ZEELLIA is the Ukrainian word for herb as well as the power of herbs to effect reality, to conjure. Vancouver’s own musical ZEELLIA, is a five member ensemble with three female vocalists and four instrumentalists, established in 1991.
Led by Beverly Dobrinsky, they weave a mystical spell singing and playing Slavic folksongs and dances from Ukraine, the Balkan and Baltic States, and Canadian prairies.
The blessings and the curses, the water, the wood, the fire, the fields, and of course, the herbs, all combine to give voice to a unique Slavic Canadian sentiment which respects its Ukrainian roots and celebrates its Canadian context. They sing int he traditional style of ‘bilij holos / pure voice’, both a capella and with the accompaniment of bass, violin, accordian and hurdy gurdy.
It is SLAVIC SOUL, rooted in the traditional with a contemporary edge, connecting the past with the present and the old country with the new.
For more info. go to www.zeellia.com