Hajda!

This is the debut of a new band focussing on the traditional music of Polesia, a region of eastern Poland, western Belarus and Ukraine. The band was put together by violinist and singer Daria Butskaya. They won the audience award at Polish Radio’s New Tradition Awards in 2022. I saw them live on stage in Lublin – and on the streets.

The six-piece includes violins, accordion, cello, cimbalom, frame drums and strong vocals. From the get-go, with a chunky accordion tune and violin swoops in the opening polkas, the music is closely recorded and you feel like you are almost part of the band. Several of the tunes come from archive recordings, but several come from players that Butskaya and members of the band have met. One of the most infectious is the ‘Tango od S V Malenczyka’ and they describe Malenczyk, who died in 2007, as ‘a luminary of Belarusian folk music.’ Another catchy virtuoso dance is the ‘Oberek od S Rosy’. There’s a tasty variety – strong polyphonic vocals (‘Ciacze Reczańka’), exuberant dances (‘Babaczka’ and ’Koluszka’) and more reflective numbers like the closing ‘Siwy Koń’ (The Grey Horse), where, around the vocals, the violins interweave in an exquisite counterpoint over cello and cimbalom. A special album of unusual repertoire.