Re: Klez Kamp 2004, music and Yiddish

[allen watsky <awatsky...>]

Klez Kamp ended last night when Frank and the Brass Band with Josh (So
Called) and others did two sets at a NYC world music club. Lots of Klez
Kampers were there listening and hanging. I love to watch Frank lead a band.
Sue Watts sang a tune and as always she knocked everybody out, and with a
cold no less. Mark Rubin the Tuba King (the captain) gets such a great tone
from his instrument,Margot L. was there along with Merlin and Christian,
Mike W. and Matt Dario were also in the section. Dave L. playing traps. Lots
of fun lots of music, great people.
   AFA the actual Swan Lake event went, high points and etc. I must say that
the "Funky Side" was a high point for me, for one thing it was my only
ensemble and the other , well, I like watching Frank lead a band. He's
really , really good at it and that's a rare thing in the business, the
theme of the ensemble was rhythmic stratification,(my coined term) and
involved carving individual parts and rhythmic cells from the tune  at hand,
in this case a tune from Belf Orch. We had a lot of fun and were very well
received by the audience.
   I spent the week checking out Josh H's dissonance class, which was good
solid useful stuff. Josh is a good lecturer and is very open handed, he's
just giving it away, laying it out for the students, a communitarian and a
swell feller ta boot.
   Attended Wex's series on the differences between German and Yiddish
idiom, I can't say enough about the material, he recontextualizes Yiddish
and his insights help me to get an over view of the culture that I would not
have other wise. Wex is a blast, not "just" funny. A very deep knowledge and
a great mind at work there. A good starting point for my study of the
subject.
   I spent some time talking with Steve Weintraub about my little obsessions
regarding Jewish DANCE MUSIC and the DANCERS. I spent even more time
watching the dancers and trying to formulate some strategies to use in my
work. I even danced some. Steve did great work coping with the oddly shaped
dance floor. Kind of a kidney shape. He earned himself quite an ovation at
the Sunday concert. He's a hard working and dedicated guy. Jim Guttman also
lead an ensemble that was exploring methods of Rhythm Section playing. A
good class I sat in on.
    Apart from the classes there was lots of jamming. During the year the
Klezmorim are spread thin, but at Klez Kamp every room contains another
band. Its fun to browse around. I got to play with a bunch of the folks I
admire and am grateful for the opportunity. Mike Cohen who I did a gig with
on the 20th was there on workstudy which was a  fun surprise we got to tell
our little war stories.
   Josh H., Cookie S. and Henry (hank) S. were trying out their new trio
with Henry playing a new tenor guitar that Mark R. brought up from Texas, it
was an old Kay from around the turn of the century(the last century) and I
loved the sound of the thing. A very fun sound with Accordion, Fiddle and
Tenor.
   It was fun that the event occurred during Chanukah, lots of candles, a
nice familial vibe, the Shabbat services were, as Rodger mentioned, well
attended and we all sang out little hearts out at our tables or in the
lobby. A sort of very large ,extended family.
   The Tsimblers formed groups, Jeff and Deborah played their doubles when
they weren't playing their primary instruments. Pete R. was a frequent tuner
and a tireless foil for dozens of jammers. The fiddlers formed groups
amongst themselves, people freely moved from one group to another and later
in most evenings some of the instructors could be found jamming as well.
   The hotel was a tad shabby , but still better than the Hilton IMO. The
food was OK, I ate and ran, one did not need to linger to savor the vittles,
but I wasn't there to eat.
   Well that's about it, its sort of impossible to mention everything and
everyone, but I would say that a good time was had by all. AW

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jill Friemark" <sefirah (at) earthlink(dot)net>
To: "World music from a Jewish slant" <jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org>
Sent: Wednesday, December 31, 2003 1:36 PM
Subject: Re: Klez Kamp 2004, music and Yiddish


> Wow!!!  Frank's stuff sounds like it was just about the highlight of
> Klezkamp!  Good for him - he's got such a great attitude and is such a
> vibrant, soulful musician, it hardly surprises me.  I envy all of those
> of you who had the opportunity to be involved with his classes and
> workshops!  Hope to join you all out there one of these years...
>
>  From personal experience, can anyone tell me what the Yiddish
> curriculum is like at Klezkamp?  Teachers?  Likes or dislikes?  Please
> email me offlist if you have any input (since it's somewhat off-topic).
>
> I'd love to hear more about all of you musicians' experiences out there
> this year!  Al? Roger? Jeff and Deborah? Lee? Ari? Anyone else?!?  Give
> give give!  :)
>
> Take care, happy new year!
> Jill
>
>
>


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