by E. Ross

Irina Rivkin is bringing her “poetic vocal worldfolk live-looped harmonies and beats” back to Alaska, with performances in Anchorage on June 4 at Tap Root Cafe and June 14 at the Juneteenth Festival, and in Fairbanks on June 12 at College Coffeehouse. Her twin sister Inna will open for her and harmonize.

Irina is returning to Alaska to visit her family and to tour. Last year, she performed at the Seldovia Summer Solstice Music Festival and an Out North Showcase in Anchorage.

Singer-songwriter Irina Rivkin has performed for 25 years, from her childhood singing Russian folk and American Jazz in a family band, to performing her own songs for the last 12 years. She expresses insightful, gutsy, vocal world-folk originals, journeying into the personal and political, with occasional travels into Russian and Spanish language lyrics. Irina layers her poetic lyrics with rich textured harmonies, swirling with vocal percussive beats, all created live on-the-spot using her loop station instrument.

Her full-length CD “upwelling” was released on Rose Street Records in 2004. The song “See Through Bush,” about George W., was chosen for the Acoustic Rainbow v.20 radio sampler.

“Ya Eyo Lublu”, Irina’s “Russian-émigré-lesbian-coming-out-love-song” about bringing the woman she loves home to meet her mother, received an OutMusic Award for Outsong of the Year and was included on the “Safe Haven” compilation, raising funds for Portland LGBTQ youth services.

Irina’s father was fired and blacklisted by the KGB for “the crime of listening to poetry” and the family came to America seeking freedom. But in 2000, Bush “steals an election” and turns the country into “his own police state.” The song “Taking Our Freedom” compares her family’s experiences with the Russian KGB to the current tactics of the FBI.

Watch a live-looped version of “Taking Our Freedom” on Irina’s MySpace page, or listen to “upwelling” on SonicBids.

Irina also founded the Rose Street House of Music, a house concert & touring musical community featuring women singer-songwriters, with a focus on poetic music of substance & depth.
“She is political, jazzy, and rhythmic…hot, harmony-rich vocals… rhythm & sound would pass as a Russian Sweet Honey in the Rock.” Angela Page, Sing Out! Summer 2004

Irina’s 2008 Alaska Tour:

• Anchorage 6/4 (Wed) at Tap Root Café, 8 p.m. (1330 E Huffman), $5-10 sliding scale donation suggested, no one turned away for lack of funds.
• Fairbanks 6/12 (Thurs) College Coffeehouse, 8 p.m. (3677 College Road Unit 4), $5-10 sliding scale donation suggested, no one turned away for lack of funds.
• Anchorage 6/14 (Sat) at the Juneteenth Festival, 7 p.m. on the Delaney Park Strip, free.

She is also available for a house concert or live-looping workshop in Anchorage or Palmer on June 15, and in the Fairbanks area June 6-8.