Otava Yo: Christmas

The band Otava Yo consists of six professional folk musicians who have been making music together for over ten years and share a passion for Russian folk tunes—but not for the all-too-familiar “old standbys,” rather for the music their parents danced to in their youth. In their hometown of St. Petersburg, Otava Yo have long been local heroes, and since the release of their last two albums, “Once Upon A Time” and “What Are Those For Songs!”, they’re no longer unknown here either. Their songs are imbued with a pleasant rural romanticism. Lively and true to tradition, they present both original compositions and traditional tunes in their own inimitably rousing style. The sextet deliberately uses old instruments such as the Old Russian stringed instrument gusli, the traditional wind instrument zhalaika, and even the Galician bagpipes. On “Christmas,” the six musicians present ten Christmas carols in their native language. Liner notes in English can be found in the booklet and on the cover.