'Gypsy Fun Duo': how two immigrants captivated New York music lovers

This duo is well known in the Russian-speaking diaspora of New York. Everyone who has ever looked into the evening restaurant “Russian Samovar” on 52nd Street in Manhattan, heard the virtuoso “Gypsy Fun Duo” play. Sergey and Valery have been performing together for 20 years. We went through everything - from complex grinding to recording an album and concerts throughout the country. So now they are happy to tell why Americans love gypsy music and how the violin and guitar even defeated a jazz orchestra.

Sergei Pobedinsky and Valery Zhmud met in the early 2000s. At that time, everyone had several years of immigration and extensive artistic experience behind them. Sergei came to the USA from Moscow, where he graduated from the Gnessin Music College and by the time he moved, he had toured the world with the ensemble. Valery studied in Kyiv at the Institute of Culture and also came to the USA for the first time when he came on tour. In the end, they both decided to stay in the States, and each had a long path to development. Eventually they met.

"This happened in the early 2000s, recalls Sergei. – U Valera and I had a common friend with whom we sometimes performed. That's how we met. And gradually they began to work together at Russian Samovar. Our repertoire was very diverse. For example, Valera played a lot of Carpathian, Transcarpathian, Transnistrian, and Hungarian music. And I had a mix, because from each style I like certain melodies. So, through trial and error, we selected what people and we liked. And gradually they came to gypsy music. We call ourselves the “Gipsy Fun Duo in Minor Key”. Because the songs are mostly played in a minor key, but at the same time they are funny.”

Americans love gypsy music for its passion

Both artists were interested in gypsy music. They even learned many songs in Romani (the language of the Roma).

"The gypsies do not have a written language, they have their own coat of arms and flag, but there is no written language. So I simply wrote down the lyrics of the songs in Russian letters, and then we learned them. We also listened to a lot of gypsy music. There is a group called “Loiko”, on whose work we honed our skills.”, – shared Sergey.

As it turns out, Americans are also delighted with gypsy music.

“The Americans are absolutely delighted with their songs! Just tell them “gypsy” and they are immediately ready to listen. Everyone here knows “Dark Eyes” and “The Road Is Long.” They even have the latest song in English. Americans love such rhythmic compositions. They love the melody and, most importantly, the passion!” – noted Sergey.

"Gypsy music is actually very different. There are rums everywhere - both in Spain and in Italy... Only they have very different styles. If you play Hungarian gypsies, they will play you an endlessly recognizable Hungarian melody, and the rhythms of Spanish gypsies are more like flamenco - it’s just heat, sparks. Kuban gypsies are also hot,” – Valery clarified.

Before the pandemic, the duo “Gypsy Fun” traveled a lot around the country - they were invited to perform at festivals and at private parties.

"Once we came to a private American party, and there, besides us, they invited a jazz orchestra - 10 people! But when we came out, they all opened their mouths! And then the guests joked that two guys arrived and dispersed all the jazz.”“,” Valery recalled with a smile.

In addition to gypsy music, American audiences are very fond of Ukrainian Kolomyaks and go crazy about “Kalinka”. For them it's all East Slavic folk.

Bohemian years

The artists consider the first decade of the 2000s to be the heyday of the “Gypsy Fun Duo”. Although at first they, of course, had some grinding.

"Anything has happened to us, admitted Sergei. - TOEach one is a soloist in his own way. It's difficult when there are two leaders, you have to find a compromise. Everyone wants to be a little ahead, but you need to hold the line. But the most important thing is that despite the 15 year age difference, we feel each other well. They have already polished both the rhythm and the style. We are similar in temperament and in character too.”

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Artists remember: in the early 2000s “Russian Samovar” was full of celebrity guests. Nicole Kidman and Nicolas Cage visited there, and famous Broadway performers often spent evenings there. Mikhail Baryshnikov, who, as you know, was one of the founders of the restaurant, brought his famous friends.

"I call those years bohemian. There was smoke here like a rocker - both literally and figuratively. You could still smoke in the bar back then. Amazing people came, danced, sang. Now it’s somehow stable, but then people had more fun, because at that time a new era came after perestroika. At the same time, for example, they were not allowed into Samovar if they were wearing jeans or shorts. People came here smartly dressed, there was live music, romances, everything was more refined.”,” Sergei emphasized.

"Whoever walked here, especially stars from Russia: Yarmolnik, Makarevich, Dolina, Ernst Neizvestny, Tsereteli” – Valery joined the conversation.

“America melted many in its cauldron, but this is not our story”

Around the same years, the artists recorded their album. They sold more than 1000 discs, but did not continue further. They say it was hard to find free time in a busy schedule. Besides the group, everyone has their own hobbies. Sergei plays in the “Dialogue” theater, and Valery acts in films.

"I starred in several fairly famous films,” Valery clarified. – One of them is “August Rush” with Robbie Williams, which was nominated for an Oscar. You can clearly see me there. A friend of mine told me: “I was sitting watching a movie and then I saw Valera being shown, I almost fell out of my chair!”

“We filmed The Climb in Lake Place in 2020. He won the jury's sympathy prize in Venice. We played there on the lake in the cold, Valera’s feet were very cold. There was a live recording, it was, of course, unforgettable,” Sergei continued his memories.

They are preparing for the concert. Setting up tools. They talk. Tonight they will play again for a public that is not just waiting for live music - it is waiting for them. They say that it was thanks to music that they managed, even after going through the entire difficult path of immigration, not to betray themselves.

"Many here are absorbed into American culture, melted down in this melting pot, but this is not our story. We can more be called people of peace, – sums up Sergey. – Music makes it possible to remain yourself in many countries, without having to adapt to anyone. People come here from all different cultures, from all different countries – we play different music, and it’s understandable to everyone.”

The artists sigh: the golden age of live music in restaurants is in the past. Increasingly, it is being replaced by DJs and backing tracks. But for now they have a guitar and a violin, and they have each other - in “Russian Samovar” Live, playful gypsy melodies will sound.