Enjoy a selection of Samovar’s songs from both “Some More of Our Best” and "Some of Our Best".

1. Chornaya Shal' (Black Shawl)

2. Ivushka (Little Willow Tree)

3. Ukrainian Polkas

4. Vinovata Lyi Ya (Am I At Fault)

5. Beryozka Medley (Birch Tree Medley)

6. Kalinka (Little Snowball Bush)

7. Korobushka (Little Peddler Box)

8. Moskva Zlatoglavaya (Golden-Domed Moscow)

9. Moldovenyaska (Moldavian Dance)

10. Uralskaya Ryabina (Little Rowan Tree)

11. Kolomeyka Verkhovina Ukrainian Dance

12. Da Div'nya Tomu Na Svete Zhit' (Oh, It's a Wonderful Life)

13. Russian Waltzes

14. Oy Tsvetyet Kalina (The Kalina Bush Blooms)

15. Akh, Samara Gorodok (Oh, Samara Town)

16. Little Hill Polka

17. Odinokaya Garmon' (Lonely Accordion)

18. Hopak Ukrainian Dance

19. Na Muromskoy Dorozhki (Along the Murom Road)

20. Russian Lyrical

21. Akh, Odessa (Oh, Odessa)

22. Chto Mnye Gorye (What's Grief to Me)

23. Dve Gitary/Ochi Chornyye (Two Guitars/Dark Eyes)

24. Tsygan/Zaznobila (Gypsy/Feeling Feverish)

01 Rybaki (The Fishermen)

02 Brodyaga (The Wanderer)

03 Yamshchik Nye Goni Loshadey (Coachman Don't Rush The Horses)

4. Waltz Tsigan (Gypsy Waltz))

5. Fonariki (The Street Lights)

6. Smuglyanka (The Dark Complexioned Girl)

7. Pozhaley Ty Menya (Take Pity On Me)

8. Russian Dances

9. Krasny Sarafan (The Wedding Dress)

10. Kazak Molodoy (The Young Cossack)

11. Kolomeyka - Ukrainian Hutsul Dance

12. Kazbek - Lezginka Georgian Dances

13. Katyusha (Little Katherine)

14. Russian Polka

15. Tamo Daleko (There Far Away) Serbian Song

16. Hasapikos - Milese Mou (Speak to Me) Greek Dances

17. Under the Apple Tree

18. To Nye Vyeter (It's Not the Wind) - Vykhozhu Odin Ya Na Dorogu (I Walk Onto the Road Alone)

19. Zaporozhets - Kozachok Ukrainian Dances

20. Proshchay (Farewell)

Joe Ross’ review of “Some More of Our Best” called the CD, “Emotional songs & danceable tunes from the traditional heritage of Russia & Ukraine.”

"This hour-long set from the Russian folk music ensemble in the Washington, DC area brings back fond memories of my many visits to the Folklife Festival at the Seattle Center which were the last times I heard the emotional, danceable tunes from this tradition. Samovar formed in 1996 and has played the Smithsonian, Hillwood Museum and Gardens, Russian Embassy and Ambassador's residence. Whether serving up polkas, waltzes, hopaks or songs, the sextet has established a cohesive sound emphasizing vocals, balalaika and accordion. The two women vocalists (Anya Titova, Olga Rines) are folklorists with a strong calling to preserve messages of their traditional musical heritage of Russia and Ukraine. The songs are driven by feelings of the heart, with many allusions to the trees, river, garden, moon, fields, flowers, sea and wind. In some case, these natural elements calm one's heart. In other cases, they serve as parties in conversations and lyrical discourses that may question or provide advice. The CD jacket includes both Russian (and English translations) for all of the songs."

"Instrumentally, the band features Michael Nazaretz (accordion), Yelena Rector (prima domra), Rick Netherton (contrabass balalaika), and Ilhan Izmirli (alto balalaika, guitar). Netherton's showcase piece is "Korobushka" (Little Peddler Box) with his walking bass line and a featured break. The spotlight shines on Nazaretz when he becomes the sole accompaniment to Anya Titova's singing of "Odinokaya Garmon" (Lonely Accordion) that poignantly asks "Why are you roaming the whole night alone? Why are you keeping the girls awake?" The CD's closing tracks refer to gypsy songs. I wonder if Samovar occasionally gets out of the city to the forest where they and their friends can sing, dance, drink wine and eat borscht and caviar by a river."