VI.BE

Advantage Project (founded on August 1, 2018) — is a modern Ukrainian jazz ensemble that

combines contemporary jazz with elements of contemporary jazz, soul, funk and bebop. Their

music consists of original compositions and author’s arrangements of jazz standards, created with a

creative approach and fresh ideas.

Band Members

Iryna Dubenko — vocals, composer, arrangements.

Yaroslav Tovarianskyi — double bass / compositions.

Oleksiy Bogolyubov — piano and keyboards.

Matteo De Vito — drums and percussion.

History of the Band

In 2018–2021 the band actively performed at concerts and festivals across Ukraine.

By 2020, they had created about 50 compositions, presenting programs of Ukrainian

ethno-jazz, contemporary jazz, and even a program “jazz quartet + string trio”.

In early 2021, their track "Wake Up in the Morning" was recognized as the best jazz

composition of the year by a Ukrainian chart.

In 2022, due to the full-scale invasion, the band suspended its activity, members dispersed

around the world.

In autumn 2023, the founders of the project Iryna Dubenko and Yaroslav Tovarianskyi moved

to Brussels, and Oleksiy Bogolyubov, who happened to be in Cologne, reunited with the band.

In November 2023, together with students of RITCS in Brussels, a documentary musical

biographical film about the band was shot, which can be watched here

https://youtu.be/1IFjIygV_fY?si=e6f9gKMD7kWwpRYT

Album «Eternal Changing»

In January 2024 the band recorded its debut album “Eternal Changing”, consisting of 8 original

compositions.

On January 15, 2025, the premiere presentation of the album took place in Brussels (Sounds

Jazz Club), which gathered an enthusiastic audience. The album was mentioned in the article

https://eutoday.net

Performances in Ukraine: During the existence of the project in Ukraine about 150 various

concerts were played in many jazz clubs, within festivals, on open-air venues and even at a

stadium.

International scene: For almost two years the project and its musicians have performed on

famous jazz stages, such as Music Village, Jazz Station, Sounds, Toots (Brussels), Artheatre,

Loft (Cologne), Domicile (Dortmund), and others. Many discs with the album were also sold. In

summer 2025 the project gave a concert in Batumi (Georgia) in collaboration with the

well-known jazz musician Papuna Sharikadze.

The latest achievement of Advantage Project — the band became the winner of Dinant Jazz

Competition on July 27, 2025, and received many valuable awards, one of which is a

performance on the main stage of Dinant Jazz Fest 2026.

The recording of the second album is being prepared, which is to be released in 202