Capital Public Radio Presents
Klezmer String Band
A Review by Thomas Bianchini
Guest Reviewer
A warm Sacramento summer evening, the delta breeze
gently brushing the shady oak trees, and Yiddish music on a stage
adorned with children’s cartoons are not the usual combinations you
would associate with a summer concert. Then again this was no
ordinary concert; this was Capital Public Radio’s Wednesday Night
Music, hosted in the middle of Fairytale Town Children’s Park. The
band performing on the Sponge Bob adorned stage was none other than
the Freilachmakers Klezmer String Band.
Photo: Storyteller Andy Ruben
For those who are unaware of this genre (as I was when I first
arrived) Klezmer is a style of music performed by Yiddish
communities, primarily in Eastern Europe. I learned on this night
that
this music was mostly
performed on very special occasions, like the wedding of a Rabbi’s
child. The Freilmakers (Yiddish for joy-makers) were a six-piece
band of very talented musicians. Featuring Andy Ruben on banjo,
mandolin, guitar and lead vocals, Mark Epstein on clarinet, Fellipe
Feraz on guitar and vocals, Wayne Lutzow on accordion, Christian
Kufner on second accordion (yes dual accordions) and Lou Ann Weiss
on string bass and cello. There was one guest performer, Jo-Ann
Feraz, wife of Fellipe, who performed a duet with her husband on
one very touching piece.
Given the genre of the music I expected a very
Yiddish evening, what I did not expect was the charm of a garage
band, the sounds of accomplished musicians, and the captivation of
a Ken Burns documentary. The Freilachmakers Klezmer String Band
provided a diverse introduction into Klezmer music. They performed
different regional styles of Klezmer: South American, Turkish and
even fused the Klezmer style with Celtic and California Gold Rush
era sounds. If that was not entertaining enough, Andy Ruben
provided fascinating descriptions and historical details of each
piece. He also hailed the historical efforts of Beregovski, a man
who recorded Klezmer music in the late 1930’s with the equipment at
the time and saved them for
posterity despite his
stay in a Nazi concentration camp and a Russian gulag before his
passing in Stalin’s Russia.
Photo: the Klezmer String Band
A gifted story-teller, Andy Ruben was able to
verbally paint a picture of the era and the people and their
circumstances that each Klezmer tune was about. Some somber stories
included surviving the holocaust, working in textile industries in
England and early America. Some happier songs included drinking
melodies that would make transitions from Yiddish to Celtic styles.
The group as a whole possessed a casual charm that kept a diverse
crowd of fifty or so in a festive mood. Clapping and singing along
did not take much encouragement from the band as the crowd seemed
hungry to hear more.
The band oddly enough formed in 1995 as some
enthusiastic musicians who appreciated Celtic tunes. Some would
assemble after temple to play when somebody suggested ‘why don’t we
play Klezmer tunes’. It explains the amazing flexibility in Andy
Ruben’s voice as he changes accents from Scottish to Turkish to
Spanish to Yiddish so effectively that you would swear he is from
all of those regions. All in all, the Freilachmakers Klezmer String
Band was a joyful and enlightening experience. If you wish to hear
some of this culturally rich and uniquely fused music, you can
visit their web site at:
www.freilachmakers.com
All photos by Tom Bianchini
About Fairytale Town: Let your imagination run wild at Fairytale
Town, a 2.5-acre children's play park and outdoor children’s museum
that brings fairytales and nursery rhymes to life! Located in
William Land Park in Sacramento, Fairytale Town has delighted
millions of guests, inspiring imagination, creativity and literacy
since it opened in 1959. Over 25 bright and colorful play sets give
young children a backdrop to act out their favorite stories, to
encourage creative discovery, and to exercise their minds and
bodies on child-friendly slides throughout the lush grounds.
Photo: a summer concert, courtesy Fairytale Town
Home to a friendly menagerie of animals from the pages of favorite
children's stories, children can meet Peter Rabbit at Mr.
McGregor's Garden and see the sheep that Mary brought to school one
day. Small gardeners can help water seasonal vegetable beds and
seek out a sprouting alphabet of exotic plants. Small adventurers
can join Robin Hood's band of Merry Men in Sherwood Forest's
extensive play fort. Children can go down Jack's Beanstalk, ride in
Cinderella's carriage, and burn off extra energy walking on The
Crooked Mile, a favorite play structure for many generations.
King Arthur's Castle has
been the place for unforgettable birthday parties for three
generations. Annual memberships make it easy for today's families
to make Fairytale Town part of their lives, with free admission and
park discounts for twelve whole months. Year-round special events,
theater performances and educational programming celebrate
holidays, introduce multicultural themes, promote literacy and
offer creative experiences to thousands of visitors.
Photo courtesy Fairytale Town
As a nonprofit organization, Fairytale Town exists to benefit the
children of the Sacramento region. The park relies on the support
of the public to achieve this goal. To keep our donors and members
informed, Fairytale Town offers a free weekly email newsletter. The
Humpty Report features park news, special event information and
special invitations. Over 7,000 at-risk and low income children and
disabled children receive free admission each year.
Fairytale Town features
play sets based on nursery rhymes and fairytales situated
throughout the lush 2.5-acre park. Six sets feature slides. The
Crooked Mile, the hands-down favorite set, is one-eighth of a mile
long. Located at 3901 Land Park Drive, Sacramento, CA 95822 (916)
808-7462,
www.fairytaletown.org Fairytale Town opens its gates free
of charge the day after Thanksgiving, the day before Christmas and
in conjunction with other special events such as the Free
Sacramento Museum Day and the ScholarShare Children’s Book
Festival. Visit with your children, grandchildren soon! Open
through October 31 (weather permitting). Open seven days a week
from 9AM - 4PM. Guests who are in the park by 4PM may stay and play
until 5PM.
Grandparents Day, Sunday, September 11, 9AM - 4PM. Celebrate the
33rd anniversary of national Grandparents Day at Fairytale Town!
Grandparents who visit Fairytale Town on this day accompanied by a
grandchild, age 12 and under, receive free admission to Fairytale
Town.
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