KlezKamp קלעזקעמפּ Podcast
Couldn't make it to Living Tradition's "KlezKamp: The Yiddish Folk Arts Program?" Here's your chance to tune in for a small taste of what you've been missing.
If you have been to KlezKamp, here's your chance to hear again some of the great performances and classes you enjoyed over the last 23 KlezKamps.
New podcasts will be added regularly every Monday. Check back regularly for more highlights of KlezKamps past and to look forward to KlezKamps to come.
Interview with Elaine Hoffman Watts
(179 downloads)Download this episode (22 min)
(Photo courtesy Mark Rubin)
The irrepressable doyen of the drum kit joins Mitch for a lively running commentary on her CD "I Remember Klezmer," stories of growing up in a klezmer household and the anticipation surrounding her latest CD, recorded that week at KlezKamp 2007.
Editor's note: ANYONE remotely interested in playing klezmer music should listen to this interview and take heed of her sage words of wisdom.
Posted by Klez Kamp Staff at 10:14 PM | MAKE A COMMENT
Sunday, Dec 30, 2007Interview with Judith Bro Pinhasik
(125 downloads)Download this episode (30 min)
Associate Director for Development Judith Bro Pinhasik joined Living Traditions in July 2006 with twelve years' experience in the fundraising field, focusing on health, education, environment, and the arts. For the past ten years, she has also been the pro bono fundraiser and member of the Jewish People's Philharmonic Chorus, which performs works entirely in Yiddish. An actor for fifteen years, Judy is also a fluent Yiddish speaker; her son, Joey, is learning Yiddish culture in the Workmen's Circle Midtown Shule and in KlezKamp.
Today she joins Mitch in a conversation in the opportunity and challenges of keeping Living Traditions, the parent organization of KlezKamp, solvent and vibrant, continuing its mission into the next century. Starting with finding a new home!
Posted by Klez Kamp Staff at 2:33 PM | MAKE A COMMENT
Sunday, Dec 30, 2007Interview with Ray and Julie Musiker
(129 downloads)Download this episode (31 min)
(Photo courtesy Alan Lankin)
Throughout his career as a professional musician, Ray Musiker has worked to preserve klezmer. Born in 1927 in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, Ray is the fourth generation in a family of klezmer musicians. As a child, Ray learned to play klezmer dance music at Jewish weddings. His parents, immigrants to America from Northern Russia, taught him about the wealth of Eastern European Jewish music. Ray plays saxophone, clarinet and flute. He taught music for 32 years, and recorded and performed extensively, in America and internationally.
Today Ray talks with Mitch about his recently released CD on Living Traditions, recorded right down the hall at last years KlezKamp. Entitled "Ray Musiker: A Living Tradition" it features Musiker's original and classic material and backed by a stellar staff ensemble of Pete Sokolow (piano), Alex Kontorovich (alto sax), Ken Maltz (tenor sax), Jim Guttmann (bass), Aaron Alexander (drums), and Henry Sapoznik (guitar).
As a special treat today, he is joined by his lovely wife, Julie who speaks on the home life of a famous klezmer.
Posted by Klez Kamp Staff at 1:49 PM | 1 comments
Sunday, Dec 30, 2007KlezKamp Youth Orchestra
(138 downloads)Download this episode (18 min)
Led by one time Kamper, now turned instructor, Michael Winograd, members of our most favorite Kamper ensemble take time out to talk with Mitch prior to their concert.
Posted by Klez Kamp Staff at 1:23 PM | MAKE A COMMENT
Sunday, Dec 30, 2007The Famed "Philadelphia Shers"
(128 downloads)Download this episode (16 min)
(Photo courtesy Alan Lankin)
Performed live, warts and all, for the benefit of the dancers at this year's KlezKamp. The Elaine Hoffman-Watts ensemble, featuring Susan Watts on trumpet. Mike Cohen, Dan Blacksburg, Adrian Banner, Henry Sapoznik, Ken Maltz and Mark Rubin round out the band.
Playing for the dancers, this marks the first time in many years that the 88 bar dance tune has been performed outside of its native Philadelphia.
(See video of the actual dance at the Klez Kamp Blog site!)
A studio recording of this and many other tunes was made by this very ensemble during the week and should be available at least by next year's event.
"Shall we do it again?"
Elaine Hoffman Watts is a third-generation klezmer musician, scion of the great Philadelphia Hoffman family of klezmorim. The first woman percussionist to be accepted at Curtis Institute, from which she graduated in 1954, Watts has performed and taught for more than forty years, working in symphonies, theaters, and schools. Despite her skills and family heritage, when she was young Ms. Watts was seldom given opportunities to perform by klezmer bands, from the 1940s on: they didn't want to employ a girl, even Jacob Hoffman's daughter. Ms. Watts began performing klezmer actively again with her daughter Susan Watts. She is a 2007 recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts Heritage Fellowship Award.
Susan Watts represents the youngest generation of a Klezmer dynasty that reaches back to the Jewish Ukraine of the 19th century, beginning with her great grandfather, bandleader Joseph Hoffman. She works and records with a range of talented musicians including her mother Elaine Hoffman Watts, Frank London and the Klezmer Brass All-Stars, Mikveh, anad the KlezDispensers.
Posted by Klez Kamp Staff at 2:57 AM | MAKE A COMMENT
Saturday, Dec 29, 2007Interview with Pete and Vera Sokolow
(142 downloads)Download this episode (37 min)
(Photo courtesy Alan Lankin)
Peter Sokolow has had a career in Jewish music, commercial music, and traditional jazz that has spanned over fifty years; he has done more than 10,000 jobs in that time. He has performed with many famous klezmer and jazz players, toured Europe and the U.S. several times, orchestrated three Jewish shows and more than thirty recordings, and appeared in or arranged for several TV "specials"and documentary films. He is the author or co-author of books on klezmer and articles about the klezmer scene, and has lectured extensively. He has taught at KlezKamp since its inception.
Today piano man and band leader non pareil Pete Sokolow talks about his life as a Jewish dance band musician and working with the greats of Yiddish music, accompanied by his lovely wife Vera. Recorded in the lobby of the Hudson Valley Resort during this years KlezKamp by the amiable Mitch.
Posted by Klez Kamp Staff at 3:01 AM | MAKE A COMMENT
Thursday, Dec 27, 2007Staff Dance Band
(181 downloads)Download this episode (13 min)
Cookie Segelstein, violin
Joshua Horowitz, accordion
Mike Cohen, clarinet
Henry Sapoznik, tenor banjo
Mark Rubin, string bass
From the KlezKamp staff dance band set. A selection of Moldavian Jewish dance tunes from the repertoires of German Goldenshteyn and Belf.
Posted by Klez Kamp Staff at 3:03 AM | 1 comments
