Re: Judith Cohen concert

[Susan Lerner <meydele...>]

Judith Cohen was in LA last week for a conference at UCLA on Performing 
Ecstasies: Music, Dance and Ritual in the Mediterranean (fascinating but 
off list topic).  In addition to enjoying having Judith in town, I went to 
the concert of sephardic music that she gave along with her teen-age 
daughter Tamar at the Workmen's Circle this past Sunday that was 
co-sponsored by Iwri-Nasawi and was knocked out.  The concert was, to my 
mind, fairly perfect for its type.  Judith's manner is open and engaging, 
the musicianship and scholarship impeccable, the music enjoyable and the 
entire presentation and format accessible and informative.  She had the 
audience eating out of her hand, singing along to familiar tunes and 
learning new ones.  Several times, she traced a particular song from its 
Turkish or medieval roots through ladino, judeo-spanish, french, bosnian, 
french-canadian and/or klezmer variants,  providing translation and 
commentary before hand so that those of us unfamiliar with some or all of 
these languages could actually follow.  Her presentation was full of great 
learning, wit and warmth and perfectly suited to the intimate setting 
(attendance was perhaps 50-60 people).  Tamar is a lovely performer, with a 
clear engaging singing voice.  Both sing in a style learned from the 
singers among whom Judith has done field work in the Mediterranean, which 
is not an European art-song style but very pleasant.

I was looking forward to Judith's up-coming cd before.  Now I can't wait!

Shira Lerner

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