Arts & Culture

Ashkenaz Festival, Klezmer, Jewish Music and Balkan Beat Box

September 4, 2010 | Bill V. | Comments (0)

Does the sound of klezmer music make you smile and start to tap your foot?  If the answer is yes, then you may want to attend theAshkenaz Festival at Harbourfront September 4-6, 2010.  The event is a cross- cultural fusion mash up of musical genres and countries.

Copies to borrow or read at the Toronto Reference Library of And you shall know us by the trail of our vinyl the Jewish past as told by the records we have loved. This illustrated history of Jewish culture in America as told through music includes a collection of amazingly kitschy, truly unforgettable album covers and insightful essays that highlight the funniest, most influential contributions to the musical canon. Full color throughout.   Copies to borrow or listen to at the Toronto Reference Library of Yiddish folksongs from the Ruth Rubin Archive :Love songs and ballads -- Lullabies -- Weddings and marriage -- Children's songs, singing games, riddles, and cumulative songs -- Work and apprentice songs -- Dancing, drinking, and humor -- Soldiers, sweethearts, and wars -- The Hasidic nigunim : songs without words and songs with words -- Anti-Hasidic satires -- Topical songs and songs of social significance and struggle -- Songs of the underworld.Romanized Yiddish words, also printed separately as romanized Yiddish text with English translations.Compact disc contents: Am kodoysh -- A-a lyu lyu -- In a sthetlele pityepoy -- Cheder-boy's: taunts from Galicia -- Vi azoy s'iz nisht git tsu geyn -- Heinich's vayb ; Ot azoy neyt a shnayder -- Hob ich mir a shpan -- A redele iz di gore vel -- A shadchen darf men kenen zayn -- Vos vilsti mutter hobn? -- Indroysn iz fintster -- Fun groys dasad -- Ich lig unter grattes -- Kadril = Quadrille -- Betler lid -- Chassidic tune sung by a man born in Poland -- Husiatiner melody sung by a mord born in Lodz, Poland -- Chassidic hopke sung by a man born in Poland -- Az moshhi : ach vet kumen -- Zog mir mein shvester -- Vos shloft ir, ir shlefer? -- Di mashines klapn -- Ver es hot in blat gelezn -- Fraytig inderfri -- Zayt mir gezint, chovertes ole -- Forn fortsu fun mir avek -- Five wedding tunes on a fiddle -- Shlof mayn kind mayn treyst mayn sheyner.Accompanying sound recording previously released: Jewish life : the old country. Published in cooperation with the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research

Did you know the Toronto Public Library has Klezmer, Yiddish and other Jewish music available to borrow, listen to or read about ?

See here for copies you can borrow of Rough Guide to Klezmer: this is an enhanced CD which contains music and travel information to the Rough Guide books. Moldavian freylakhs (German Goldenshteyn) -- Ovnt lid (Crepuscule) (Chava Alberstein with The Klezmatics) -- Vinnitsa (Joel Rubin Ensemble) -- Makh tsi di eygelekh (Brave Old World) -- Schwartz's Sirba ; A briv fun Yisroel (Di Naye Kapelye) -- Dancing with the Rabbi (Giora Feidman) -- Ot azoy (Sid Beckerman, Howie Leess) -- Veshomru (The Zmiros Project) -- Khasitsky tanets & horo (Konsonans Retro) -- Belkele (Kharkov Klezmer Band) -- Odessa freylekhs (Steven Greenman) -- Café Jew Zoo (Yale Strom with Hot Pstromi & Klassj) -- Tatarisher longa (Veretski Pass) -- Tsu der khupe (Budowitz) -- Mayn ershte vals (Klezmer Conservatory Band) -- Flatbush waltz (Andy Statman) -- T'hay yeshua zoys (Frank London's Klezmer Brass All-Stars feat. Kol Isha) -- Ode to favouritism & corruption (Merlin Shepherd Kapelye).  Copies to borrow from your local library or listen to at the Toronto Reference Library of Perlman Plays Klezmer (CD and Dvd - Disc 1. In the fiddler's house: Reb Itzik's Nign (6:01) -- Simkhes Toyre time (3:22) -- Flatbush waltz (6:11) -- Wedding medley (5:04) -- Dybbuk Shers (4:46) -- Basarabye (6:56) -- Firn Di Mekhutonim Aheym (5:33) -- Tati Un Mama Tants (5:48) -- Fisherlid (6:24) -- Der Alter Bulgar (5:50) -- Ale Brider (5:50) -- Honga (2:47) -- Doyna & Skotshna (3:31) -- Der Heyser Bulgar (3:51) -- Di Gayster (1:37). - Disc 1. In the fiddler's house: Reb Itzik's Nign (6:01) -- Simkhes Toyre time (3:22) -- Flatbush waltz (6:11) -- Wedding medley (5:04) -- Dybbuk Shers (4:46) -- Basarabye (6:56) -- Firn Di Mekhutonim Aheym (5:33) -- Tati Un Mama Tants (5:48) -- Fisherlid (6:24) -- Der Alter Bulgar (5:50) -- Ale Brider (5:50) -- Honga (2:47) -- Doyna & Skotshna (3:31) -- Der Heyser Bulgar (3:51) -- Di Gayster (1:37). DVD. In the fiddler's house (featuring Itzhak Perlman, Red Buttons, Fyvush Finkel, Leopold Kozkowski, Brave Old World, Kapelye, The Klezmatics, The Klezmer Conservatory Band). - Disc 2. Live in the fiddler's house: Bukovina 212 (4:30) -- Lehko Neraneno (5:00) -- Doina Naftule (2:43) -- A Hota mit Branfn (3:24) -- Healthy baby girl Hora (2:16) -- Golem Tants (1:49) -- Honga encore (1:35) -- Nign (5:32) -- Bulgars (5:07) -- Meton Nign (6:02) -- Sholom Aleykhem (4:33) -- Khaiterma (2:55) -- Andy's ride (2:55) -- A Heymischer Bulgar (3:14) -- Kale Bazetsn (4:30) -- Fun Tashlikh (3:01) -- A Yingele fun Poyln ; Di Mame iz Gegangen in Mark Arayn (4:59) -- Processional ; Klezmer suite ; Ale Brider (12:14). and In the fiddler's house CD or DVD - Violinist Itzhak Perlman takes a tour of klezmer music, from New York to Krakow. Klezmer groups performings include Kapelye, The Klezmer Conservatory Band and the Klezmatics.  

 

If you are more interested in reading about Jewish music then you may enjoy the following titles:

Copies to borrow or read/listen to at the Toronto Reference Library of Discovering Jewish music :The concept of "Jewish music," difficult to circumscribe because of the significant contributions of Jewish musicians to music and musical life in Christian and Muslim societies through the world, is conveniently defined by Edelman (Gratz College, Pennsylvania) as music composed by Jews, as Jews, for Jews. The latter two of these criteria are difficult to apply. Beginning with chapters on liturgical music, folk traditions, and pre-1880 history, Edelman devotes about two-thirds of this attractive volume to recent developments in synagogue, popular, and concert music, with emphasis on the US and Israel. Many musical and textual examples and a CD illustrate the work (with technical terms carefully explained), and Edelman includes some 50 pages of explanatory endnotes, a helpful glossary, biographical sketches of individuals mentioned, and a short, inadequate bibliography. The coverage is spotty and idiosyncratic; thus, the author has lots to say about Arnold Schoenberg and Leonard Bernstein, most of whose music has no Jewish context, but makes no mention of Kurt Weill and Julius Chajes, whose "Jewish" works are significant. Though not of interest to specialists, this is an excellent source for the beginner or lay reader.     Copies to borrow or read/listen to at the Toronto Reference Library of The Jewish music companion : Noted musicologist Velvel Pasternak has worked to capture and transmit the musical traditions of world Jewish communities. The Jewish Music Companion is dedicated to those topics that represent the broad panorama of Jewish music. Written in an easily understandable manner, the book is comprised of four sections: An Historical Overview; Jewish Music Artists; Annotated Folksongs; and an Appendix. Transcriptions of music with chords are included, as well as a CD with 14 selections representing the spectrum of Jewish folksongs.    Copies to borrow of Jewish music its historical development : In this landmark of musical scholarship, the leading 20th-century authority on Jewish music describes and analyzes its elements and characteristics, and chronicles its development from the earliest appearance of Semitic song 2000 years ago to the early 20th century. Liberally illustrating every type of music discussed, the book examines the music as a tonal expression of Judaism, Jewish life and the spiritual aspects of Jewish culture.

 

If you were interested in playing Jewish songs you may enjoy some of these scores:

Copies to borrow of The complete Jewish songbook for children! 201 Jewish songs for holidays, everyday or just for fun : Look no further than this collection for the best Jewish music for children. Each volume includes an abundance of magnificent music appropriate for children ages 2-13. Features Songs of Israel, Songs to Grow Up With, Songs for the Jewish New Year, Songs for the 3 Festivals, Songs for Chanukah, Songs for Other Holidays, Songs in Remembrance of the Holocaust, Songs of Prayer, Songs from the Bible, and Songs of Ethical Teaching. Each piece includes lyrics, chords, and melody, and the large print will help young children follow along easily. These books are perfect for the classroom or for anyone looking to learn or teach both classic and modern Jewish songs. 201 Jewish songs including classics like "Am Yisrael Chai," "Eema-Aba," "L'chah Dodi," and many, many more    Copies to borrow or read at the Toronto Reference Library of The world's most popular Jewish songs   Copy to use only at the Toronto Reference Library of The complete Jewish songbook shireinu our songs the definitive collection of Jewish songs : 350 of the most popular songs from all of Jewish tradition. If it's a piece of Jewish music you're looking for, you're sure to find it in this resource. In convenient lead sheet form, it includes Hebrew texts, English translations, and transliterated lyrics; full musical notation with chords for keyboardists or guitarists plus a separate line for guitarists using capos; and more. It includes contemporary Jewish folk and rock, popular tunes from Jewish camps, Israeli, Chassidic, Sephardic songs, and more.

If the Klezmer alone is an area of interest then try these titles:

Copies to borrow or use at the Toronto Reference Library of The absolutely complete klezmer songbook..Always wanted to play klezmer? Organizing a klezmer band in your congregation? This songbook/CD set provides all you'll ever need. Features melody lines and chords for 300+ songs from the klezmer tradition, many collected from the field by ethnomusicologist Yale Strom and published here for the first time. Includes cultural and historical background on klezmer plus archival photos.    Copies to borrow from your local libary or read at the Toronto Reference Library The essential klezmer a music lover's guide to Jewish soul music, from the Old World to the Jazz Age to the downtown avant garde : You can hear it in the hottest clubs in New York, the hippest rooms in New Orleans, Chicago, and San Francisco, and in top concert halls around the world. It's a joyous sound that echoes the past. It's Old World meets New World. It's secular and sacred. It's traditional and experimental. It's played by classical violinist Itzhak Perlman (his all-klezmer album in his all-time best-seller!), the hypno-pop band Yo La Tengo, and avant-gardist John Zorn. It made the late great Benny Goodman's clarinet wail. It's klezmer and it's hot! The Essential Klezmer is the definitive introduction to a musical form in the midst of a renaissance. It documents the history of klezmer from its roots in the Jewish communities of medieval Eastern Europe to its current revival in Europe and America. It includes detailed information about the music's social, cultural, and political roots as well as vivid descriptions of the instruments, their unique sounds, and the players who've kept those sounds alive through the ages. Music journalist Seth Rogovoy skillfully conveys the emotional intensity and uplifting power of klezmer and the reasons for its ever widening popularity among Jews and Gentiles, Hasidim and club kids, grandparen'ts and their grandkids. A comprehensive discography presents the "Essential Klezmer Library," extensive lists of recordings, artists, and styles, as well as an up-to-the-minute resource of music retailers, festivals, workshops, and klezmer Web sites. The Essential Klezmer is as entertaining as it is enlightening.  

Copies to borrow from your local library of the DVD - Itzhak Perlman In the Fiddler's House - Violinist Itzhak Perlman takes a tour of klezmer music, from New York to Krakow. Klezmer groups performings include Kapelye, The Klezmer Conservatory Band and the Klezmatics.

One of the acts performing at the Festival and who personify the mash up fusion vibe of the Festival  is Balkan Beat Box. They are a mix of traditional Balkan, Reggae, Israeli and Middle Eastern music with a strong dance hall, hip hop and beat element added in. If you watch any YouTube videos of them you'll notice the very happy jumping audiences and the frequent comments on the their shirtless lead singer Tomer Yosef.  You may want to sample some of the following videos to get a flavor of them in live performances around the world:

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