Chicago's craziest folk rebel troupe is presently located in Indiana for the night of Halloween, satisfying the wishes of the witch.
Let’s travel back to the days of East Germany, the time of Soviet rule, when a Siberian cowboy by the name of Bucky Wanko gets eaten alive by Baba Yaga. The only person who can help him is Madame Broshkina, self-proclaimed princess of the Romanov dynasty. This history might seem irrelevant. True. But then again, how could anyone do without it?
It is quite a lengthy segment, yes. But there is something captivating about it.
Fugu Dugu is how Wanko's Dylan meets a musician as he puts his experiences into lyrics people will scream with. Olya Prokhorova is handling the violoncello. Oleg Skrypka of Vopli Vidopliassova called her a genius. Chicago Magazine thinks she is great, too.
Klezmer, Americana, and punk music blends elements from Romania, Ukraine, Russia, and England to create intriguing musical combinations. Though one cannot expect for such sounds to go together seamlessly, everyone involved in the project seems to be convinced that everything works.
The CD that is titled Bucky Wanko and The Legend of Baba Yaga was released on October 1. Unlike previous works where Baba Yaga was portrayed as hiding in a hut, this time the character doesn’t follow anybody’s rules.
As to the song entitled “You Should Be Dancing,” it is reported that the title suggested a command to those listening to it in Square Roots, who obeyed the instruction without hesitation.
The ongoing tour has covered Bloomington, Chicago, Toronto, New York, and Philadelphia, and Lafayette adds to the cities to be visited next. The Folk Alliance International festival is waiting for the band to arrive in January.
The presenters are not protecting folklore; they are allowing it to come out innately.