Re: Feb. 7 Rubin/Rushefsky Performance Warmed the Soul

[Bert Stratton <yiddcup...>]

The Klezmatics put on a zippy, vibrant show at the Grog Shop in Cleveland last week.

Very odd venue. High school bands often play this rock club, and there were the Klezmatics. (The band was on its way to a big concert in W. Va. the next night and was looking for a place to play -- apparently any place to play -- the night before.)  They could have chosen my living room.  

There were 75 people in the club, max.  (The concert wasn't promoted well, for one thing.  The alternative newspaper ran the club's typical weekly ad:  "Surf Freaks Mon./Spit Fuzz Tues./Klezmatics . . .) 


The Klezmatics were complete pros -- unfazed by the turnout or the paint-it-black milieu (very downtown NY?).  They gave it their all, playing material from every Klezmatics "era"  -- the old bulgars, tunes from their new album and terrific new Woody Guthrie songs.

There was even a heckler, powered by brew.  He said "Play" Play!" when Frank London tried explaining Yiddish lyrics.  Frank said, "Not everybody is as conversant in Yiddish as you are."  Or something close to that.

People danced.

Rate it 5 stars -- of David.


Bert Stratton



-- Pharaoh's Daughter got written up in today's Cleveland Plain Dealer:

http://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/entertainment/1077618789232530.xml








At 04:28 PM 2/22/04 EST, you wrote: 
>>>>
> On a frigid, snowy, Saturday night, the performance of Dr. Joel Rubin on C clarinet, Pete Rushefsky on tsimbl and Rabbi Eli Silberstein, vocalist, warmed many hearts and souls at the Ithaca College Tu B'Shevat gathering sponsored by Hillel and Chabad.  The first set featured primarily Lubavitch Hassidic songs sung by the rabbi.  The Rubin/Rushefsky duo blended very nicely and the overall effect was quite moving.   
>
> Personally, I looked forward with much anticipation to the second all instrumental set, from the collections of Ukrainian-Jewish ethnomusicologist Moshe Beregovski.  If you are a big fan of the CD Beregovski's Khasene, you had a rare opportunity to hear this music brought back to life in Rubin's understated yet brilliant interpretation of this traditional Jewish wedding music collection.  It was obvious to me that this is the repertoire that Mr. Rushefsky is most comfortable with and it was evident in his own performance.   
>
> I understand some of this repertoire will be performed at Cornell University in late March when accordionist Claudio Jacomucci will be appearing with Dr. Rubin. 
> On a related note, it would be worthwhile if the list received some feedback from attendees of many of the performances that are promoted here. 
>
> Alan Sisselman 
> Buffalo, NY 
>
>  
<<<<


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