“Ljova and the Kontraband play genre-defying music beautifully and soulfully. Organically bringing together influences ranging from classical and new music, klezmer, tango, jazz, Gypsy music and more, their music is smartly original, steeped in tradition while moving those traditions forward. ”

"[Ljova's music] is full of Brahmsian tone, Bartok lines, hiccuping Hungarian rhythms, Klezmer soul and the sexy plaintiveness of tango and the blues"

"..richly textured palette featuring Eastern European and Gypsy melodies beautifully offset by Latin-tinged rhythms"

"strikingly original and soulful"

"Proves that an integration between seemingly different cultures is possible, inevitable, and fruitful"

"...[Ljova] is an extraordinarily talented and versatile musician, who has an incredible understanding of the intricacies of the imaginative mind."

"Now *This* is living!"