Oleksandr Frazé-Frazénko - The Happy Lovers

Oleksandr Frazé-Frazénko is a filmmaker, writer, musician, and activist, and a leading figure in Ukraine’s experimental scene. During the first year of russia’s war against Ukraine, he remained in the country, volunteering and producing content for the BBC and other media outlets. However, due to political pressure, threats, and his refusal to compromise on free speech, he was forced to leave Ukraine.

Together with his wife, Mari, he founded the band Frazé-Frazénko & The Happy Lovers, joined by Hellcat Sneer on drums and Darren Moore on bass. The collective debuted in 2023 with Ukrainian Poetry Songs, a program that spans four centuries of Ukrainian art and delves into the connection between Ukrainian modernist poetry and traditional folk songs. Their dark tone, cinematic sound, and influences from garage rock, punk, and jazz have established the band as a standout in the East Coast music scene. In 2024, the band released their live album, Ukrainian Poetry Songs, on all streaming platforms and as a vinyl LP.

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Oleksandr Frazé-Frazénko is an award-winning filmmaker, writer, musician, and activist. he authored a dozen books of poetry, including a Ukrainian bestseller 'Decadence' (2017), his book of translations of Jim Morrison’s poetry sold out in one day (2013); his feature documentaries and fictional short films gathered numerous international awards and nominations throughout the years. as a visual artist he had several personal art exhibitions. his works are in private collections in various countries worldwide. as a musician, he's one of the leading names in the Ukrainian experimental scene. also works with orchestral, indie rock, and rap music, and gained over 1 million streams on Spotify last year total. during the first year of Russia’s war against Ukraine, he stayed in Ukraine, got involved in a volunteer movement, and worked for BBC and other media as a producer, filmmaker, and journalist to spread the truth about the situation, the context, and the historical background.

Mari Frazé-Frazénko (Mari Trush) began singing at the age of 7 when her parents sent her to the Peredvistia song workshop run by singer, music producer and teacher Iryna Dolya and composer Serhiy Petrosyan. Soon she started working as a recording artist and participated in various television programs. Later, she sang in the Dolya Quartet and participated in national and international competitions. Her first solo single debuted in the fall of 2015. In 2018, she won 2nd prize at the famous international music festival in Poland (Rzeszow). In 2022, Mari and her husband Oleksandr Fraze-Frazenko recorded the album Hurghada, working together ever since.

Hellcat Sneer is a multi-instrumentalist and producer from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Born into a musical family, he grew up with the desire to play as many instruments as he could get his hands on–from sitar to shakuhachi. After university, Hellcat moved to Kathmandu, Nepal, studying to become a Buddhist textual translator and interpreter. There, he continued to write and perform music with people from all over the world. In 2018, Hellcat Sneer’s musical expressions often lie at the intersections of electronic, hip-hop, and jazz; and as such he utilizes sampling and looping techniques for his self-produced solo work. Hellcat has performed live in support of various groups throughout the city of Pittsburgh as well as local radio stations.

Darren Moore obtained his degree in Jazz Performance in 2012 from Mt. Hood Community College. Upon graduating, Moore extended his musical impact on stage and off, including working with youth and adults teaching musical theory and performance. It was during that time Moore entered into an exemplary tenure of musical genres as a bassist for numerous bands throughout the West Coast United States. Currently living in Pittsburgh Pa., Darren Moore has produced numerous albums, and his music can be found on multiple platforms. His philosophy is to foster a musical experience that is enjoyable to a wide range of audiences.