KlezKamp26

KlezKamp26

Wednesday, December 27, 2006

So busy having fun

Busy day at Kamp. Here's a shot from the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender party. There were some gay men there, really; they just left before the picture got taken.


Last night we had the book launch for the paperback edition of Henry Sapoznik's book Klezmer! Jewish Music From Old World to Our World. That's him playing with his band, the Youngers of Zion. Mark Rubin is on the cello and Cookie Seigelstein on the fiddle. The Youngers have this amazing ability to combine Jewish music with an American roots feel--they all play multiple musical styles--resulting in a warm atmosphere. Then Henry signed books and shamelessly basked in the adulation of the crowd.


Andy Statman made such a great contribution to Kamp this year. Here he is consulting with KlezKamp's technical director Laura Wernick about her mandolin hobby. He made himself completely available to everybody at all levels of learning, and his solo at the staff concert was a highlight nobody is likely to forget soon.


Meanwhile, what would be Kamp without some fire-eating? Jake and Katy Weinstein could only come for one day this year, but tonight they stilted and ate fire for the crowd. This is them rehearsing, thus no actual fire on those sticks, but the father-daughter duo is never anything less than entertaining.

Notes from the front

Here are scenes from Jill Gellerman’s PM1 Hassidic Dance class, exploring the effect of popular American dance steps in the Hassidic community. So, the bunny-hop is kosher, who knew?






The amazing Binyomim Ginsburg leads the band on vocals and wonderfully cheesy electric piano sounds.

Frank London, Dan Blacksburg, Michael Winograd, myself and Matt Temkin make up the band, which is having WAY too much fun playing for this class. I may come here to teach, but I always come away learning much more.


Salo Kluger of Simchas Sales.
It just wouldn’t be KlezKamp with out the convivial merchant of all things Yiddish.




Such a deal! Now all you need to find is something to play them on….

Michael Wex sports a new lid.


Klez Kamp: German Goldenshteyn Concert Video on YouTube

This is the first two tunes from the memorial concert for German Goldenshteyn at Klez Kamp on Monday night. It was an extraordinary experience to be there.

Thanks to Meredith Holch and Mark Rubin for their efforts in making this posting happen so quickly. We hope to have some more clips up during Kamp.

Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5JrABKGQRo

Best Staff Concert Ever

Best Staff Concert EVER! I heard that over and over last night after an amazing concert featuring KlezKamp staff playing solo turns and in ensembles covering every possible variation of Yiddish and Klezmer music.

Michael Wex emceed the program with aplomb, including his droshe on the influence of Curly and the other Stooges on Yiddish in the greater culture. All of the acts deserve mention but the stand-outs for me included an amazing clarinet solo by Andy Statman, who did the impossible at KlezKamp and achieved a totally silent, rapt audience; Elaine Hoffman-Watts, who drummed up a storm; the Frank London brass ensemble; Susan Leviton's beautiful Yiddish song; Ray Musiker's Mayn Shtetele Belz solo; Michael Wex's "I'm too sexy for Chabad" solo; so many more.

It was an incredible evening. We have recorded all the evening programs and will have them for sale at the EpesCenter and, we hope, soon on our website .