Jewish Music in Washington DC - May

[GAronoff <GAronoff...>]

Jewish Music List Members living in (or visiting) the Washington DC area 
might want to check out the DC Jewish Community Center's May Music offerings. 
 

Events include:  A premier reading of TONY KUSHNER's new opera "Caroline, or 
Change," May 10; Knitting Factory/ Bell Atlantic Jazz Festival shows of URI 
CAINE W/ DON BYRON (May 12), DAVID KRAKAUER (May 13), and NAFTULE'S DREAM 
(May 15); blues singer Imani Gonzalez, May 16; and classical music from 
Terezin performed by the AUDOBON QUARTET, May 27.

All events will be held at the DCJCC, 1529 16th Street N.W., Washington, DC, 
in the Dupont Circle neighborhood.  Contact Kate, 202-518-9414x247 for more 
information.

DETAILS ON ALL SHOWS BELOW.

Tony Kushner 
Presents A Premiere Reading of his Upcoming Opera
Caroline, or Change
Monday, May 10
7:30 pm
Premiere Reading?DCJCC Members & Howard University
Faculty & Students: $18 / NM: $24 (Limited number of free seats available) 
Premiere Reading & Private Reception with Tony Kushner: $50 
Tickets: Box Office Tickets 1-800-494-8497 (no service charge)

Tony Kushner is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of the Broadway hit, Angels 
in America. His eagerly anticipated new libretto (written in collaboration 
with Bobby McFerrin), Caroline, or Change, is scheduled to premiere at the 
San Francisco Opera in 2000. The opera tells the unique story of an 
African-American woman raising a Jewish son. This exclusive program offers an 
insider?s look into this exciting new work by presenting a premiere reading 
of the opera with Mr. Kushner and an impressive array of accomplished actors. 
Following the reading, Mr. Kushner will be available for discussion and 
book-signings. Mr. Kushner?s eloquence, wit, and moral convictions continue 
to engage and impress audiences as he speaks out on a variety of issues 
ranging from art and American politics to social justice. His role as a 
generational spokesman has provided him with a public platform from which to 
address concerns that lie at the center of national debate. Recently, his 
artistic efforts have focused on issues within the African-American community.

This program is a part of Windows and Mirrors, a unique project which strives 
to bridge the African-American and Jewish communities together through 
artistic programs. The program is a collaboration between the DC Jewish 
Community Center and The African-American Resource Center at Howard 
University.


Jazz Festival
The DC Jewish Community Center is participating in the Knitting Factory?s 
city-wide Bell Atlantic Jazz Festival. The Center will feature those jazz 
artists from the Knitting Factory?s repertoire whose styles resonate with the 
newest trends in radical Jewish music as well as those whose music is guided 
by Eastern European traditions.

Uri Caine: Mahler Revisited
Wednesday, May 12 
8:00 pm 
$14 
Tickets: Box Office Tickets 1-800-494-8497 (no service charge)

?The highlight of the whole season is likely to be pianist Uri Caine?s 
?Mahler Revisited.? It's a jaw-dropping work which blends marching band 
wallop and Jewish Cantor echo, racing klezmer with raging free jazz 
outbreaks, occasionally reverting to recognizable symphonic or song oriented 
pieces.? 
-The Birmingham Post, England 

Uri Caine, keyboards
Don Byron, clarinet
Chris Speed, saxophone
DJ Olive, turntables 
Ben Perowsky, drums 
Drew Gres, bass

Uri Caine?s Mahler Revisited is a stunning contemplation of Mahler through a 
prism of jazz, klezmer, and other music. Pianist Uri Caine has an eclectic 
musical vision that has inspired searches along the full range of the jazz 
spectrum in his career as a bandleader, composer, and collaborator. His most 
ambitious and musically rewarding project yet, however, has been in the realm 
of classical music?his mind opening exploration of composer Gustav Mahler?s 
work, Mahler Revisited. The encounter between the American pianist and the 
Austrian composer, a lifelong source of inspiration for Caine, developed from 
their shared penchant for mixing ?high? and ?low? art. The resulting work 
mixes styles and genres, taking considerable liberties with Mahler?s 
compositions while simultaneously looking seriously at their roots and the 
eclectic mind of their creator. Recognized by the prestigious International 
Mahler Society as the most innovative Mahler recording of 1997, Caine?s CD of 
the project, Urlicht/Primal Light, received stateside praise from the Los 
Angeles Times: ?This is a CD that takes Mahler?s music further than it has 
ever been taken and opens up worlds.? The performance features stellar 
personnel including clarinet virtuoso Don Byron and turntable master DJ 
Olive. 

David Krakauer?s Klezmer Madness!
Thursday, May 13 
8:00 pm 
$16 
Tickets: Box Office Tickets 1-800-494-8497 (no service charge) 

Internationally acclaimed clarinetist David Krakauer redefines the notion of 
a concert artist. Known for his mastery of myriad styles, Krakauer?s music 
lies far beyond cross-over. He is a natural storyteller who has long dazzled 
colleagues and the public with his ability to shift and meld musical gears. 
On any stage he exudes an emotionally raw yet genial presence, baring a 
tireless spirit, humor, and generosity. His best-selling classical and 
klezmer recordings further define his brilliant tone, virtuosity, and 
imagination. 

Krakauer has been touring the globe with his celebrated Klezmer Madness! 
Ensemble. Colliding old worlds with new, Klezmer Madness! delivers a modern 
brand of klezmer with equal parts angst and elation. While firmly rooted in 
traditional klezmer folk tunes, the band ?hurls the tradition of Klezmer 
music into the rock era? (New York Times). Krakauer?s compositions also pay 
homage to R&B, jazz, classical, and funk. 

Naftule?s Dream
Saturday, May 15
10:00 pm 
$12 
Tickets: Box Office Tickets 1-800-494-8497 (no service charge)

?The most sophisticated of the several experimental klezmer outfits to have 
emerged in recent years, Naftule?s Dream delivers wish fulfillment for anyone 
in search of free, psychedelic roots jazz.? -The Village Voice 

Glenn Dickson, clarinet 
David Harris, trombone 
Michael McLaughlin, accordion
Pete Fitzpatrick, electric guitar 
James Gray, tuba
Eric Rosenthal, drums

Weaving fiery improvisation into complex arrangements in a style reminiscent 
of Mingus at his best, Boston-based Naftule?s Dream has created an 
instrumental music of passion and intensity. Their album Search for the 
Golden Dreydl has been released by John Zorn on his radical Jewish culture 
label, Tzadik, and the band has created a stir with regular performances at 
The Knitting Factory in New York and the international Ashkenaz Festival of 
New Yiddish Culture in Toronto.

>From adventurous originals to surprising re-interpretations of traditional 
Jewish classics, Naftule?s Dream draws on the exotic modalism of Eastern 
Europe, the improvising aesthetic of new jazz, and the hard edged rhythms of 
rock, Middle Eastern music, and klezmer. With its award-winning composers and 
virtuosic improvisors, Naftule?s Dream walks the line between free 
improvisation and tight composition.

Integral to the band?s sound is the breadth and scope of the musicians? 
experience. They have extensive performing and recording experience with the 
traditional klezmer band Shirim, with which they have recorded two CD?s on 
Northeastern Records. (back to top)


Classical Music

The Audobon Quartet Plays Music from Terezin
Thursday, May 27
8:00 pm 
M: $12 / NM: $16 
Tickets: Box Office Tickets 1-800-494-8497 

The hallmark of a truly great string quartet is the distinctive quality of 
its sound. The Audobon Quartet, hailed internationally for its technical 
virtuosity and luminous sound, possesses the ability to play with a perfectly 
blended singing tone. Founded in 1974, the quartet quickly established itself 
by winning top prizes in major music competitions around the world. The 
Quartet will perform different pieces composed and performed in Terezin. 
Complementing the music will be slides of artwork produced in Terezin and the 
recitation of poetry composed there. This powerful program reminds us of the 
ability to triumph over the darkest moments of human history through artistic 
expression. (back to top)


Concerts & Events

The Urban Philharmonic Music Series Features
Blues Singer Imani Gonzalez 
Sunday, May 16 
3:00 pm 
Free 

As supple as it is warm, Imani?s voice casts a nearly album-length spell as 
it gracefully moves through the textured arrangements, infusing the 
spiritual, romantic, and topical themes with emotional power and sensitivity. 
-The Washington Post Imani Gonzalez, renowned blues singer, will liven up 
your Sunday afternoon with some wonderful renditions of old favorites. Imani 
has performed at the Smithsonian Institute, Blues Alley, Kennedy Center for 
the Performing Arts, and the Corcoran Gallery of Art. This free concert is 
presented in cooperation with The Urban Philharmonic Society. (back to top)

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