[HANASHIR:3688] CAJE Report

[Adrian Durlester <durleste...>]

Many HNites came to CAJE this year at OSU in Columbus. I'm happy to report a
successful experience for all. Rich Glauber and Steve Dropkin were both
featured in the closing program. Robbi Sherwin sang backup for Rich Glauber
and a whole host of others. (Write her privately and ask her about her new
CAJE nickname!) Carol Leon provided some harmony for Karen Daniel. Rabbi
Larry Karol got to sing with Julie Silver at her show.

Steve Dropkin, Noah Budin, Rich Glauber, Karen Daniel, Judy Ginsburgh,
Raquel Gershon, Peter and Ellen, Rick Calvert, Shirona Kaufmann, Cantor
Wally, Laura Berkson  all had featured performances.

Jess Gold's presence was everywhere, dancing and moving and singing.

Carole Rivel led a most successful CAJE Chorale in a rousing and thoroughly
enjoyable performance on Wednesday evening.

Doug Cotler shined at the opening program, a welcome relief after all the
speeches! Sadly, Doug experienced some severe back problems and wound up
needing hospitalization. They were unsure how Doug would get home to
California. I will try and keep the list informed as to Doug's condition.
Lets all send him our prayers and wishes for a refuah shleima.

Yours truly of course accompanied his wife Karen, and also played with Judy
Ginsburgh, Fran Avni and the Cantor's Choir. Steve Dropkin also played for
Judy Ginsburgh. Shirona and Rick Calvert worked together, and Shirona also
sang with Fran Avni and others.

Emily Blank, Meris Ruzow, Judy Git, Leigh Korn, Ellen Dreskin, Neil Schwartz
and Alice Weinstein and probably many more I have already forgotten were
there to lend their talent and voices and love to the experience.

The OSU campus is BIG and performers had some major roadblocks to overcome
getting to their venues, and there were some other problems, like cancelled
sound checks, inaccessible and out of the way performance spaces, etc. But
as usual, Jewish performers are troupers and came through with flying
colors, providing CAJE with a phenomenal "edu-tainment" experience.
Following on the pattern of last year's conference there was an incredible
amount of cooperation and sharing among all the performers - with lots of us
working together. And kudos to the "edu-tainment" chairs Lisa Sobel-Seigmann
and David Lamden.

There was a fabulous Bustan Sepharad program on Wednesday night featuring
music from Sephardic cultures, and from Jews in Iran, Syria, Egypt, India,
etc. And a stirring story about the few Jews left in Pakistan from Cherie
Karo-Schwartz. Chaim Parchi and Ranon Tasat led an incredible group of
performers that included Jess Gold, Fran Avni, Nomi Teplow, Rahel Musleah,
Kenny Ellis, Lynn Hazzan, Cherie Karo-Schwartz, Vered Hankin and more.

Our compatriots in the arts, the story-tellers were given many opportunities
to shine at CAJE, including a wonderful opening program MC job by Judith
Black and powerful stories from Corrine Stavish and others.

Other great programs included Rabbi Joe Black, Mark Bloom, Sam Glaser, Peri
Smilow, Yom Hadash (get your teenagers to buy their album!) Cindy Paley,
Kenny Ellis.

Many performers were interviewed and featured by Phil Fink on his Shalom
America radio webcasting program and also talked with Arye Berk for his
webcasted radio program. More on this later.

Missed at CAJE were perennial favorites Debbie Friedman, Kol B'Seder (Jeff
Klepper and Dan Freelander) and Craig Taubman.

Sadly, Donny Maseng didn't make it either.

Judy Ginsburgh chaired a highly important roundtable for Jewish performers,
and Raquel Gershon led a great session on songwriting. The late night
kumsitz's were great. When Wednesday evening's kumsitz with Sam Glaser
leading ended, there were still more kumsitz sessions going on. The music
never stopped. There is so much diversity in the world of Jewish music, and
CAJE showcases this and has something for everyone. It was also great to see
so much cooperation, with experienced performers reaching out to newcomers.

We're really trying to get everyone involved with Jewish music on this list,
so expect it to grow!

If, in my post CAJE stupor I missed your name, my most humble apologies.

Further reports as I remember more-and I hope the rest of you will write
your reports as well.

Adrian

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Adrian A. Durlester  -  durleste (at) home(dot)com
http://members.home.net/durleste/
Student, Vanderbilt University Divinity School
http://divinity.lib.vanderbilt.edu/vds/vds-home.htm
Music Director, Congregation Micah, Nashville, TN
http://www.micahnash.org/
Home phone (615) 646-9788
Nextel cel-phone (615) 207-2661
You can page me from http://www.nextel.com
List-Owner for hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org; Co-Owner for L-Torah (at) 
shamash(dot)org
http://uahc.org/hanashir
Editor, Bim Bam (for Torah Aura Productions)
http://www.torahaura.com/
Alternate Email: aad (at) iname(dot)com  adriand (at) aol(dot)com




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