"Russian Chanson" Club

"Russian Chanson" music club opens in Nizhny Novgorod September, 25. There are always plenty of concerts and festivals in Nizhny, but this particular project is unique for the city and rare for the country in general. There was only one such a club in Russia - in St. Petersburg.

"Russian Chanson" is a genre hard to define even for it's devotees. Some consider popular songs written to Sergey Yesenin poems to be Russian Chanson. Some say Alexander Vertinsky was the founder of the genre. Even many of those who buy albums labeled "Russian Chanson" regard it as branch of modern romantic gangster song. On the contrary, numerous listeners insist that it is pure restaurant music. The common ground is that there must be a tear and an anguish in those songs. There must be a hero (heroine) opposing the world, or the circumstances, or him- or herself... Hope in vain and desperation are a must too. This is the law of a genre, at least it is approached so by many. Isn't it strange that very close canons do have Argentinean and Irish folk songs?

The club is thought of as an elitist one, a kind of English club. Concerts and aftershow sit-ins with the guest musicians are available only to members. Those who bought a season ticket become club members and participate in gatherings which are to happen every other Saturday. Strict look.

President of the club is well-known Novgorod composer and performer Nikolai Tuhanov. He is an author of about 180 "Russian Chanson" songs. So the club policy and selection of the guests promise to be strict and demanding. Jemchujhnikov Bros.' concert opens the club's first season. Recitals of Lyubov Ouspensky, Katia Ogonyok, Ivan Kuchin, Michail Sheleg are already planned.