Belarus

 We arrive in Belarus, another country I haven't visited and I don't know a great deal about, apart from the fact that it is governed by a pretty repressive dictatorship, a fact I don't think is too controversial internationally.  The national language is Belarussian, but Russian is spoken widely.  As far as the music is concerned, the government stipulates that 75% of music played on the radio has to be Belarussian, whether it be in the Belarussian or Russian languages, and presumably voices critical of the regime don't get a look in.

First stop is the western city of Lida, where multi-instrumentalist Ivan Kirchuk was born.  He specialises in the ethnology and folklore of his homeland and plays rare and ancient instruments such as the ocarina, domra and bagpipes, as well as singing songs.  He is a larger than life character with a beard to match his personality, who now teaches at Minsk university.  Here is a song from his 1999 album Heritage of the Lost Villages called Oy, ishli-prayshli da try yangali:

Accordionist Aliaksandr Yasinski was born in the city Baranavichy in western Belarus in 1989, but now resides in Prague.  He draws on Belarussian and Balkan music as well as tango and jazz in a unique and dramatic style.  Here is the title track to his first 2022 solo album Hlybini (Depths):

Instrumental trio Port Mone were established in 2006 in the capital Minsk.  They have forged their own roots style with influences from minimalism, jazz and ambient music.  In 2012 they got together with the inimitable DakhaBrakha from neighbouring Ukraine to form the Khmeleva Project.  Here is a track from the resulting album called Єлена (Elena):

The Camerata Vocal Group were established in 1992 in Minsk and appear to be quite proudly state sponsored, which isn't to say they are not talented.  The seven or so members give their own orchestral accompaniment to their songs with their voices, using both electronic enhancement and at times techniques like beat-box.  Here is a song from their 2000 album Angels called Сокол (Falcon), complete with snowy backdrop and (bizarrely) fighting knights:

Ethno-musicologist and multi-instrumentalist Zisl Slepovitch is a native of Minsk, but now resides in New York, where he lectures on Eastern European Jewish music and culture and klezmer, in which he holds a PHD.  He has released 2 albums recreating songs remembered and described by Holocaust survivors.  Whilst this sounds like a heavy subject matter, most of the songs are surprisingly resilient, even satirical, a testament of the power of music in adversity.  The lyrics are in Yiddish, French and Polish and are sung by Latvian singer Sasha Lurje.  Here's a song from the 2021 album Cry My Heart, Cry! Songs from Testimonies Vol. II called Kidush Hashem:

Early music folk band Stary Olsa was established in 1999 playing Medieval and renaissance music on from the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, of which Belarus was once a part of. To keep it interesting though they also play covers of classic rock songs on the same instruments.   Here's their 2021 single Балада пра Цмока (Ballad of the Dragon):

Finally spare a thought for the members of Tor Band whose protest songs about the regime in Belarus got them into trouble with the government and were sentenced to up to 9 years in prison in October this year for inciting hatred, creating an extremist group, discrediting Belarus and insulting the president.  Their song не народец (Not a Nation) has become an anthem for the anti-government protest movement:

That's it from Belarus, next stop is Ukraine, where we linger a little longer.  In the meantime you can follow my virtual musical journey on my Tripline map as usual.