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In their first UK gig of the year, Yurodny's virtuosic intensity brought Eastern Europe dazzlingly to life in the Sir Jack Lyon's Concert Hall on Friday.
The band lost no time in cementing the informal tone of the evening, with a bemused, "Hello," as they set up. Casually dressed in jeans and (t-)shirts and scattered shapelessly across a stagespace far too large for eight players, it was clear from the outset that Yurodny are decidedly tailored to street playing rather than formal concerts.
Nevertheless, the band immediately whipped up their preferred atmosphere, as the first of many brisk, romping melodies rose suddenly out of their tuning up. Charged with gleeful energy, Oleg Pomonarev's 'Miserable Hora' toyed playfully with the audience, several times stopping abruptly mid-run to gradually build up a full head of steam once more.
The erupting applause for the first number was immediately cut through by the start of the second, another fantastic folky roister, this time featuring double bassist Dave Redmond and gigantic Italian accordionist Francesco Turissi. In the solo breakdown, all other players turned to watch, visibly enjoying themselves at least as much as the audience.
After these initial rip-roaring tunes, the slow, mournful march of traditional Klezmer 'Baym Rebn Sude' brought welcome respite from the maelstrom. It was in this piece that founding saxophonist Nick Roth first demonstrated his dazzling range of tone, his perfectly haunting low soprano tune sounding almost clarinetlike in its woody resonance.
Soon though, the band were back to their raucous rapidity, with Nick Roth returning to his classically Yiddish honk'n'scoop virtuosity. And so the pattern continued, as the band intercut rip-roaring pace with sombre lament throughout. At times however, as entranced as they appeared by the atmospheric slow numbers, it seemed the band were merely using them to maintain the excitement of their faster tunes.
Though the programme cited Pomonarev, "The doyen of Russian gypsy fiddlers," as leader, it was Nick Roth to whom the limelight truly belonged. Despite the presence of such outstandingly talented soloists on violin, and even the renowned Cora Venus Lunny on viola, the strings were frequently relegated to harmony duty, while Roth consistently dominated the melody lines. Likewise, the heartfelt wailing vocals of trombonist Colm O'Hara were chronically underused.
Similarly, the set suffered slightly from being a little one-track. Clearly determined to replicate an intimate café atmosphere, Roth demanded dancing for the final three boisterous rollicks. After prolonged hesitation, understandable given the unconventional request in such a venue, one brave girl strode to the front, and a mass of music students descended on the stage soon after. But evidently enjoyable as this was for the dancers, it largely obscured the view of the still-seated majority, taking the edge off a musically stunning finale.
A more varied performance could only have improved an otherwise outstanding concert. But with prodigious musicianship abounding from every player, Yurodny form a breathtakingly talented band, palpably evoking all the mystery and dynamism of Eastern Europe.
Yurodny's second album 'Odd Set' is out now. You can also find them on myspace.
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