New Brain Trio

Formed in Kyiv, New Brain Trio has rapidly established itself as a bold force in Ukrainian experimental jazz, often hailed as pioneers of the city’s acid‑jazz movement. Their music blends jazz improvisation with electronic textures, creating a rich, genre‑defying sound that surprises and moves audiences.

The trio is rooted in spontaneous live performance and collective improvisation—they embrace a “jam band” ethos, constructing their sets on the fly with no pre‑rehearsed scripts. Their style fuses acid jazz, jazz rock, electro swing, and layered electronics to form what has been dubbed “Ukrainian future jazz.

The band consists of Oleh Pashkovsky (keys, electronics, FX), Ehor Gavrilenko (bass, FX) and Oleksandr Polyakov (drums).  At times they have collaborated with saxophonist Michael Balog, adding a fourth voice in select performances and recordings. 

The trio's first album was When You Leave (2016): A raw, lo‑fi live recording captured at Kyiv’s jazz club Podval, showcasing the trio’s instinctive and raw improvisational energy. This was folowed by mini-albums Stratum (2018) and Leontovych  2024), this latter a reinterpretation of renowned Ukrainina composer Mykola Leontovych’s melodies.

New Brain Trio has performed at major Ukrainian festivals including Leopolis Jazz Fest, JazzBez, Gogol Fest, White Nights UA, Jazzomyr, Arsenal Open Air, and more. 

New Brain Trio stands out for their improvisational audacity and refusal to conform. By blending jazz traditions with electronic experimentation, they challenge listeners to rethink genre boundaries. Their live performances are described as transformative events—magical, unpredictable, and deeply human.

Tags