Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Chicago-based jazz violinist Olya Prohorova of Fugu Dugu! We catch up with one of the leaders of Chicago’s Wild East Punk band to explore their 2026 album, Bucky Wanko and The Legend of Baba Yaga, the band’s history, and the wild musical universe they’ve created.
Set against the shadows of the Soviet occupation of East Germany, this album spins a bizarre, darkly imaginative tale: Siberian Cowboy Bucky Wanko becomes ensnared by the cannibalistic sorceress Baba Yaga before finding a questionable salvation through the “Romanov Dame,” Madame Broshkina.
Fugu Dugu brings this story to life with explosive violin, electric guitar, old-world melodies, American roots, and punk-rock energy. Moving between Romanian, Ukrainian, Russian, and English, the band creates a sound that defies easy categorization—unpredictable, theatrical, and full of Eastern European spirit.
We dig into the story behind the album, the band’s evolution, their genre-bending musical identity, and the inspiration behind this extraordinary project. Get ready for a conversation that takes jazz, folk, and punk somewhere wonderfully unexpected!
🎧 Get the album, Bucky Wanko and The Legend of Baba Yaga:
https://fugudugu.bandcamp.com/album/bucky-wanko-and-the-legend-of-baba-yaga?from=discover_page&ui_context=results_grid
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