From The World Wide Reference Book of The Nation’s Treasures, Europeana, 2008, the virtual edition:"Haydamaky set the new European trend in the Ukrainian music. The band has its own alternative identity, genuine base of Ukrainian folk music and distinct social message formed by high level professional musicians. It is an intellectual ethno-system, an example of bright world music culture with elements of modern Cossack rock, dub, punk, reggae, ska and antique treasures of the Ukrainian and Balkan music.
The band was formed in the times of world-changing events and the emergence of the Ukrainian national consciousness. Haydamaky soon left the underground stage, but instead of merging with the Ukrainian music elite or playing for the diaspora, they went further on to gain Europe's favor. Haydamaky’s audience grew from random passers-by in the streets of Berlin to crowds counted in thousands at world’s largest music festivals such as Lowlands, Mundial, and Przystanek Woodstock. The band’s albums are released in Ukraine, England, Poland, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Russia by EMI, one of the four majors, and WOMEX Top Label award winning EASTBLOCK, Germany. Their concert activity spreads from the Black Sea to the Norwegian Sea covering Baltic and Roman-Germanic countries, bringing together the minds and ideas of people from all over the world."
FORMATION
Haydamaky lineup as well as its style and philosophy were formed in February 1991 by the students of Kyiv Polytechnic Institute. Over the first two years of its activity the new band then known as Aktus recorded two albums, changed its lineup and a vocalist twice, and moved on from trumpet and flute blues to classic art rock. Later on, Ruslan Ovras, drums, was joined by his fellow student Volodymyr Sherstyuk, bass-guitar, to form a permanent rhythm section in the band.
In 1993 a new member joined the group and completely changed its outlook. Oleksandr Iarmola had previously sung in folk choirs, played sopilka and Ukrainian percussion instruments. Headed by the new progressive front man and noticeably influenced by the Irish folk tunes, the band released a new album entitled Ranok (The Morning) and prepared concert in seven different languages. In 1995 the band was awarded a prize at Chervona Ruta festival. A year after that Haydamaky’s style was again changed as Ivan Lenyo, accordion, became member of the band. In search of fresh alternative, they turned to the sounds of reggae, ska, punk and by mixing different cultures presented their own style comprising elements of the Ukrainian folk music. It was not only the sounding that attracted Haydamaky in these genres, but also the political effect they had on the society as well as the fact that significant social changes could be achieved with the help of music. Touring around Europe the band recorded another album called No One Comprehends, which was released in 1998 by KOKA label, Poland.
TRANSFORMATION
The band was noticed by EMI Label, Great Britain, and was soon made an interesting offer. This was the historical moment when Aktus changed its name to Haydamaky. It was inspired by Haydamachyna (a peasant rebellion against foreign oppression in the Eighteenth-Century Ukraine). The neat new name combined music and the ideas of freedom and justice, it tightened the links with the folk culture and taken the band to a new stage.
A contract with Haydamaky was EMI’s first deal in Ukraine. The year 2001 saw the release of Haydamaky’s album of the same name. It was the music of the new millennium. (...)
information, photo (photosession by Dmytro Peretrutov) comes from an official web-site: http://haydamaky.com/
