Budowitz Concert Review

[Pete Rushefsky <klezbanjo...>]

FYI-- This was posted to another list:

Budowitz performed in Berkeley last night, and will be
doing another 
gig
tonight (Wednesday) in Felton, in the Santa Cruz
Mountains.

DON'T MISS THIS KLEZMER AND HUNGARIAN CONCERT!!

Five musicians, each one a master on his instrument,
did a beautiful, 
even
touching job with some very complex music. What was
most striking to 
me,
besides the skill and musicianship, which were
extraordinary all 
around, was
the constant, attentive  communication between these
performers; it was 
as
though each man was proud to be seen with each of the
other four. This 
was no
fake enthusiasm routine. These men clearly have
complete respect and
admiration for each other as musicians, and really,
really enjoy making 
music
together.

Josh Horowitz, tsimbl and button accordion
Tamás Gombai, violin
Zsolt Kürtösi, cello
Sándor Tóth, kontra
Christian Dawid, clarinet

We were treated to a stunning (though quite
abbreviated) Kalotaszegi 
cycle by
the three Hungarians; the rest of the evening was some
of the most 
melodious
and, well, lovingly-performed klezmer music I've ever
heard. The 
Freight and
Salvage in Berkeley was pretty full, especially for a
Tuesday night - 
maybe
175 people? - yet you could hear a mouse peeing on
cotton during the 
entire
show - well, not the right metaphor, exactly, but you
know what I mean. 
This
was one rapt audience - and deservedly so.

Musicians who've toured together for years, as have
these, often look 
kinda
bored with each other, and with their material. Not
Budowitz. Every 
single
minute of music was savored as a delicacy by each
performer, whether he 
was
playing at that moment or not. This was truly striking
to me, and to 
other
professional listeners who later remarked on it as
well. The result was 
a
treat for the eye and the heart, as well as the ear.

Budowitz's CDs, and those of some of the performers in
other combos, 
were
available for sale. The two I've listened to
extensively are gorgeous. 
But if
I could, I'd go again tonight and hear the same pieces
(and a few 
delightful,
preposterous stories, courtesy of Josh Horowitz) all
over again, to 
absorb
the musical intimacy and energy of this group.

Tonight's show is at Henfling's, 645 Sequoia, in
Felton. If I get any 
more
details, I'll let you know. Hope you can make it.

-- Hester Lox
San Francisco


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