The SoupASonic

if you happen to catch yourself dancing to this, could you please post a video?

Thanks -- you enjoy. :)

What in the horror world is this? -- Why, it's a picture of my brand new baby.
But what should we call it? That, my friends, is up to you - see below, and thank you!

This new baby is a 6-stringed acoustic instrument, made by the excellent Eric Aceto of Ithaca, NY. On its belly, it carries the strings of a viola (C-G-D-A), the violin (G-D-A-E) and a super-low string (F), one pitch higher than the bottom note of the guitar. Size-wise, it's taller than a violin but shorter than a viola, clocking in at 14 inches.

So what should we call it? I'd like to propose a baby-naming contest.
I'll be taking names in the comments below, until midnight Eastern Time (GMT -5) on February 29 May 31, 2008, at which point I'll put all of the entries up for a vote.
Winner will receive a signed copy of my debut CD, Vjola: World on Four Strings, and a signed copy of the upcoming CD release by Ljova & the Vjola Contraband, which will be ready in the late summer. You'll also have my eternal gratitude, which you can not (as yet) pawn on Ebay..

Possible suggestions already include:
-- mezzo violin
-- hexañola (or hexagnola)
-- viola da samba
-- six-e beast
-- the beast

To inspire and a-muse you, I'm including the first two recordings I made on the new instrument:
FRESH WOOD (download the mp3 here)

and JAM JEROME, an excerpt from a longer jam with the guitarist and composer Jerome Covington (download the mp3 here)


Want to see more pictures of the new instrument? Sure you do - head right this way.

Enjoy the music, and thank you for any input!

--Ljova (& Eric Aceto), pictured below

for those who missed it, this was great fun!

(download the podcast here)


Enjoy!
(pictured above: John Schaefer, host of Soundcheck)

Check out a remix of my track "Heat Me Up" by RyJudge.

Make your own remix of Heat Me Up! Download the original source files here.

For those of you couldn't attend the recent LJOVA AND THE VJOLA CONTRABAND performance at Joe's Pub in New York, or for those who were turned away (it was completely sold out!), here are two videos, plus a wonderful review from the Newsday music critic Justin Davidson - enjoy! ( read on! )