Yid Vicious live in Madison

[Ari Davidow <ari...>]

To prove my theory that klezmer is sufficiently popular that
it is always playing somewhere in this country, I did manage
to connect with Yid Vicious, one of three Madison Jewish
bands (according to Bob Jacobson, there are also Shira, a 
more conventional jazz band, whose "Shira" CD I reviewed 
on the klez shack, pleasurably, several years ago, and 
Jewbacca, which plays more Sephardic material) playing a
gig at a park festival in Madison, yesterday. It was a short
jaunt off Interstate 80 up to Madison, and the reward was
considerable.

Although the name prepares one for someone more cutting edge,
or, at the very least, abrasive, Yid Vicious is, instead, a
rather wonderful traditional klezmer band most notable,
perhaps, for the strength of its brass players--Bob Jacobson
on Euphonium, and another player on trumpet (plus clarinet,
fiddle, drum, and, if memory serves, bass). For the gig at
the park they also had a vocalist singing some Yiddish
theatre favorites. The sound filled the park nicely and
despite the heat and multitude of other distractions, there
were even several people dancing.

Yid Vicious is a band that should get wider recognition. They
are great musicians, and they play a style of klezmer that
was once popular in the States, but now is less often heard.
It's fun. They have a new CD out for those who are forced to
sample klezmer at a distance:" Klez, Kez, Goy mit a fez." For
more info, see the record company's website (I'll be reviewing
the album, but haven't had time yet) at:
   http://www.uvulittle.com
   
Tennessee Schmaltz is playing next week in Ann Arbor, but
that's where I am today, and will be home by then (at which
point they have gigs back in Tennessee, and I'll be considering
a run to New York to catch Klezmokum and Hasidic New Wave).

So far, that's the klezmer '98 cross-country tour. Hope to catch
just a bit more music before I come to rest in Boston later this
week.

ari

Ari Davidow
The klezmer shack: http://www.well.com/user/ari/klez/
owner: jewish-music mailing list
e-mail: ari (at) ivritype(dot)com