KlezCalendar

Hanukkah: A Story That Still Needs To Be Told

An evening of conversation, music, and food

Thursday, December 15, 2011 6:45 p.m.

Hebrew College, 160 Herrick Rd. Newton, Massachusetts 02459

For thousands of years, the Greek and Jewish worlds have made an indelible impact on each other's history, culture, and faith. Please join AJC Boston and the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Boston as we explore the historic roots that bind together our peoples and examine how the encounter between Greeks and Jews transformed our world.

Panel discussion with:

Shaye J.D. Cohen, Littauer Professor of Hebrew Literature and Philosophy, Harvard University Fr. George Dragas, Professor of Patristics, Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology

Also featuring Jewish music performed by Deiskeit, The Brandeis Klezmer Ensemble, and Greek music by Taximi.

Please RSVP by registering online: http://www.ajcboston.org/H anukkah
Light refreshments will be served. Jewish dietary laws observed. Free parking available. T accessible.

Posted by Nat Seelen at 6:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Saturday, November 19th 8pm

The JEWISH WOMEN of REBETIKA

Glen Echo Town Hall
6106 Harvard Avenue
Glen Echo, Maryland

Songs and Life Stories of Legendary Greek Singers Roza Eskenazi, Amalia Baka, Stella Haskil, and Victoria Hazan

Featuring:

Carol Freeman - Vocals
Beth Bahia Cohen - Violin
Haig Manoukian - Oud

Sponsored by the Folklore Society of Greater Washington

Tickets: Free for FSGW members, all others $25
www.fsgw.org, 301-717-4641
Reservations strongly recommended

NOTE: There will be a participatory workshop the following afternoon, on Sunday, November 20th. More details will be posted when available.

The JEWISH WOMEN of REBETIKA

Within the provocative world of the early twentieth century urban Greek Café Amans, where flamboyant characters sang about desperate love, life and death, and the seedy side of life, there were a surprising number of celebrated Greek Jewish female vocalists. Included among them were Roza Eskenazi, one of the most renowned Greek singers of all time, and Stella Haskil, who sang together with legendary performers such as Vasilis Tsitsanis. On this side of the Atlantic, Jewish women, notably Amalia Baka and Victoria Hazan, found center stage in the immigrant Greek nightclubs and community celebrations of major urban centers, as well as within the American ethnic recording industry.

All four women were held in high esteem for their extraordinary singing of a beautiful and complex repertoire, both during their lifetimes and again in recent years. Their music, making use of Eastern scales and asymmetrical rhythms, lush with intricate embellishment, and profound in its emotional content and depth, found its way into the hears of several generations of devoted listeners.

Although widely embraced for their musical contributions to urban Greek cafe music and Rebetika, their histories as Jewish women are not widely known. Using live performance and excepts from personal and family interviews, acclaimed vocalist Carol Freeman, together with virtuoso instrumentalists Haig Manoukian (oud) and Beth Bahia Cohen (violin), pay tribute to these Greek Jewish singers with a fascinating look into the songs and lives of these extraordinary women.

Posted by Nat Seelen at 8:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Klezmer dance and jam at the New England Folk Festival
Sunday April 17, 2011
Mansfield High School, Mansfield MA

At 11 AM, join us for an open klezmer jam. Sheet music will be provided.

And at 2:30 PM, Jacon Bloom will lead easy dances to klezmer music, which can be followed with a minimum of teaching. Mostly circle dances, such as the freylakhs, bulgar, slow hora, chusidl, and terkisher.

Both events will have live music by the band Shver un Shviger.

For festival information, see http://neffa.org

Posted by Nat Seelen at 11:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Sun Dec 19th, 3pm
Meandros Ensemble

3pm Concert, 2pm workshop/masterclass, free with admission
Sixth Street Synagogue: 325 East Sixth Street (b/n 1st and 2nd Ave)

The Maeandros Ensemble, led by oud player and vocalist Mavrothi Kontanis, combines lively traditional and innovative sounds from Greece and the Near East in high energy, emotional performances. Featuring a talented line-up of musicians, including Lefteris Bournias on clarinet, Megan Gould on violin, and Timothy Quigley on percussion, each concert highlights the group’s deep love and respect for the folk and urban songs of the early 20th Century Aegean, while simultaneously pushing the musical limits of that tradition with virtuosic improvisations and the ensemble’s own original compositions.

Maeandros has performed concerts and led educational seminars at prestigious venues and institutions throughout the US. Maeandros will be presenting an educational workshop at 6th Street Sundays for those interested in learning more about the music and culture of the Aegean Sea region, including background on the instruments, rhythms, musical modes and history behind this beautiful and unique musical tradition.

At 2pm Maeandros will present a workshop structured for people who have some familiarity with music, although anyone with an interest in Greek music is welcome. Our presentation will include a performance of a few songs, explanations of the historical and geographical context of the music, and a brief description of the instruments. We will include some audience participation with rhythms and singing, and for those with more advanced musical knowledge, we will briefly discuss the structure of the makams (musical modes), and ornamentation. The workshop will conclude with a brief question and answer period.

Cover $15 (includes a free drink).
sixthstreetsynagogue.org

Posted by Ari Davidow at 2:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Eldridge Street Project invites you
REBETICA SINGS THE BLUES

Wednesday, Sept. 20th 7pm
Eldridge Street Synagogue
12 Eldridge Street
between Canal and Division Streets
Manhattan

Tickets: $12. $8 students and seniors
RSVP: 212-219-0888 x 205

For more information, visit our website at www.eldridgestreet.org

Continue reading "Rebetica sings the blues, NYC, Sep 20" »

Posted by Ari Davidow at 7:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)