Russian bard Vasily Evhimovich

«Music Frames» - is editorial music journalist and musician from the Netherlands Mattie Poels, in which he discusses the CDs from around the world.

Vasily Evhimovich is a singer, songwriter and instrument maker from Yaroslavl, a region on the Volga river, some 250 km north of Moscow. He sings Inspired and narrative songs and accompanies himself on the hurdy-gurdy, accordion and sings a capella. Three singers accompany with some harmony vocals.

Vasily Evhimovich is a pure artist who sings songs with conviction. Traditional music from Siberia and Tatarstan, from his native Yaroslav, in the region where the river Oka flows into the Volga and songs from Belgorod. A city in southern Russia near the border with the Ukraine. Vasily is also instrument maker. Made his own hurdy-gurdy which is the central instrument on this CD. The drone (the lying fifth sound, just like a bagpipe) of this exciting instrument, gives the music an authentic character. His songs even become more enthusiastic by the way Vasily sings; strong and direct. In addition to the hurdy-gurdy, we also hear the accordion, he sings a cappella and occasionally assisted by polyphonic vocals of Julia Kuchugurnaya, Olga Loginova and Alexander Kapustin. Many songs are about nature with titles such as ‘The nightingale and cuckoo’, ‘Flower’, ‘In the meadow’ or ‘Cherry’. These songs give a sober, almost melancholy view of old Russia. Magnificent is the two-part a cappella song ‘Flower’. The ballad ‘Round and turns blue scarf‘ is a very pictorial song, even if you understand a word of it. Like the three voices in the a cappella song ‘Oh, do not cuckoo’, where call-and-respond singing excels in wonderful variety. Vasily Evhimovich recorded his album at home in Povodnevo. The result is sincere and confident music – proud of the vocal Russian culture. Great record!

• Vasily Evhimovich: ‘Vasya was There‘ (Sketis Music)

© Mattie Poels.