London-based band Oi Va Voi has been a leading band in musical exploration and artistic integrity. While the sound has developed a lot since their early releases and the line-up has changed as well since then, their vision is still the same. The band mixes subtle, dynamic rhythms and Western melodic sensitivity with the folk music of their Jewish and Eastern-European heritage, bringing this to the stage as well with energy and dynamics.
Now that they’ve got a new album and a new, extended live show, Oi Va Voi’s sound is more nuanced than ever in 2025. The songs are more worldly and carry a larger social urgency. The lively energy is still there, as well as their sincere message about our shared humanity in a world that is getting more polarised by the day.
The group was founded at the beginning of the millennium by six youngsters from London from various musical roots. Oi Va Voi immediately made a splash with their debut album “Laughter Through Tears”, produced by Grammy winner Bacon & Quarmby. The album won two awards at the BBC Radio 3 Music Awards, as well as an Edison in the Netherlands.
On the album “Memory Drop” from 2017, founders Josh Breslaw (drums) and Steve Levi (clarinet/vocals), together with trumpetist Dave Orchant and guitarist Michael Vinaver, were the core quartet to write all of the songs. Another prominent presence on the album was the mesmerizing, virtuoso violinist Anna Phoebe, who performed with the band on stage while building on a successful solo career at the same time. The result was an album full of the traditional strong points of Oi Va Voi: fiery musicianship, insightful songs and meticulous production.
In May 2025, the band will release a fifth studio album. The band will be on tour for most of the year.