Welcome to the 2008 Jewish Music Festival

Related Events 2008
Sun, Feb 24, 2008 2:00 PM

Revival of Sephardic Music

To register call 510-848-0237 ×126 or Contact the JMF.

Musical scholar Francesco Spagnolo traces the history of the revival of Sephardic music since the 19th century. With musical examples by Teslim, with Kaila Flexer and Gari Hegedus

The Jewish Music Festival collaborates with sister organizations across the Bay Area to bring you extended events and performances from February to April. Francisco Spagnolo, Kaila Flexer, Gari Hegedus, Glenn Hartman & the Klezmer Playboys, Cantor Roslyn Barak, Heather Klein, Eliyahu & Qadim, and more

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Mayn Yiddishe Velt
Thu, Mar 13, 2008 3:00 PM

The soprano voice of this emerging Bay Area artist soars on the wings of classic Yiddish art song and repertoire from operetta, cabaret and theater in Yiddish and English.

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Frank London’s A Night in the Old Marketplace
Sat, Mar 22, 2008 9:00 PM

Opening Night of the 23rd Annual Jewish Music Festival – West Coast Premiere

Klezmer giant Frank London has teamed up with acclaimed lyricist Glen Berger and conceiver and director Alex Aron to create twenty-one unique songs based on the legendary 1907 Yiddish play by I.L. Peretz. The groundbreaking score mixes Jewish music, jazz, classical, rock, and world beats with a dose of Kurt Weill and Tom Waits. A stellar group of international musicians come together to spin this magical tale of villagers who wrestle with ghosts in order to right a past wrong, in a fantastic journey to rediscover the meaning of faith.

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The Dreams and Prayers of Isaac the Blind
Sun, Mar 23, 2008 5:00 PM

Osvaldo Golijov, composer, performed by The Bridge Players.

“. . . a musical expression. . . of a mystical Jewish belief in a constant state of communion in which human consciousness nurtures and renews itself through meditation. The piece deftly blends prayer and dance and leaves the listener in a state of grace that is all-too-rare in modern music.” —Gregg Cahill, Strings Magazine

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Benzion Miller
Sun, Mar 23, 2008 8:30 PM

The world-renowned Hasidic Cantor, featured on the PBS special: Cantors: A Faith in Song, captivates audiences with his brilliant tenor voice, virtuosic technique and deep spirituality. Accompanied by Daniel Gildar, pianist.

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Ladder of Gold
Tue, Mar 25, 2008 8:30 PM

Teslim (TesLEEM) means both ‘commit’ and ‘surrender’ in Turkish and features violinist Kaila Flexer and Gari Hegedus on various (mostly plucked) strings including Turkish saz, Iraqi oud, Greek lauoto and hand drums. This potent duo performs traditional music from Greece, Turkey and the Middle East as well as original music (by Flexer, Hegedus and others) inspired by these traditions. Ladder of Gold is the fruit of a City of Oakland grant and will feature Sephardic, Mizrahi and original music.

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Golem
Wed, Mar 26, 2008 10:00 PM

Contrary to popular belief, Golem is neither a towering Jewish Frankenstein who defended the Jews of 17th Century Prague, nor a creature from Lord of the Rings. Golem is a six piece Eastern European folk-punk band.

“Lord Loves a Working Man… These men pour their hearts out in songs that make audience members alternately work up a sweat and hold each other very, very close.” -SF WEEKLY

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Israel @ 60
Thu, Mar 27, 2008 8:30 PM

To celebrate Israel’s 60th birthday, Israeli percussionist Chen Zimbalista will focus the night’s energy on contemporary Israeli composers with pieces by Weisenberg, Shemer, Gronich and a few of his own. The program will also feature pieces by Gershwin, Bloch and Sichon.

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The Ark presents CYCLICAL RITUALS (part 1): Spring
Sat, Mar 29, 2008 9:00 PM

The Ark is a new ensemble of internationally-renowned artists defying the limits of Jewish music. This concert is a World Premiere, the first in a series of ritual performances that explore tradition, creativity, time, environment, and their expression through art and music.

The Ark: Avi Avital (Israel); Mariana Sadovska (Ukraine); Frank London, Aaron Alexander (New York); Glenn Hartman (New Orleans); Jewlia Eisenberg, John Schott, Stuart Brotman, Jessica Ivry (Bay Area).

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