musical evening. The memory of his songs lives on in the hearts of several generations. Become part of this night to discover new facets of beloved melodies!

When: March 5, 6:30 PM
Where: Caribbean Club (Kyiv, 4 Symona Petliury St.)

About the Artists

Albert Tsukrenko is a music journalist, musician, and member of the band Khamerman Znyshchuie Virusy. He is the author and host of the UNZIP podcast, which dives into the archives of Ukrainian music from the 1960s–80s. Together with guests, Tsukrenko listens to songs from the Ukrainian Radio archives and searches for answers to questions of musical identity.

MOVA explores and performs songs from the golden fund of Ukrainian pop music of the 1960s–80s. The band recreates compositions as close to the originals as possible (“Kazka,” “Maybe I Imagined You”), as well as offering bold original arrangements (for example, “Chervona Ruta” in acid jazz style in 5/8, or “My Kyiv” in rhythm & blues). MOVA is an acronym formed from the names of the band’s founders.

Yevhenii Dubovyk (keyboards)
Composer, pianist, session musician. He writes music for his own jazz composer project Yevhenii Dubovyk, within which he has released eight instrumental singles and a piano mini-album. He collaborates with artists and projects such as Ziferblat, Jamala, Jerry Heil, Obiymy Doschu, Stas Koroliov, VikaVishnya, Dno, Moann, Anton Slipakov, Kinnota, MUR, Maria Lui, MOVA, and others.

Ihor Boichuk (trumpet)
Winner of All-Ukrainian competitions and artist of the National Presidential Orchestra. He has collaborated with leading academic ensembles and orchestras, including NOVA OPERA and Opera aperta, and is a regular participant in pop-jazz, pop, rock, and Latin projects.

Nazar Vachevskyi (saxophone)
Works with various artists and projects, including Special Kiss (The Hardkiss), The Maneken, Blooms Corda, Holos Krainy (The Voice of the Country), and Aniko Dolidze Big Band. As a session musician, he also participates in numerous television projects.