Yellow Blue Bus is a South Australian global-fusion ensemble which highlights the beautiful sound of the Ukrainian bandura, a unique 65 stringed cousin of the lute.
Biography[]
The project of Yellow Blue Bus is both to celebrate Ukrainian music and cultural tradition as it migrated and took root in Australia, as well as to re-contextualise and redefine the bandura in contemporary Australia and in the world. Given that half of the members are second generation migrants from post-WW 2 Ukraine, the blended mix of YBB's music reflects members' lives of cultural fusion.
YBB has recorded two albums to date, and performed at many venues in Adelaide, around South Australia and interstate since 2007. Some highlights of the band have been performing at the Illawarra Folk Festival and Cygnet Folk Festival in 2017, being resident band at the 2015 Adelaide Fringe Club "Surrender," performing at Ukrainian festivals in Sydney Town Hall, Melbourne Town Hall and Sidney Myer Music Bowl. In 2014 they had sell-out performance in "Sessions" program at Adelaide Festival Centre Space Theatre. They have had radio play on Adelaide ABC and Adelaide community radio stations and provided a Yellow Blue Bus original track for the 2014 documentary “Holodomor.”
Yellow Blue Bus recordings have been featured on Radio Kyiv, Ukraine as well as on Radio Vancouver, Canada. The ensemble has had the opportunity to share the stage in concert with acclaimed Ukrainian group Folknery, as well as world renowned bandurist Victor Mishalow.
Members[]
- Ihor (Ian) Kushnir - bandura, didjeridoo
- Damian Chumak - bandura
- James Sweeney - violin, guitars, mandolin
- Tony Hole - keyboards, percussion
- Peter Telenko - electric bass, double bass
- Michelangelo Micelli - drums
Discography[]
- Yellow Blue Bus - (2013)
- YBB II - (2017)