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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZKLEZMERYiddish genre from Eastern Europe, especially Odessa; a Jewish dance/folk music with lineup similar to early jazz bands, unorthodox tonality, interlocking rhythms (Odessa has been called the New Orleans of the Russian Empire). Exported to USA by early '20s, almost died out with Hitler's murder of Yiddish culture, but records had been made (compilations of original recordings 1910--42 on Folklyric and Global Village) and a revival got under way '80s by groups incl. Klezmer Conservatory Band (albums on Rounder and Vanguard incl. A Touch of Klez! '85, A Jumpin' Night In The Garden Of Eden '88); Klezmorim, with two brass, two reeds, tuba, percussion (albums incl. East Side Wedding on Arhoolie, said to be more authentically Yiddish; Metropolis and Notes From Underground on Flying Fish, more jazzish). Also on Shanachie: Jewish Klezmer Music by Zev Feldman and Andy Statman and the Andy Statman Klesmer Orchestra '83. Echoes of Kurt Weill, Prokofiev, Gypsy music, early silent film music may help to explain why so many good jazz musicians are Jewish. In Chicago Lori Lippitz (guitarist, vocalist and a practising cantor) formed the Maxwell Street Klezmer Band '83, named after the street market operated by Russian Jewish immigrants c1900 (albums on Global Village; newest You Should Be So Lucky! on Shanachie). The Maxwells performed '96 at NYC's avant-garde HQ the Knitting Factory along with sextet Klezmatics (albums Jews With Horns on Xenophile, Rhythm + Jews on Flying Fish, Possessed on Piranha), Klezmer Madness! (trio led by Klezmatics' clarinettist David Krakauer) and John Zorn's Masada, said to interweave the Jewish spirit with knowledge of Ornette Coleman (Zorn's exhilarating quirkiness was probably infl. by klezmer). Classical violinist Itzhak Perlman 'gets down' and plays klezmer; avant-garde clarinettist Don Byron's albums on Elektra incl. Plays The Music Of Mickey Katz '93, a tribute to the late bandleader, whose own recordings are reissued on Simcha Time! on World Pacific. The klezmer flag is flown in the UK by Wallace Fields's Klezmer Swingers and reeds player Stewart Curtis. |