Description:

Yiddish Concert and Café  
Hartzedike-Lider (Heartsongs) 
Featuring Allan Merovitz and Brian Katz, with special guest Jonno Lightstone 
Co-presented by the UJA Committee for Yiddish 

Hartzedike-Lider features celebrated Yiddish singer Allan Merovitz—who rarely preforms in Toronto—joined by long-time collaborator, acclaimed multi-instrumentalist, Brian Katz and MNjcc favourite, ace klezmer clarinettist, Jonno Lightstone. The trio brings together well-loved Yiddish songs and klezmer in new and exciting arrangements, as well as original compositions flowing out of this beloved tradition. Hartzedike-Lider has thrilled audiences world-wide, experimenting with the Yiddish gems, “bluesing,” reharmonizing, changing the forms, to find new riches in the music There will definitely be opportunities to sing and scat along! Audience participation is not mandatory— but we cast our bets that you’ll want to join in!  After the concert, we will also have a Yiddish open-mic portion for those wishing to read poetry, prose or perform an acapella song, and sweet kosher treats at our dessert reception.
 
Generously co-sponsored by the UJA Committee for Yiddish. Presented in partnership with the Yiddish Vinkl and Grodzinski Bakery.  

Thursday June 12 

Concert: 1:30-3:30pm 
Reception: 3:30-4:30pm
Al Green Theatre 

Admission: $8.00  
 

Allan Merovitz is a Juno Award nominee musician/actor widely known for his eight years and two recordings (FBKB / Agada) as the former lead singer of the Flying Bulgar Klezmer Band and a two-time Dora Mavor Moore award winner for theatre productions in Toronto. Allan has recorded and toured with some of the world’s top Yiddish and Klezmer ensembles including the Ot Azoj Klezmer Band of Amsterdam, Hartzedike-Lider (with Brian Katz) and the Montreal based Merovitz Project (Galaxy Award, 2009). His musical-theatre productions The Wedding Bard / Der Badchan and If Cows Could Fly (with Artword Theatre) and 1759 The First Channukah in Kanata: The Aaron Hart Story as well as his most recent, Horses, have been performed and produced in Canada and Europe, with recent performances in Ottawa, Hamilton, and at Toronto’s internationally renowned Ashkenaz Festival. KlezMerovitz, Allan’s Calgary based band has been featured at the Calgary Folk Festival and has been recorded by CBC on several occasions. Allan presently calls Calgary home, where he joins weekly old-time fiddle jams with new musician friends and continues to be a local singer- songwriter and bandleader of KlezMerovitz2. 

 
Toronto-based and internationally acclaimed guitarist, pianist, composer, educator, Brian Katz is celebrated for his instrumental mastery and evocative compositions, where he forges jazz, Jewish, classical, and various world music influences into a very personal sound. His longstanding love of Jewish music has led to collaborations with leading Jewish music artists such as virtuoso clarinettists, Jonno Lightstone and Martin van de Ven and Yiddish singers, Allan Merovitz, Michael Alpert (Brave Old World), Shura Lipovsky, Theresa Tova and Global Music Juno recipient, Lenka Lichtenberg. Brian has also worked alongside many esteemed jazz and world music artists including Cuban-jazz specialist, Jane Bunnett and jazz legend, Barry Harris. Mr. Katz has held a teaching post at the University of Toronto and York University for many years, instructing in jazz, classical, klezmer, open improvisation, Music for Health and Wellness and Dalcroze Eurhythmics, a method of music-movement education. There is a chapter on Brian in a recently published book by David Eisenstadt: Musicians Under the Radar: 36 Notable Canadian Jewish Performers. Of Brian’s solo guitar recording, Leaves Will Speak, noted European music critic Alexanader Shmitz wrote : “If you want music that speaks—here it is.” www.briankatz.com 

Available spots: Available

Price: $8.00 Taxes not included

Notes: A crowd favourite at our JCC for years, Jonno Lightstone is regarded as one of Canada's finest klezmer clarinetists. Equally at home on flute and saxophone, he is a multi-faceted musician whose wide-ranging experience includes jazz, reggae, ska, Cuban Son and classical music. His own projects such as Hu Tsa Tsa, the Yiddish Swingtet and Klezmology, however eclectic, always reveal a passion for klezmer and a thorough knowledge of the idiom. In collaboration with guitarist Brian Katz, the duo Lightstone / Katz explores rarely performed klezmer repertoire, creating a variety of diverse moods by weaving together klezmer melodies with the sounds and textures of chamber music, modal jazz, Indian raga, and blues. He has performed on recordings such as Hu Tsa Tsa’s Well Tempered Klezmorim, The Hot Latkes Klezmer Band’s Eine Kleine Klezmer Muzik, Matzo Ball Gumbo’s Peyes Up Front, and The Yiddish Swingtet’s Shul Days. Jonno is the musical director of Klezkonnection, Canada’s largest community klezmer orchestra and has taught klezmer workshops at CAMMAC, Lake Field Music and Klezkanada. A chapter on Jonno is included in David Eisenstadt's recently published book: Musicians Under the Radar: 42 Notable Canadian Jewish Performers. The Committee for Yiddish was created in the early 1960's under the auspices of the Canadian Jewish Congress to coordinate, foster and promote Yiddish cultural activity in Toronto. To this day, the Committee for Yiddish continues to fulfil this goal through a variety of activities that include classes in Yiddish language and literature, theatre workshops, concerts and lectures, and through its support of Yiddish programming by various other Toronto organizations and groups. For more information please visit http://www.committeeforyiddish.com/

Tags: Spring

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