Artist: Burya

Active	1969 - 2023
Location	Toronto, ON

Burya was an extremely popular zabava band led by Ron Cahute.

History[edit | ]

Ron wrote the following about the founding of Burya on his website (archived):

Back in early 1969, Len Steciuk and I were playing in another band led by my cousin, Brian. We were hired by Steve Krasko, a drummer, to play at a function in Toronto. Steve played the drums with us. The three of us began rehearsing and getting our own gigs so Len and I quit Brian’s band and concentrated on this new trio.
It was quickly decided that a saxophone was required so Ron Lutz quit Brian’s band too. After a while it got lonely over there in Brian’s band so Tom Romanick, another sax player, quit and joined up with Len, Ron, Steve and me. It seemed that Tom had a brother Mike who also played the sax and clarinet. The three of them got together at Ron Lutz’s house one day for a rehearsal. It was quickly noticed that it was silly to have 3 saxes all playing the same thing so I sat down at the kitchen table and quickly wrote an arrangement for the popular cha-cha, “Never on Sunday”
It sounded great. Three saxes playing in close harmony. At the time, there were no woodwinds in any of the popular Ukrainian bands out there such as Rushnychok or Syny Stypiw so this new band became a real novelty. I quickly added more and more arrangements and the band’s repertoire grew in leaps and bounds. This new band was referred to as simply, “Cahute’s Band” and so it stayed until 1979.
Sometimes in early 1979, the band caught the eyes and ears of Roy and Irene Kostuk. They both agreed that this band should make a record and they were willing to pay for it!! COOL!! The only thing getting in the way was the name of the band. We didn’t have one. Thanks to Mike Kondracky, a Toronto dentist and friend of Steve’s, we got one. Mike said that Burya was as good a name as any and certainly better than “Cahute’s Band” so it was agreed that Burya would make a record in September of 1979.
I chose the material and wrote the arrangements. Rehearsals began in Len’s basement. Things were going nowhere fast and to add to the situation, Steve left the band a short time before we went into the studio.
I had a friend named Jerry Hryhorsky who played with me in the UNF orchestra. Jerry was a music teacher so he had to know what he was talking about. I asked him to come to one of the rehearsals to give his valuable teacher-like opinion. We still didn’t have a drummer. Jerry came and listened. After we were done playing I asked him what he thought. He said it sounded awful! Can you believe it! My good friend said my band sounded awful so I asked him to join. I figured, what the heck!
Not only did the other bands not use woodwinds, but they didn’t have a violin either. When you add to the fact that we didn’t have a drummer AND we sounded awful all of a sudden, I had me a winner! Roy and Irene’s money would be well spent!
About the same time Steve left my band, he also left the UNF orchestra. This orchestra played for the Kalyna Dancers from Toronto and we were going to South America on tour. They didn’t have a drummer either. Along comes this David Monis guy. He never even heard of Ukrainian music let alone played it. Because of that very fact, he brought a new and different slant to the music. Drums are very important in any ensemble but they are crucial in a dance band so I asked David to join my band. When I told him that we were about to record an album, he jumped at the chance.
We started rehearsing again and his influence had an immediate effect on my arrangements. All of a sudden, things clicked and on September 19th, 1979, Burya went into the recording studio and made a record.
Since that fateful day, many things have transpired. New members have come and gone but David Monis and I have remained. David’s brother Michael joined the band back in 1984 and the three of us are still at it. As a matter of fact, that is all David, Michael and I do. We are full-time musicians, not only with Burya, but with other ensembles as well as in the recording studio producing for others.

Band Members[edit | ]

Ron Cahute - accordion, keyboards, vocals

Tenure: original member and leader of the band - 1969 to 2023
Recordings: all of them

David Monis - drums, percussion, programming

Tenure: 1979 to 2023
Recordings: Burya I, II, III, V, Generic I and II, Best of Burya, Set in Stone, Now and Then, numerous other Ukrainian recordings with Ron Cahute

Michael Monis - guitars, tenor banjo

Tenure: c.1980 to 2023
Recordings: Burya V, Generic I and II, Set in Stone, Now and Then, numerous other Ukrainian recordings with Ron Cahute

Jerry Hryhorsky - violin, vocals, “the dinger”

Tenure: 1979 to 2004
Recordings: all
Plays the now-famous "ding" in Сам п'ю, сам гуляю

Len Steciuk - guitar, violin, vocals, whistle

Tenure: original member - 1969 to 1998
Recordings: Burya I, III, Live in Toronto, Best of Burya, Live in Edmonton, Set in Stone

Ron Lutz - alto and tenor saxophone

Tenure: original member - 1969 to 1985
Recordings: Burya I, III, Live in Toronto

Tommy Romanick - tenor and baritone saxophone, vocals

Tenure: 1972 to 1980
Recordings: Burya I

Mike Romanick - tenor and baritone saxophone, clarinet

Tenure: 1972 to 1985
Recordings: Burya I, II, III, Live in Toronto

John Lockwood (1952 - 2010, obituary) - alto and tenor saxophones, flute, clarinet, mandolin

Tenure: 1980 to 1981
Recordings: none

Frank Uhran - tenor saxophone, clarinet

Tenure: 1980 to 1985
Recordings: Burya “Live in Toronto”

Chris Crossan - soprano and tenor saxophone, flute, clarinet

Tenure: 1980 to 2000
Recordings: Burya II

Pat Perez - soprano and tenor saxophone

Tenure: 1982 to 1999
Recordings: Set in Stone, Now and Then

Jack Zaza - all woodwinds, violin, mandolin, keyboards etc. etc.

Tenure: 1984 to present
Recordings: Ron Cahute’s Wedding Album

Steve Krasko - drums

Tenure: original member - 1969 to 1979
Recordings: none
Misc:
- brought original members together for the first time
- instrumental in naming the band

Bill Hawryschuk - drums

Tenure: 1984 to 1994
Recordings: Live in Toronto

Mark Zubek - drums, bass, mastering

Tenure: 1993 to 1995
Recordings: Live in Edmonton

Dave MacKellar - sound and recording engineer

Tenure: 1985 to 2003
Recordings: Generic I, Ron Cahute Collection, Set in Stone

Roman Klun - drums, sound and recording engineer

Tenure: 1992 to 2000
Recordings: recorded, mixed and mastered Best of Burya, Live in Edmonton, Set in Stone, Non-Stop Dancing, Now and Then, entire Barabolya series, Poutine, Crepe Suzette, numerous other Ukrainian recordings for Ron Cahute

Discography[edit | ]

Burya I (1979)[edit | ]

https://youtu.be/PeauZ4qOczI

Сам п'ю, сам гуляю
Києве мій
Як тебе не любити, за ті карії очі (instrumental)
В'язанка коломийка (instrumental)
Чого верба плаче
Бодай ся когут знудив
Вітер віє, віє, віє
Ювілейний вальс
Люльочка коломийка
Ой звідси гора
Було не тужити
Скрипалі (instrumental)

Burya III (1982)[edit | ]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bKh2xABARk

Буря II (1984)[edit | ]

Not a typo, Burya II was released after Burya III (presumably as a joke)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gODoG_wkeNQ

Садом, садом
Чом ти не прийшов
Чарівні очі
Ой, заграли музики-музиченьки
У сусіда хата біла (instrumental)
Fly Kozak
Ой під гаєм, гаєм
Буковинський танець (instrumental)
Човен хитається TODO: Where did Cahute verses come from???
За дунаєм

March Medley
Enchanted Eyes
Hutsulka Ksenia
Bukovenian
Ukrainian Medley I
V. Ivasiuk Medley
When We Part
Metalytsya
Ukrainian Medley II
My Kiev
Ukrainian Medley III

Ukrainian Generic Vol. 1 (1987/1988)[edit | ]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVMl8fWSNxs

Ukrainian Generic Vol. 2 (1989?)[edit | ]

TODO: Need a copy

Ron Cahute “Ultimate Polka” (1989)[edit | ]

TODO: Need a copy

The Ron Cahute Collection (1991)[edit | ]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSQOPKkMtM0

All instrumentals

Helena polka-saxo polka
Latin American medley
Bukovinian folk medley
Ave Maria-amazing grace
Moldavian folk suite
Sving era medley
Orange Blossom Special

Plugged-In (1994 − Live in Edmonton)[edit | ]

https://open.spotify.com/album/34w8EdT25jo83yCCfd0jJz?si=8zMfYpWPRnmuikgNnWlrsw

Introduction (Бодай ся когут знудив, Сам п'ю, сам гуляю, and scat singing)
Коломийка (Буря)
Весільний вальс
Who stole the kishka?
Осінні стежках
Rhinelander (instrumental)
The Tango (instrumental)
Orange Blossom Special "Faster & Faster" (instrumental) (cover of Johnny Cash)
He made you for me
Happy Birthday Good Night medley
1. We're gonna wish a happy birthday to Славко Бойчук. Now there's a slight chance that Славко Бойчук's birthday celebration may be on this CD
2. "Happy birthday to you" - Patty Hill / "Добраніч to you"
3. Many instrumentals
4. Special thanks to Mr Ромко Британ, Roman Brytan, провід, Entertainment Productions for bringing this evening to you, in conjunction, of course, with CKER radio in Edmonton, and your very own homegrown Ukrainian "Shumka" dancers, a lot of thanks go out to them. Our live front of house engineer, and also he is recording this digitally for us as well, up there Dave MacKellar. Way behind scenes in a recording studio we've put together, Roman Klun. On guitar and fiddle, we've been together for 25 years, my best buddy, my good buddy, Len Steciuk. On violin, on vocals, on "dinger" [triangle], my кум [godfather], Yaroslav, Slavko, Jerry [Hryhorsky], your host. On drums, by nephew, Mark Zubek. On accordion, huh?, my what? ah. My name is Ron Cahute, ladies and gentlemen, we're Burya. In the meantime, добраніч, goodnight, drive carefully home, make sure you have a car. And thank you very much for coming.
5. Сам п'ю, сам гуляю
Mandatory encore medley
1. Називають горівку homebrew
2. Ти ж мене підманула
3. Сам п'ю, сам гуляю
4. Many instrumentals