The Klez

The Klez

Date/Time:
Friday, April 14, 2017
8:00 pm - 10:30 pm

Location:
St. John’s United Church

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The Klez play the toe tapping, wildly rhythmical music that was born in the crossroads of many civilizations. Klezmer music includes the haunting qualities of Jewish, Arabic, Balkan, Turkish, Eastern European, Greek and Gypsy music. Alluring rhythms and exotic modes are vibrant and the melodies often combine happy and sad themes that reflect the nature of life.

We also play Sephardic music. These are the lovely ballads of the Jews who were driven out of Spain by 1492. Some of Sephardic songs are old indeed and are reminiscent of medieval Spain, when Jews, Christians and Muslims shared a fruitful era of relative peace.

Both Klezmer and Sephardic genres are music filled with love and longing, and heart-felt joy. We also enjoy singing traditional folk songs in Hebrew, Yiddish and Ladino.

We love the history of the music we play and we discuss that and give the songs an historical context. There are a lot of sing-along opportunities and we have song sheets to make that work for everyone.

We have performed for The Butchart Gardens summer festival of music, The Beacon Ridge Production shows at the Oak Bay Rec. (sold out) Hermann’s Jazz Club (sold out three times) Congregation Emanu’el, the Jewish Humanists, at the Moss Street and James Bay Markets, , the Tango Festival in Centennial Square, and many private engagements.

Awards include the 2011 and 2012 Victoria Balalaika Orchestra prize at the Greater Victoria Performing Arts Festival.

Our CD, “A Nakht in Gan Edyn” was released March 2014 to good reviews.

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