KlezKanada 2009

Quick mentions - a few new CDs from KlezKanada

2009-09-07T11:23:18Z

cross-posted to the main KlezmerShack blog:

Every year I end up leaving KlezKanada with a bit more music than I arrived with. This means that the trip home in the car is especially fun. This year, there were few new CDs, but what was there represented, I think, the diversity and depth of this "Naye Dor" (new generation) that was on display at the great concert at camp.

The hit of the pack is clearly this new CD by violinist Jake Shulman-Ment. Called אַ רעדעלע / A Wheel, his violin work is superb as he plays fairly traditional klezmer, with a few Yiddish vocals, all with a very pre-America European feel that is nicely complemented with tsimbl work by both NY's Pete Rushefsky and Cleveland's Alex Fedoriouk. Will this setting of Linestski's poem replace the Jerry Garcia song of similar name? Perhaps! In songs, as with life, the wheel keeps turning. This album? I'll be listening to it for a while. Pick up your copy at cdbaby.com.

Shulman-Ment is involved in several bands. It is rare to see a klezmer- or Yiddish-related concert of interest in NYC that doesn't feature him, these days. One of his many side projects is a "transylvanian" folk band called "Metrofolk." Not knowing what I had in hand, I happened to swap it out in the car's CD player with an early Muzsik´s CD. For a few seconds I wondered if I had mistakenly left the first CD in place. Billed as "Traditional Gypsy, Hungarian, Romanian, and Jewish folk music and songs from Transylvania, freshly interpreted on the streets and subways of New York City," this first release, "Renegades of Folk" is a delight. Vocalist Kata Harsaczki is a lovely find. Shulman-Ment fiddles like a soul on fire. Pete Rushefsky makes a cameo on tsimbl, er, cimbalom. The repertoire includes some specificly Jewish songs from the region along with a host of other songs and tunes. The literal translation from Hungarian, "I smoked and burned my mouth" and "My heart aches inside and out" add piquancy. This is a fun album, and also available from CDbaby.com

And now for something completely different. Fans of New Orleans' Panorama Jazz Band have long been aware of Patrick Farrell's accordion playing. A recent transplant (except for during mardi gras season) to NYC, he is also a stalwart of the ever-amazing Frank London's Klezmer AllStars and Michael Winograd's klezmer ensembles. Now he has his New Orleans-style brass band, Stagger Back Brass Band and it rocks. This is the band you want to invite to your street party—to any party. It's a romp through world music as interpreted by New Orleans-style brass and it is as good as it sounds. Better. You can check out samples and pick up your own copy (and support the KlezmerShack by using this link) from the usual cdbaby.com.

One of the elemental recordings of the Klezmer Revival was this 1978 recording by Dave Tarras, modestly titled, "Music for the Traditional Jewish Wedding," and originally released as a cassette from New York's Balkan Arts Center (now the Center for Traditional Music and Song headed up by the ubiquitous Pete Rushefsky). The recording was rereleased last year? on CD, and I now have a copy that I can easily listen to on my computer. It's not that I have forgotten how good Dave Tarras is, it's that I hadn't thought about this recording for a while and was surprised how often I found myself preferring familiar songs his way. We have created new "classics," but Dave Tarras was the Master of the Jewish Clarinet. It's worth the reminder. Get your copy from the CTMD and help support Pete! Your ears, your feet, and all but jealous clarinetists within range will thank you.

One of the pleasures of KlezKanada was sitting across the table from Toronto's Yiddish scholar, Anna Sternshis, and her kids (did we talk about the explosion of babies at KlezKanada?) and discovered that she is married to Dan Rosenberg who is responsible for several of my favorite "Rough Guide" compilation CDs. (He is also responsible for the excellent Rounder set, "The Hidden Gate: Jewish Music From Around The World"). His guide to Israeli music was reviewed on the KlezmerShack a few years ago. I thought he juggled an impossible task and caught an incredible slice of what has been interesting and innovative in that country's music. I felt that his guide to the Klezmer Revival missed some critical bands (nothing from Australia's Klezmania and, I think nothing from Canada—not even the Flying Bulgars from his own town. There were also a few cuts I would probably not have put on my own compilation. On the other hand, had I realized that there was another volume coming, the "Rough Guide to Klezmer Revolution" I might have been more excited, because this CD does capture much of the breadth of what is new and exciting in klezmer-based new Jewish music. From the Klezmatics singing "I Ain't Afraid" to South America's Moguilsevsky & Lerner—and yes, the Flying Bulgars are here, along with SoCalled and Mikveh, Margot Leverett, and Shtreiml, and David Krakauer, and Wolf Krakowski, and Oi Va Voi, and lots more from around the world. In short, pretty much everyone I was pissed at him for leaving off the first CD! This is the best sampler of what's new in the Klezmer world since last year's KlezKanada compilation. As was the case with the Israeli music CD, it isn't that I can't think of incredible artists or bands who aren't represented, but that the geographic and music span of the diversity is so well represented. If you can't have everything, this is a good starting point. Hey, it's got Dan Kahn on the cover. It's got to be good. Pick up your copy today.

I mention one last recording, from 2003, because it kept coming up in conversation. Klezmania's Freydi Mrocki was at KlezKanada this year and kept kvelling about the soundtrack to this remarkable book by someone "down under" named Arnold Zable. It's called "The Fig Tree" and features music by Klezmania, Klezmeritis, and several Greek bands from the same neighborhood. It is such a delight that it is already part of my car-driving music repertoire. If you can figure out how to get a copy from down under, you'll thank me for it. I just have to get a copy of that darn book and see what the real fuss is about.

KlezKanada Newsletter PDF, Shabbes, Aug 29, 2009

2009-08-29T23:14:54Z

The last newsletter before the grand finale concert, all-night cabaret jam session and departure!

Photo spread: Shabbes Backwards March, 2009
KlezKanada’s Film Program: What It Is So Far, by Eric Stein
ר (רייש) אין אַמעריקע אַ קלאַס מיט מיישקע אַלפּערטפֿון מרים-חיה סגל / “Reysh in America”, A class with Michael (Meyshke) Alpert, by Amanda (Miryem-Khaye) Seigel
Three Children’s Rhymes presented by Binyumen Schaecther at the Pesakh Fiszman Memorial
C’ EST PARTI !, by Melanie Ribot
אַ נאַטור שפּאַציר, טײֵל 2 פֿון איציק גאָלדענבערג / A Nature Walk In Yiddish (Part 2), by Itsik Goldenberg
Playing Music the Bessarabian Way, by Keith Wolzinger
KlezKanada Visual Arts, by SK (photos: Robin Young)
A piece of teenage wildlife, by Louis London
טאַנצן מיט איין אונטערחלק אויף צוויי גלייַכצייַטיקע ייִדיש-פֿעסטיוואַלן
אַ פֿאַרקירצונג פֿון בנימין שעכטערס נעכטיקן ענגלישן אַרטיקל
צוגעגרייט פון מרים-חיה סגל
and more!

090829.pdf

KlezKanada newsletter PDF, Fri, Aug 28, 2009

2009-08-28T23:08:31Z

Loyf Tsunoyf photo spread
אַ נאַטור-שפּאַציר אױף ייִדיש פֿון איציק גאָלדענבערג / A Nature Walk In Yiddish, by Itsik Goldenberg
פֿון מאָנטרעאַל ביז מאָלדאָווע פֿון רחל קאַפֿריסען
Jeff Warschauer receives the KlezKanada “Distinguished Service” award as he steps down as Artistic Director to begin his cantorial studies this coming year at JTS.
Dancing with One Tush at Two Simultaneous Yiddish Festivals by Binyumin Schaechter
Interview with FreYdi Mrocki, by Sabu Wex, Mira Netsky and Michelle Wolzinger
סודאָקו Sudoku, by Riki Friedman
and even more of the usual photos and fun!

090828.pdf

The New Generation דער נײַער דאָר

2009-08-28T20:13:44Z

KlezKanada’s gala concert this year, produced by Jason Rosenblatt and Avia Moore, celebrates the work of some of our outstanding scholarship graduates. These young artists are at the forefront of many of the newest and most exciting activities in the worldwide Yiddish and Klezmer revival. In addition, special lectures and other programming, curated by Rokhl Kafrissen, will focus on worldwide activities of the Nayer Dor, the New Generation.

AVIA MOORE (Montreal) has studied, danced and taught with many of the world’s foremost Yiddish dance teachers/leaders. She is the on-site Administrative Director for KlezKanada (for whom she wears a plethora of hats) and is the founder and artistic director of Burnt Wine, a theatre company dedicated to exploring cultural themes in a postmodern setting.

Jason Rosenblatt studied jazz piano at the Rimon School of Jazz in Ramat Hasharon Israel and at the McGill Conservatory. His achievements as a composer and harmonica player were most recently recognized by the Canada Council for the Arts, which awarded him a grant to study with his mentor, harmonica master Howard Levy. In addition to Jason’s career as a performer, he is an educator who teaches youth ensembles and teaches keyboard and harmonica at KlezKanada.

Rokhl Kafrissen is lawyer and journalist. She is currently working on a book called “The Myth of the Yiddish Atlantis” and writes for Jewish Currents magazine. At KlezKanada she is coordinating both lectures and the special programming for Der Nayer Dor.

KlezKanada newsletter PDF, Thu, Aug 27, 2009

2009-08-27T23:01:39Z

ישר-כּוח, דער נייַער דור!
אחד Ekhod - lyrics by Sarah Mina Gordon, melody trad Ukrainian-Jewish
Guitar workshop, by Roger Reid
Interview with Marilla Wex, by Michelle Wolzinger, Sabu Wex and Mira Netsky
The Klezkanada Film Class: A Blockbuster Disappointment, by Louis London
קעסטל רעטעניש Kestl Retenish (Box Riddle), by Riki Friedman, Freydi Mrocki, Sophie Creutz
and more ads, photos, "did you know" and other fun stuff....

090827.pdf

KlezKanada Newsletter PDF, Wed, Aug 26, 2009

2009-08-26T22:56:25Z

Weintraub-Alpert dance move photospread
באַגעגעניש מיטן פֿאַרברענטן ייִדישיסט
Klezmer Talk on the Internet, by Keith Wolzinger
Lecture Notes: Roots in Exile
Mentshlekh-keit Revisited: New book by Michael Wex out in two weeks, by Steve Karp
Klez Kinder B’Kitzur, by Lisa Mayer
Sebastian Shulman: From Montreal to Moldova, by Rokhl Kafrissen
and the usual ads, photos, and other fun stuff

090826.pdf

Shloimke Beckerman Kolomeyke Medley

2009-08-25T17:44:45Z

If you are studying today with Stu Brotman, please download this PDF of the music, and mp3 of how the pieces sounds.

Shloimke Beckerman Kolomeyke Medley.pdf
Shloimke Beckerman Kolomeyke.mp3

זײַט באגריסט קלעזמאָרים און קלעזפרײַנד

2009-08-25T15:52:32Z

Welcome Klezmers and Klezmer-Friends.

This year, over 325 participants, from as far away as Australia and New Zealand and Uruguay.

Photo: KlezKanada sunrise 2008. Source: Robert Blacksberg

Welcome to KlezKanada 2009

2009-08-25T15:38:09Z

We're here. The weather is glorious. The music is excellent. And internet connectivity appears to be full-on—thank you Camp Bnai Brith staff!

The pre-KlezKanada newsletter, Aug 24, 2009

2009-08-24T22:47:12Z

Very few copies of this were printed, and perhaps that was a good idea! The pre-KlezKanada newsletter this year contained information from the website, and bits and pieces from elsewhere, but we didn't get it included with the packets as people drove up. You can get your copy here090824.pdf as a PDF.

Hankus Netsky brings “Discovery Project” to KlezKanada

2009-08-24T19:53:01Z

with Shayn Smulyan & Emily Lam program from National Yiddish Book Center to gather memories debuts at KlezKanada

A dance done at Jewish weddings in Toronto, a little-known Yiddish proverb, the perfect recipe for brisket, a nign (tune) sung by Hasidim in a village destroyed in the Holocaust, a photograph of Jewish workers at a convention in the 1920s — all are important parts of Jewish cultural history, and all will be coming to life again, thanks to The Discovery Project.

KlezKanada is delighted to announce a major educational collaboration with the National Yiddish Book Center in Amherst, MA, where Hankus Netsky has served for the past two years as Vice President for Education. The Discovery Project is a grass-roots cultural recovery program that has taken on the challenge of recovering what is left of our immigrant and post-immigrant heritage, mobilizing young people to seek out and document the kinds of Jewish cultural treasures about which they are most passionate. The material that Hankus and our KlezKanada participants will gather will be made available to the public, so that new generations can learn it, learn from it, and use it as the basis for creative projects, curriculum—or delicious meals. It will become part of an interactive “open archive,” hosted on the web, and as part of National Yiddish Book Center publications and exhibits and, perhaps most importantly, will provide the content for public programs of all types—at KlezKanada, at the Book Center, and all over the world!

This summer, Hankus Netsky will present workshops on the material he has been gathering and showcasing at the Book Center and will train participants to gather additional material, both on-site at KlezKanada and in their own communities. We will also be looking for sources from within our Klezkanada community. Join the “Discovery Project” at KlezKanada, and get ready to Discover!