New Jerusalem

It all started in 1985 when Igor Kopylov (guitar) met Vadim Kalatsei (keyboard). At that time they were students in the Belarusian Technological Institute, in Minsk, they were passionately fond of music and full of creative ideas. After playing for a year in a student band they joined the Soviet Army. After meeting again in1989, Igor and Vadim carried on their creative activities playing in “Condor”, a band that lasted only a one-year.
By 1990, Igor and Vadim decided to form their own band called, “Catty Sark”. Eventually, new musicians replaced the vocalist and drummer. One of them was Alexander Manetsky (drums). Unfortunately, this project wasn’t destined to last long either. By the end of 1991 the band faced a creative and spiritual crisis, which led to its break up. By that time Alexander Patlis (vocal) and Elshad Babakhanov (percussion) had also joined the band.
Any creative idea that wants to become a reality, inevitably leads a person to look inside, to look at his own heart. Man’s inner world, the things that he dreams of, leads to a search for truth and the meaning of life.
During this difficult period, the musicians met three different people, who were unlike anyone they had ever known. These people radiated joy and optimism, a stark contrast to the disillusionment and sadness plaguing the musicians. The musician’s lives were greatly changed by these three men who were Christians. They were Benjamin Brukh, Vladimir Sokol and Sunday Adelaja. Three absolutely different men, a young pastor and two students, opened a new world called, “Novi Ierusalim” (Russian), (New Jerusalem-English) for six musicians.
Constantine Tankhilevich, who was the group’s manager, at that time, suggested the name, “Novi Jerusalem”. The name, “Novi Jerusalem”, symbolizes a heavenly city, described in the book of Revelation from the Bible. It’s a city without wars, sickness and sadness, but one of joy, happiness and love. Everybody liked the name at once as it corresponded to the young musician’s new ideals.
On May 17, 1992 the first concert of the band “New Jerusalem”, took place in a concert hall in Minsk. This date is considered to be the band’s birthday, by its musicians. The songs from the concert have never been recorded, but it was an extraordinary event for the city.
Within a few months, one of the best bass guitar players in Belarus, Igor Sorokin, visited NJ’s concert. He was living through a hard period in his life, and that is why the preaching about a prodigal son and NJ’s simple and sincere songs, made radical changes in his life. Within a week, Igor became a member of the band, the complement of which has not changed since that time.
Serious, creative musical work started with NJ’s first album, “Holy God”, which was recorded in October 1993 during the band’s first American tour. There were 26 concerts, and they recorded seven songs in that one-month tour. “Holy God”, was recorded in just seven days, the fastest recording of any album in the band’s history. Carl Richardson, a great friend of NJ, arranged all the necessary conditions for fruitful work at “Moving Waters” studio, Bradenton, FL, USA. After the tour, the band took part in a music project for Belarusian television called, “ Rock Island”. Such Belarusian bands as, “Palaz”, “Krama”, “Bourgeoisie”, etc. also took part in the competition. NJ received the Grand Prix for the song, “Holy God”.
In 1995 the band took part in one of the largest Jewish cultural festivals in Belarus. It made a great impression on the band that can be seen in its creative activity of that time. The lively, energetic, and joyful festival music could not leave them indifferent. In five months a second album, “Come Back Home”, was released. There were such songs as, ”Time to Love”, “Song of Songs”, and loved by all “Messiah Yeshua” on that album. The album was recorded in the USA in the Bill Gaither studio in Indiana, and mixed in Steve Millikan’s home studio, who was the producer of the album. The band toured Russian countries and America in 1995-96. Although the musicians always enjoyed playing Jewish songs in their concerts, more and more they wanted to turn their attention to youth, whose taste of music was different from NJ’s music at that time. In 1996, while touring in America the musicians visited a concert of the popular American Christian rock band, “DCTalk”, which left a lasting impression on them. Back in Belarus, they got to work producing a new album. Seriously, as never before, they composed music and wrote lyrics for songs. The main thing was to write sincerely from their personal experiences. As a result, a third album, ” What Do You Think About It?” was recorded in spring 1997, during their fourth American tour. Again the group had a great opportunity to work with such talented people like Steve Millikan, who was the producer of the album, and Mark Aspenal as the sound engineer. Like a previous project, it was recorded in “Bill Gaither” studio in Indiana. Many of the songs from this record became a real classic. Songs like, “God’s Design”, “I Know That Love”, “A Door” and “What Do You Think About It?” have made a great impact on Christian music in the territory of the Reformed Soviet Union. At that particular time their first professional video was shot. The music video, “I Know That Love”, took the lead on the music charts on Belarusian National television for eight weeks. In 5 months that song was awarded the best song of the year. This has opened doors for the band in the mass media. For the first time on the history of the former Soviet Union a Christian band attained such success. In 1997, the band gave more than 100 concerts in the USA, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Ukraine, Russia, Latvia and Belarus. Their first professional concert video was shot in Minsk, in December, of the same year. In 1998, in America, another music video was made for the song, “A Door”.
A great love for Jewish music, and desire to bless the Jews, led NJ again to its roots. In 1999 the band recorded a fifth album, “Novi Jerusalem”, in its own studio in Minsk. Beautiful, and filled with love songs, it makes people think of the meaning of life and eternal values. The songs, “City of Gold”, and “Never Keep Silent”, from the album were always included in NJ s concert program. Combining the songs from two last albums, the band went on giving concerts in America and Russia.
At the same time there was both a spiritual and creative search in preparing new songs and, as a result, in 2000 the band released four new songs in former Soviet Union and Belarus, “The Rainbow”, “Mighty God”, “The Fragments of Heaven”, and “Walk on Water”. In the same year the band’s first web site appeared: newjerusalemnow.com. While working on a new CD, “Novi Jerusalem” released their first CD in English, especially for their upcoming American tour. All the best songs from previous NJ albums were chosen for this record: “I Know That Love”, “A Door”, “My Story”, “God’s Design” and others. The result of this record gave wider opportunity to more effectively introduce NJ’s music to people outside the Soviet Countries.
On March 28th 2002, in the best concert hall of Belarus- the Palace of the Republic, another “Novi Jerusalem” concert took place, where they debuted a new album, “The Fragments of Heaven”. Obviously, this was a serious event in the cultural and spiritual life of Belarus. That album was different from all the previous ones. These serious songs reveal the heavenly origin of man and his unquestionable contact with Heaven.
Also, in 2002, a music video was shot in Minsk for the song, “The Fragments of Heaven”, in the Russian and English language. In January 2003 the song, “Eyes the Color of the Sky”, became the prize-winner of one of the national TV Charts, “Hit Moment”. In the same year the English version of the album, “The Fragments of Heaven” was released.
In 2003 another music video for, “Love Is In Our Hands”, was created. It is considered to be the band’s best music video. In 2004, this video, with record making popularity, stayed in the top five for thirty-three weeks on the National TV Chart of Belarus- “European Crossroads”. In 2004 this song became the best song of the year in Belarus.
In 2004 the band’s next CD called, “Time of His Favour”, appeared. Who will bless Abraham will be blessed and who will curse will be cursed. That is what God’s vow said in the book of Deuteronomy, in Bible. This vow has become a part of NJ’s life. That is why the band continues to release new albums with Jewish Messianic songs. Besides ten songs in the Russian language, this CD also has three bonus tracks in English. Beautiful songs, in a best tradition of “Novi Jerusalem”, will bless whoever listens to it. Thru these songs the musicians expressed their love for our Lord and for God’s chosen people.
In fall 2004 a DJ from Minsk made the band’s first dance remix of the song, “Love Is In Our Hands”, and the group shot a new video that was broadcasted by all leading Belarusian TV stations.
In October 2004 Novi Ierusalim recorded a duet with a Byelorussian female singer, Iskuee Abalian. With the song, “Another’s Life”, the band got a lot of airplay on Byelorussian FM radio stations.
In the same month “Novi Jerusalem” toured Israel for the first time.
In November 2004 the band made another music video for a song from album, “The Fragments of Heaven” - “That Love”. At the same time, with a brand new song, “The Melody of Love” the band participated Nationwide for the European competition, “Eurovision”.
In March 2005 the band Novi Jerusalem has been awarded with The Golden Ear award, the first-ever given by the radio industry. The historical awards ceremony took place in the entertainment center Zhuravinka on March 21, 2005. Instituted in honor of the sixth anniversary of the radio station Alpha Radio, this award promotes a variety of musical genres represented by Belarusian music’s best performers, whose songs have become most popular among the listeners of Belarusian radio stations.
In 2005 Novi Jerusalem celebrated their thirtieth anniversary. Trough these years they performed in front of thousands of people and have had many concerts in different countries around the world. All these years they where giving themselves to people and God. The vision that once upon a time was implanted in their hearts by God, burning more and more each year. And that s why it will be more songs, records, music videos that talk about God’s eternal Love to each and all of us in the world.