When Vitaly Bulavin, creator of the entrepreneurial training program “Space for Development”, traveled with his team to Tanzania, he met musician Tryphon Evarist at the Sauti za Busara festival — one of the key components of the training program. Tryphon’s performance deeply impressed Vitaly and the entire team, inspiring them to share this remarkable musician’s talent with the world, beginning with the release of his debut album. Vitaly and his group of participants raised the necessary funds, and in May 2025, Tryphon’s debut album AMKA was released.

Since 1991, Vitaly Bulavin has been leading programs aimed at developing entrepreneurial capacity in individuals and organizations. He is the author of the training program “Openness to the New”, launched in 2003 at the request of a major company and later conducted in Moscow, Kenya, Tanzania, and several European cities. He also founded the initiative “ART for Management” — exploring what entrepreneurs can learn from artists.

Vitaly graduated from the Moscow Institute of Fine Chemical Technology, later studied entrepreneurship at the Moscow School of Management, and completed internships in the USA, Japan, and Germany. In 1991, he founded the business school “Arsenal Managers’ School”, which he successfully sold in 2010 — completing the full cycle from business creation to sale.

What follows is our conversation with Tryphon Evarist about his journey, inspirations, and the meaning of AMKA.

Q: Could you tell us a bit about your background and your professional path in music?

A: “I grew up in Kizimbani, a village in Zanzibar, surrounded by music and traditional arts. In 2013 I joined the Dhow Countries Music Academy, where I studied accordion, qanun, drums, dance, and theory. After graduating with a diploma and ABRSM Grade 5 in Music Theory, I stayed on as a teacher. Today I’m the Artistic Director at DCMA — which means I spend my days performing, composing, and guiding young musicians.”

Q: How did you first come to songwriting and performing?

A: “Honestly, it all started with learning from my teachers — masters of instruments like the accordion and qanun. Soon after, I began playing at festivals such as Zanzibar International Film Festival and Sauti za Busara. From there, the journey just kept growing — I was lucky to perform in Kenya, Switzerland, Uganda, the UAE, and even the Comoros.”

Q: What inspires you the most in your creative process?

A: “For me, inspiration comes from the tradition itself. Taarab is part of who I am, and I feel responsible to keep it alive while also letting it grow. I love mixing Swahili heritage with modern sounds, finding new ways to express it. And I always remind myself — commitment, hard work, teamwork, and believing in yourself can take you anywhere.”

Q: Can you tell us about your team — who is beside you on this journey, and what role do they play?

A: “My team is really the community at DCMA and the ensembles I work with. On stage, it can be up to 14 people — singers, guitar, violin, saxophone, keyboards, accordion, qanun, drums. Each person adds their own voice and energy. It feels like a family that carries Swahili music forward together.”

Q: What are your current projects, concerts, or events you’re preparing for?

A: “The biggest news is my debut album AMKA, which came out in May 2025. Before that, I had released a few singles — Pambana, Sofia, Maneno Ya Kuambiwa, Nitakuoa, and Mbalamiago. And just recently I was back at Sauti za Busara, which is always special — it’s like performing at home, but with the whole world watching.”

Q: Your debut album AMKA has just been released. What does this album mean to you personally?

A: “The Amka album means a lot to me, because firstly it is my first music album in my life, but it is also an album that I have launched after 12 years since I joined the Zanzibar College of Music DCMA. Secondly it is an album that has given me great respect, in showing my musical greatness and my greatness in organizing such events. Thirdly it has marked me as the first musician from Zanzibar to hold a big and prestigious launch.”

Q: Can you tell us about the story or message behind the title AMKA?

A: “Amka means wake up, this is an album that has launched with a mission to awaken listeners. Named after one of its standout tracks, AMKA — the album challenges the dominance of mainstream music promoted by TV and radios. It encourages audiences to open their ears and minds to the richness, uniqueness and depth of alternative musical styles. The album invites listeners to recognize and appreciate music beyond the commercial sphere, offering a fresh, powerful blend rooted in cultural authenticity and creative fusion.”

Q: Which track on the album feels the most personal or powerful for you, and why?

A: “All the songs that are on the Amka album have a realistic feel to them. But on my side, there is a song that when I sing it, I sing with a lot of emotion. The song is called Nivushe. Means Pass me. Because it is a song that I pray to my God to guide me safely through my life journey, so that I can fight and overcome all the obstacles that I face.”

Q: You’ve been praised for blending traditional Taarab with new elements. How does AMKA reflect that fusion?

A: “I am a musician who is currently responsible for flying the flag of traditional Taarab and Afro fusion music. So in any case, in some of my Fusion songs you will be able to hear the taste of Taarab even if it is a little bit, for example in the song Nivushe. I was able to use an instrument that is used in Traditional Taarab. But also even in the album itself, I did not stop showing the traditional music of where I come from, because the album was only for Afro fusion, but I also included my Traditional Taarab song. Not only that but even in my writing/lyrics I always look at all times. That is, the past, the present and the future.”

For Bulavin and his team, supporting Tryphon’s creativity became a natural extension of their philosophy: to foster growth, creativity, and the realization of meaningful projects.

Official links of Tryphon Evarist:

YouTube
Instagram
Facebook
Official website of Vitaly Bulavin

Most musicians spend their careers mastering one tradition. They pick a genre, learn its rules, and stay there. But what if the more interesting question isn’t which tradition to follow, but what happens when you stop treating them as separate territories? That’s the question driving Floyds Row, a British-American ensemble that’s been testing the boundaries between early music, classical, folk, bluegrass, and world traditions since their formation in Oxford.

The group takes its name from a small street off St Aldate’s, running between the University of Oxford’s Faculty of Music and the Thames Valley Police station. It’s a fitting location for a project built on creative tension.

The collective started from a series of concerts at the University of Oxford. Chris Ferebee organized these initial collaborations, bringing together musicians including Alistair Anderson, Andrew Arceci, and various guest performers. What began as experimental performances evolved into something worth documenting, resulting in their debut album, “The Oxford Sessions,” released on Centaur Records.

What makes Floyds Row unusual is their approach to historical material. They’re grounded in historical awareness, tracing how folk tunes evolved across centuries and continents, but they deliberately avoid strict authenticity. The goal isn’t to recreate period performances. It’s to treat centuries-old music as raw material for something current. Their performances incorporate improvisation, reflecting both historical practices and contemporary freedom, with a rotating lineup that brings together musicians from different backgrounds using various notation systems and approaches.

The response to their debut has been striking. Divide & Conquer praised the opening track, noting how “Drive the Cold Winter Away” from John Playford’s English Dancing Master captures a “beautifully haunting” quality. Early Music America called the work “gorgeous and haunting,” while the Viola da Gamba Society in the UK threw out a particularly enthusiastic endorsement: “If this is fusion music then ‘Long Live the Protean Viol’ – every home should have one!”

The Viola da Gamba Society of America highlighted how the musicians handle both performance and composition with elegance and feeling. But it’s their refusal to stay in one lane that really stands out. The North Potomac Times captured this well: “No two shows are alike, but the performances guarantee an eclectic mix of traditional pieces from composers of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, covers from modern folk singers such as Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, and the Grateful Dead, as well as original compositions.”

This past fall, the collective wrapped up a New England tour that included singer-songwriter Chris Moyse and arrangements from Hailey Fuqua (soprano), Asako Takeuchi (violin), Jacques Lee Wood (cello and banjo), Andrew Arceci (bass and mandolin), and George Lykogiannis. Several venues sold out, including House of Play in Newton, Massachusetts, and the Winchendon Music Festival. The tour also hit spots across New Jersey, New Hampshire, and Maine, culminating in a lecture-recital at Berklee College of Music in Boston.

Fanfare Magazine’s reviewer went so far as to call the recording balance “the best single release I have heard from the Centaur label.” RootsWorld kept it simple: “Give a listen and prepare to be enchanted.”

The collective isn’t slowing down. Plans for a 2026 tour are already in motion, along with discussions about another recording project. Culture Spot-Montgomery County labeled them a “genre-fusing ensemble,” which is accurate but maybe misses the deeper point. Floyds Row treats music as a living tradition rather than a museum piece. They’re not preserving folk tunes under glass. They’re asking what those tunes become when you let them breathe in a room with a banjo, a viola da gamba, and whatever else happens to be around.

Maybe that’s the real experiment here. Not whether these traditions can coexist, but whether the walls between them were ever really necessary in the first place.

Those curious can explore more about the ensemble and their work, stream “The Oxford Sessions” on Spotify, or follow their tour updates on their official website and Facebook.

When I first discovered Eyal Erlich on Spotify, I was immediately drawn to the immediacy and sincerity of his music. Hailing from Tel Aviv, Erlich is one of those rare singer-songwriters who keeps his songs simple, authentic, and emotionally resonant. His tracks breathe, flow, and carry a depth that makes you stop and truly listen. What defines him isn’t just catchy indie rock hooks or soulful melodies — it’s honesty. Every lyric feels lived-in, and every guitar line seems to emerge naturally from his voice.

Scrolling through his catalog, certain songs stand out. Tracks like Mourning Love and All in All reveal his melodic instincts, pairing raw emotion with thoughtful arrangements. Meanwhile, the reflective Already In makes listeners feel as if they’re sharing the moment with him live. The intimacy of his music is undeniable, and it’s available across platforms — YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram — where fans can follow his journey and see videos, updates, and glimpses of his process.

Erlich’s style exists at the intersection of indie rock and singer-songwriter storytelling. His guitar-driven arrangements feel free and organic, while his lyrics explore universal themes of longing, connection, and self-discovery. They are integral to the music, never ornamental, and they resonate deeply with listeners. It’s no surprise that his audience continues to grow — people crave music that feels authentic, and Erlich delivers without ever sounding forced.

To truly experience Erlich’s artistry, his live performances are essential. Tracks like All in All capture a raw energy that only surfaces in concert settings, where he carefully builds dynamics from simmering verses to fully realized choruses. Jenny, a personal favorite, blends nostalgia with present-tense emotion, creating a shared experience that lingers long after the song ends. Already In showcases his versatility, shifting between meditative reflection and intense crescendos that feel earned, not staged. Finally, I Wish I Knew closes the set beautifully, highlighting the emotional depth of his lyrics and the power of stripped-back, immersive performances.

The coming years are shaping up to be pivotal for him. International tours and his long-awaited debut full-length album are on the horizon, and his steadily growing community of listeners is ready to follow him across stages and platforms. What sets him apart is his approach: he treats growth as opportunity, not pressure, steadily releasing singles and videos while building a community that feels like participants in his musical journey.

Unlike many indie acts that burn bright and fade fast, Erlich combines vulnerability with confidence, crafting songs that resonate both in intimate venues and at large festivals. His work promises longevity, emotional depth, and a connection that keeps fans coming back.

For anyone seeking an artist who writes from the heart, performs with intensity, and is poised for a breakthrough, Eyal Erlich is one to follow. Keep up with him on Spotify, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook — this is just the beginning of an exciting journey.