“Krok” means “step” in Belarusian - and for Alex Chumak and his band this word comes with a lot of meaning. It’s the title and theme that run throughout СОЮЗ (SOYUZ)'s fourth album, reflecting the journeys the band has navigated in recent years, having moved to Warsaw due to political unrest in their homeland of Belarus and the outbreak of war in Ukraine. Embracing the uncertainty became both the inspiration and main lyrical theme for Alex Chumak, SOYUZ’ composer and arranger, who also decided to go a step further and change the language in which he writes songs from Russian, which is used as lingua franca in many post-Soviet countries, to his native Belarusian. The result is nine songs about dreams and outer space, ordinary miracles, things very close and very distant at the same time. 

In early 2022, Chumak and original members, Mikita Arlou and Anton Nemahai, joined tens of thousands of Belarusians seeking safety abroad. Resettling in Warsaw, the band released Force of the Wind in October 2022, garnering widespread acclaim, a string of major European gigs, and led to Polish musicians Albert Karch and Igor Wiśniewski joining the band.

Deeper and more melancholic than previous works, KROK is quintessentially SOYUZ, laced with hope, dreams and a celebration of life. Given the difficulties with finding rehearsal and recording spaces in Warsaw and the departure of the drummer Anton Nemahai from the band, Chumak explored alternative options. He reached out to friend and fellow musical collaborator, Sessa, about the possibility of recording the new album in his recently finished studio in São Paulo, with Sessa and Biel Basile coming onboard as recording engineers.

At the tail end of 2024, Chumak and SOYUZ’ new drummer, Albert Karch, made the trip to São Paulo to record the first sessions for KROK. Laid down directly to tape, these sessions featured prominent Brazilian musicians Sessa, Biel Basile, and Marcelo Cabral, with a guest vocal feature by Tim Bernardes recorded at a later date. The final touches were then added back in Europe. Lush string and woodwind arrangements written by Chumak and Karch were recorded at the Polish Radio studio in Warsaw, and Rhodes parts were added by Chumak at Sven Wunder’s studio in Stockholm.

Though primarily recorded in Brazil, KROK is not a Brazilian or MPB album. It blends the band’s Eastern European roots with jazz, folk and global influences. The genre of the music is hardly identifiable: there are folk ballads and jazz-driven pop compositions covered in lush and often dissonant string and woodwind arrangements where each note is placed with care and meaning behind it.

The title track was the first song Chumak wrote in Belarusian as an adult, making for a fitting opener and one of the band’s finest tracks. Darker than most of SOYUZ’ songs, the tensions lift and lighten as the track progresses. The cinematic library jazz of 'Voo Livre', with ghostly vocals sung by Ciça Góes and Ina, feels like a modern twist on the Italian library composer Alessandro Alessandroni through its sublime choir and woodwind orchestration. Elsewhere, the heartfelt 'Lingua Do Mundo', composed, written, and sung by Chumak and the incredible Tim Bernardes, features one of the standout string arrangements from Chumak and Karch. 'Cichi Karahod' is an instant SOYUZ classic, almost Pat Metheny-esque as it opens, with the acoustic guitar and bass riff transitioning into jazzy AOR / pop-folk territory. The record closes with 'Smak žyćcia', a gentle, dreamy spoken-word poetry piece in Japanese by singer-songwriter Manami Kakudo. 

Despite immense challenges, SOYUZ have delivered a career-defining album in KROK.


СОЮЗ (SOYUZ) – P7 Blues

СОЮЗ (SOYUZ) – Смак жыцця : Smak žyćcia (feat. Manami Kakudo)

СОЮЗ (SOYUZ) – Ціхі карагод : Cichi karahod

СОЮЗ (SOYUZ) – Voo Livre

“Jazz Turbulence” by Recep Sencan, airing since 2005, is a program on Acik Radyo featuring a handpicked selection of jazz music. Showcasing rare and digged jams across various eras and styles, it stands out for its eclectic mix. Acik Radyo, a Turkish radio station, is acclaimed for its independent programming in news, culture, and music.

Jazz Turbulence 24.10.25

SMR Sunday Jazzy Mid-Day Mix No.135 mixed and produced by DJ Malik Sullivan for Welcome to the Smooth Productions

SMR Sunday Jazzy Mid-Day Mix No.135

Smooth As Butter 27.10.25

Canela En Surco 215 - Deenamic & Breixo Martinez

22rd episode of Mellow Madness on @lyl_radio with Cebrak 2000 aka @brice-275906060, recorded at Lyl Radio's Paris studio in April 2018.

Mellow Madness w/ Clémentine & Cebrak 2000 aka Brice 26.04.18

23st episode of Mellow Madness on @lyl_radio with @diggers-digest, recorded at Lyl Radio's Paris studio in May 2018.

Mellow Madness w/ Clémentine & Digger’s Digest 24.05.18

Just a House Head DJ  from  Brick City New Jersey check me out every Monday at 12pm-2pm est  on soulmix-radio.com for 2hrs of House.
also every Sunday at 12pm-2pm est for 2hrs of Smooth Jazz on soulmix-radio.com

Record label. Record shop. Film label. Since 1989.

DJ & Producer Recep SENCAN has been producing and hosting Jazz Turbulence of 95.0  Acik Radio Istanbul since 2005. 
Mixing Jazz and their sub- genres jazz-funk, soul-jazz, afrobeat, acid jazz, electronic jazz, latin,  dancefloor jazz etc in his programme, Recep has also been playing at several Istanbul clubs since 2007.

Host of Mellow Madness on @Lyl_radio and co-runs @Chuwanaga. 

contact: clementine[at]chuwanaga.com

Breixo Martínez (Discos Paradiso Crew DJ) 
Owner of Canela En Surco radio show and record label
@canelaensurcorecords
Co-Owner of @escola_records with Pau Roca

Internet radio based in Tallinn, Estonia and Helsinki, Finland.
Stream us live here: www.idaidaida.net

New tracks tagged #jazz-funk