KLEZMER MUSIC SOURCES
- a start - by Ernie Gruner www.erniegruner.com
RECORDED MUSIC
Here are some names to look for in your record shop or when ordering on the net:
1. Old Stuff: 1920’s : Clarinet - Dave Tarras, Naftule Brandwein, Violin - Leon Schwartz
2. 20s-50s eg Klezmer Plus, Epstein Brothers
3. 1970s starting the Klezmer Revival : Kapelye, Klezmer Conservatory Band,
The Klezmorim, Andy Statman, Brave Old World, Budowitz, Chicago Klezmer Ensemble
4. Newer; often including fusion with jazz, rock, other world music styles. Klezmatics, Finjan, Goyim, Flying
Bulgars, Don Byron, Salomon Klezmorim, Klezperanto, Kroke
TUITION VIDEO/DVD Andy Statman - general intro. to klezmer style (via clarinet) : Homespun Tapes on web
SHEET MUSIC
Try and listen as much as possible. Like most folk music, what’s written down is only a
guide or one person’s interpretation. To get a feel for ornamentation and phrasing listen most at first to the
Old recordings or revival/traditionalist bands/recordings such as Budowitz, Der Neue Kapelye, Alicia Svigals “Fidl”,
Margot Leverett “Clarinet” Most of the books below list recorded music references.
The Compleat Klezmer : Tara Publications. Sapoznik/Sokolow. Companion cassette also. (The 1st - so tunes are often played)
Klezmer Collection for C and B and Eb instruments Stacey Phillips. Mel Bay Publications, good information also
Klezmer Plus! Folio : Tara Publications, Sapoznik/Dion/Sokolow. + essays, band arrangements
Kammen International Dance Folio no1 and no 9. J&J Kammen Music Co. 1920s and before
Klezmer Music Fake Book Vol 1&2 with CDs , Sy Kushner via Web, several keys
Ultimate Klezmer : Wolff Kostakowsky 1917 ed Josh Horowitz, released Tara 2001 (beware of chords)
BOOKS / HISTORY / THEORY & STORIES
- try local bookshop or Amazon.com, or ask me to show you
Sapoznik H. “Klezmer ! - Jewish Music from Old world to New world”. Schirmer Books, 1999
Rogovoy S. “The essential Klezmer”. Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill. 2000
Hurworth, G. “Strategies for coping with Klezmeritis” Chapter within “Many Seeds, different Flowers :the music education
legacy of Carl Orff “– Australian publication presenting music of different cultures for classroom teaching . For ordering &
information see : www.arts.uwa.edu.au/circme/catalogue/manyseeds/brochurepage1
ORDERING INFORMATION (places to get C.D.s, sheet music, bagels)
Melbourne: Golds World of Judaica, 9527 8775 3 Balaclava St, Balaclava Readings, Blue Moon
Jewish Museum of Australia, 9534 0083 , 26 Alma Road St Kilda, www.jewishmuseum.com.au
Sunflower Bookshop, 9523 6405, 434 Glenhuntly Road, Elsternwick * Allans Music has some klez also.
USA: Workmen’s Circle Book Centre, 45 East 33rd St, New York 10016 USA
TARA MUSIC PO BOX 707, Owings Mills MD 21117 (good catalog)
THE WEB
email me & I’ll email you a list of website links for your instrument or more
The biggest site with heaps of links to bands, festivals, recordings is run by Ari Davidov
Ari Davidov’s Home Page www.klezmershack.com
TARA music publishers
www.jewishmusic.com
Australia Jewish site www.jewishaustralia.com includes some Australian Klezmer who/what’s on info.
FESTIVALS New York KlezKamp http://www.livingtraditions.org/ has been going every December over 22 years,
Vancouver, Ukraine, Moscow and Tsfat (Israel) are regular. Others have sprung up around the world. Here next ?
Melbourne Yiddish and Film festivals sometimes feature klezmer films or musicians.
Please contact me if you want to find out more
or
if you discover new klezmer stuff
I am keen for more musicians to discover & play klezmer . You don’t have to be Jewish – one of my favorite bands was
La’Om in Berlin, we had a great session. In 1998 I visited USA/Europe to learn more klezmer. I had fiddle lessons from
Alicia Svigals of the Klezmatics in New York and went to festivals in Cracow, San Fransisco, as well as visiting archives,
meeting musicians, & going to workshops, gigs, cafes etc in Budapest, Berlin and other centres. If enough interest I’d
like to help bring out one of the O/S klezmer bands for concerts and workshops. I’m open to offers of ideas and help! If
you’d like to know when workshops are on or klezmers are visiting, please put your name on my mailing list.
MY NEXT KLEZMER WORKSHOPS : email or see website for dates…Private Lessons available
Available chuppahs, weddings, barmitzvahs, functions, concerts : solo or with KLEZMERITIS or KLEZMER TRIO
KLEZMERITIS CD available from me or via shops or net (see website below). We also play on THE FIG TREE CD.
BOHEMIAN NIGHTS CD aka Ernie and Phil from Klezmeritis also has 6 klezmer tunes + related countries.
I also recommend you see Klezmania (inc. clarinet & native Yiddish vocals) : www.klezmania.com.au CDs & on FIG TREE
Mazeltov!
Ernie Gruner ph: 03.9386.7108 erniegru@mira.net
www.erniegruner.com