Ilja Livschakoff was born on November 15, 1903, in Ekaterinodar, Russian Empire (now Krasnodar, Russia). After the murder of his father by the Bolsheviks, Livschakoff fled to Warsaw, where he studied violin at the Conservatory, now known as the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music. In 1927, he moved to Berlin and became a celebrated violinist and kapellmeister, particularly known for his work in the early 1930s.

Livschakoff led the house orchestra at the Hotel Bristol until 1932, performing salon and dance music. His ensemble became a prominent recording orchestra, accompanying popular singers such as Erwin Hartung and Leo Monosson for Deutsche Grammophon. He recorded over 800 shellac records, often using pseudonyms like Fred Marley and Harry Hiller, and his ensemble was sometimes known as La Plata Tango Band and The Rhythm Maniacs.

Due to his Jewish heritage, Livschakoff faced increasing restrictions in Nazi Germany and was eventually excluded from the Reichsmusikkammer in 1937. Unable to return to Germany from Karlsbad, he emigrated to Argentina, where he continued his career as a kapellmeister in Buenos Aires until the 1960s. He returned to Germany only for private visits until the 1980s. Ilja Livschakoff passed away on June 10, 1990, in Buenos Aires, Argentina.