The SI Process electronic project of VGNVJ band drummer Stanislav Ivashchenko and jazz musician Dennis Adu have released a joint single Protea. Along with the track, Ivashchenko presented a video, which was his directorial debut.
According to Stanislav, he and Dennis met at the Svitanok festival in Norway in November 2022.
‘Olga Bekenstein, curator of the Am I Jazz? festival, paired us up for a performance. This meeting and the first acquaintance with Dennis immediately gave us the understanding that we would create something together. So Protea was a matter of time’.
The musicians created the final version of the single this winter. SI Process added that they had recorded several versions of the trumpet sound played by Dennis, but decided to settle on ‘this atmospheric air with a mute (a device used to change the instrument’s tone quality or lower its volume. — Note from DTF Magazine)’.
The title of the joint single refers to the plant of the same name, which Ivashchenko calls a ‘symbol of courage and transformation’.
‘It is the transformation I am acutely experiencing now by being here. A transformation of thoughts, energy, respect and identity. For me personally, these sounds bring back memories of a quiet and free night in Kyiv, when I was cycling through the city center, feeling the cool breeze, the calmness of the night, inspired by the music and coming back to embrace my beloved girls… I dream of a time when this will be possible’, SI Process said.
The musician said the single and video are ‘dedicated to Kyiv’: ‘It’s the best city in the world, which united us all, protected us, inspired us, gave us love and made us happy. I love it and I’m grateful for everything’.
In May SI Process released a collaboration with the Kyiv musician RUSIIICK. The musicians wrote the track in March 2023 and shot the music video during the concert of SI Process in Closer club on April 30. The cover is a painting by Ivashchenko — the musicians sold it at an auction to raise funds to support the AFU.
SI Process combines electro, breakbeat, and IDM. The musician presented his debut release, the EP Signals, in 2020. Ivashchenko premiered his second release, titled EP/2, via producer and musician Koloah’s Salon Imaginalis label in June 2022.
Dennis Adu is a Ukrainian jazz musician, composer and trumpeter who plays in the hard-bop and mainstream genres.
In 2017, Dennis presented his debut album, recorded with such musicians as Michael Dees, Andrew Gould, Dmytro Alexandrov, Pavlo Lytvynenko, Linda O and Mike Karn. Adu also has collaborations with jazz musicians Gregory Porter, Steve Slagle, Larry Willis and Seamus Blake.
