DARIA KULESH & MARINA OSMAN
Musician Pub 21st April 2024
This was a simply stunning afternoon at The Musician Pub. I know most people will know how much i love Daria Kulesh and Marina Osman. I was really looking forward to this gig and it was absolutely superb.
It was a real joy to see Marina back on stage and to see the two of them working together again.
You don't just get great songs with Daria... she speaks with pride and passion about her family and their experiences in their homeland through the 20th century which gives the the background to her her songs so the listener gets the most from them... and what of this performance...
Daria opened up acapella singing a gentle lullaby in Serbian before bringing Marina onto the stage. The set continued with a range of songs, some in english, others not and included a gorgeous performance of the Irish song "Down by the Salley Gardens". The first set also ended solo as Daria performed a song so new that they hadn't yet been able to perfect it as the duo.
The second half was an emotional roller coaster... starting with a glorious solo piano piece, one of Marina's first compositions... and I hope to hear many more...
After this Daria spoke of the plight of her family and the people of her homelands before delivering two remarkable songs... "Panther" for Laisat Baisarova, and "The Moon and the Pilot" for her great grandparents... this latter song has me reaching for a tissue whenever i hear it... and performed live here these two songs were simply extraordinary and hugely emotional...you simply cannot see and hear these songs and not be totally moved.
From there a change of mood as they played an old Russian folk song that seems to be known worldwide... Daria said that in France and Germany the audiences knew the song and sang it back to them in the local language. In England we all know it as "Those were the Days" and this performance was so full of joy and exuberance you couldn't help but be carried along with it and be overcome with a different emotion!!
Following this was a gorgeous Ukranian lullaby, in Ukranian and an achingly beautiful song about the more love you leave the longer you remain... and finishing with Sandy Denny's "Quiet Joys"... on the anniversary of Sandy's death.
As she demonstrated throughout, Daria has a simply sensational beautiful voice and sings beautifully with such emotion and passion... even when not singing in english you feel a kinship with the songs. Whether singing gently and quietly or letting rip the voice simply fills the room and your consciousness... absolutely thrilling or soothing in turn and absolutely beautiful throughout.
Daria plays guitar or shruti box on a few numbers, but has the absolutely brilliant piano playing of Marina on all but two songs. Marina is far more than an accompanist... she is a magnificent player and and her playing, whether in the gentle or more strident passages is wonderful and in total empathy with Daria and the songs.
The love between these musicians is clear to see as is the rapport with the audience... Some of the songs and stories may have been dark, but the whole afternoon was one of absolute beauty and joy...so uplifting... a perfect way to spend a sunday afternoon.
Huge thanks to Daria and Marina for giving us such a wonderful afternoon...
Keep music live... keep music real... support your local venues.
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