MUSIC
Adrienne Cooper (New York): Yiddish chanteuse premieres her daring new CD “Enchanted,” an inventive combination of deep Yiddish soul with fearless innovation rooted in klezmer, jazz, pop and world music and backed by a stellar cast of New York’s finest next generation Jewish musicians.
http://www.adriennecooper.com
Balkan Beat Box (Israel/New York): Electro-folk and Mediterranean fusion from JDub recording artists. Their relentlessly energetic and carnival-esque live shows are quickly becoming the stuff of legend, building wild anticipation for their Toronto debut at the 2010 Ashkenaz Festival.
http://www.balkanbeatbox.com
Best of the Fest Finale (international)
An Ashkenaz tradition, as always the Festival comes to a rousing close with a series of performances by some of this year’s headline artists, followed by a massive jam session featuring all the festival musicians.
“Fellowship of the Strings” Fidl Kapleye (Cleveland/New York/Toronto): Master Klezmer musicians Steven Greenman (violin) and Pete Rushefsky (tsimbl) lead a “student” ensemble of local string players through a set of traditional klezmer and new compositions.
Divahn (New York/San Francisco): Edgy all-female power-house ensemble fuses traditional and original Persian and Middle Eastern Jewish songs with sophisticated harmonies, entrancing improvisations, and funky arrangements.
http://divahn.com
Efim Chorny and Susanna Ghergus (Moldova): With his soulful voice and charismatic style, Efim Chorny is one of Eastern Europe’s leading practitioners of traditional and contemporary Yiddish song, and a major figure in the revival of Yiddish culture in the former Soviet Union.
Elaine Hoffman Watts and the Fabulous Shpilkes (Philadelphia): 79-year old Philly Klezmer legend and 2007 recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts Heritage Fellowship Award, joined by her daughter, trumpet and vocal powerhouse Susan Watts and a cast of all-star Klezmorim.
http://www.hoffmanwattsklezmer.com/
Flory Jagoda (Washington): Bosnian-Ladino legend known world-wide as the ”keeper of the Flame;” in 2002 Flory was honoured with a National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts for her contribution to preserving a traditional art form.
http://www.floryjagoda.com/
Geoff Berner (Vancouver): Vancouver–based rebel Jewish singer-songwriter. His latest album, “Klezmer Mongrels,” is a klezmer punk folk dance album about mixed-breeds of all kinds. Having now completed his "Whiskey Rabbi" CD trilogy, Berner is now pushing his sound in new directions and preparing to record his next album, to be produced by Yiddish beat scientist Socalled.
http://www.geoffberner.com/
http://www.myspace.com/geoffberner
Jaffa Road (Toronto): Virtuosic interpreters of inter-cultural music drawing from the worlds of sacred and secular Jewish songs, Classical Arabic and Indian music, modern jazz, rock, pop, and dub. 2010 Juno award nominees for Best World Music album.
http://jaffaroadmusic.squarespace.com/
Kaba Horo (Montreal): Bulgarian gypsy funk band combines elements of urban funk/rock/jazz grooves in its incendiary fusion
http://www.kabahoro.com/
http://www.myspace.com/luboandkabahoro
Klezmerata Fiorentina (Italy): “Chamber-Klezmer” quartet from Florence Italy
http://www.klezmeratafiorentina.com/
Lenka Lichtenberg (Toronto): On her boundary-busting new CD “Free,” Prague-born singer, composer and cantorial soloist blends modern Yiddish poetry with global musical influences including classical Indian, Egyptian, Middle-Eastern and North and South American styles.
http://www.lenkalichtenberg.com/
http://www.myspace.com/lenkalichtenberg
Les Bâtards du Bouche (Montreal)
An unprecedented, Ashkenaz-commissioned collaboration, this unique group reignites the delightfully campy yet musically sophisticated tradition of harmonica quartets, featuring the entire harmonica family (bass, chord, chromatic and diatonic). Virtuoso Quebecois harmonica players Levy Bourbonais, Samuel Caron, Jason Rosenblatt and Pascal Veillette delve into an entirely original repertoire of Jewish music fused with the avante garde and Quebecois musical traditions.
Michael Alpert & Julian Kytasty “Night Songs from a Neighbouring Village” (New York): A multimedia concert program that brings together East European Jewish and Ukrainian musical traditions, featuring new compositions and arrangements that merge tradition and innovation.
http://www.michaelalpert.org/
http://torban.org/kytasty/
Michael Winograd Trio (New York)
A leader in the second generation of the klezmer revival, clarinetist and composer Michael Winograd is considered a modern master of the klezmer clarinet style JOined by bassist/vocalist Benjy Fox-Rosen and accordionist Patrick Farrell, Winograd’s trio creates original contemporary klezmer music.
Mycale (New York/Israel): All-female, a capella all-stars perform the music of John Zorn. Expressive and passionate, Basya Schecter, Ayelet Rose Gottlieb, Malika Zarra and Sofia Rei Koutsovitis are four of the most creative vocalists around, each the leader of a dynamic band of their own.
http://mateway.net/mycale/
http://www.myspace.com/MycaleVocalGroup
North End Klezmer Project (Winnipeg/Sacramento/Vancouver): Fresh modern spin on traditional klezmer music from this Canadian band, featuring three founding members of Canada’s first Klezmer revival band Finjan, as well as renowned Canadian music producer Ben Mink.
Odessa/Havana (Toronto): Explosive Jewish/Cuban musical mash-up featuring Cuban Jazz piano superstar Hilario Duran and Ashkenaz Festival founder David Buchbinder (trumpet).
http://www.odessahavana.com/
http://www.myspace.com/odessahavana
The Other Europeans (Germany, Hungary, Russia, Moldova, Bulgaria, France, US):
14 piece Jewish/Roma super-group with members from seven different countries nations. Created and directed by Alan Bern, this new intercultural supergroup is creating powerful, deeply emotional and virtuosic music that restores a centuries-old cooperation between two groups who cohabited many of the same spaces in eastern Europe (particularly present-day Moldova) before being torn apart by war, holocaust and immigration
http://www.other-europeans-band.eu
Red Hot Chachkas (San Francisco): Making their Canadian debut, this group of multi-talented musicians plays traditional Eastern European dance tunes, ranging from frenzied freylekhs to tranquil tantsn, plus many original compositions, arrangements, and improvisations, building on the klezmer tradition and fusing with a variety of traditional and contemporary musical styles.
http://sites.google.com/site/chachkas/
http://www.myspace.com/redhotchachkas
Sasha Luminsky and Martin van de Ven with String Quartet (Toronto): Two of Toronto’s veteran Klezmer and Jewish music performers share a string quartet, performing unique interpretations of contemporary Jewish chamber music featuring themselves as soloists in a combined performance.
Sephardic and Mizrachi Cabaret (international): A variety performance featuring multiple festival artists working of Jewish traditions of the Mediterranean, North Africa, Israel, Egypy, Iraq, Iran, and beyond.
“The Spirit of Sepharad: From Casbah to Caliphate” with Gerard Edery and the Caravan Ensemble (New York/Israel):
Multimedia show tracing the history of Sephardic music and dance from Spain through North Africa to the middle-east .
The Sway Machinery (New York): Underground Cantorial rock and Jewish afrobeat with downtown NY hipster sensibilities. Featuring special guest, African vocalist Khaira Darby.
Tio Chorinho (Toronto): A new Toronto ensemble led by Ashkenaz Artistic Director Eric Stein (Beyond the Pale), dedicated to performing Brazillian choro music in the tradition of the great Jewish mandolin master, Jacob de Bandolim.
http://www.myspace.com/tiochorinho
Toronto Jewish Folk Choir (Toronto): Founded in 1925, the Toronto Jewish Folk Choir is the oldest continuing Jewish performing group in Canada. The Choir was formed by workers from the needle-trades district and specializes in perpetuating the heritage of Yiddish folk and working-class music.For Ashkenaz 2010 the group will perform a Suite by Srul Irving Glik with musical settings of work by five Canadian Yiddish Poets, including Peretz Miransky and Rokhl Korn.
Tribute to Avram Sutzkever (Toronto/Moldova):: Ashkenaz honours one of the great 20th century Yiddish poets and partisansm Avram Sutzkever, who died earlier this year at the age of 96. Featuring Yiddish vocal stalwarts Mitch Smolkin, Theresa Tov a and Efim Chorny, this tribute will feature Sutzkever's poetry and music and relevant work from his contemporaries that contextualizes and brings to life the milieu that gave birth to arguably the greatest Yiddish poet to have lived.
Yair Dalal (Israel): 2010 Ashkenaz Festival Artist-in-residence
Iragi-born Israeli Oud and violin virtuoso Yair Dalal will perform in a number of contexts at Ashkenaz, as a guest artist with Divahn, Gerard Edery’s Caravan Ensemble, in the Sephardic Cabaret, festival finale, and in the SLichot service.
Yiddish Princess: NYC band performs Yiddish songs in 80’s rock and power ballad style. Think Molly Picon meets Pat Benetar. A bizarre yet compelling reimagination of Yiddish music that rocks out without leaving the shlock out.
http://www.myspace.com/yiddishprincess
Zebrina (Toronto): Toronto-based progressive Jewish ensemble combines eastern melodies with western grooves
Dance
Avia Moore (Montreal)
Studied, danced and taught with many of the world’s foremost Yiddish dance teachers/leaders.
Di Tsvey Shtiller Band (Cleveland/New York)
The duo of master klezmer musicians Steve Greenman (violin) and Pete Rushefsky (tsimbl) lead unamplified dance sessions by moonlight on the Harbourfront Centre Boardwalk.
Steve Weintraub (Chicago): One of the world’s leading exponents of Yiddish dance, having taught at Yiddish festivals and workshops across North America and Europe.
Kids/Family
Aubrey Davis (Toronto):
Jewish storytelling.
Gerard Edery (New York):
Moroccan-born Sephardic music master introduces teenage audiences to the shared musical heritage of Jews, Christians and Muslims during the Golden Age of Spain”.
The Kugel Valley Klezmer Band: Presentation combines reading of the touching story by Joan Betty Stuchner and Richard Row, projection of illustrations from the book, and live klezmer musicians with interactive dance components.
Lorie Wolf (Toronto): "Mazel and Shlimazel" - a multimedia musical adaptation of a children's Yiddish folk story by Isaac Bashevis Singer; geared toward kids.
Parade Crafts with Shadowland Theatre: Help create the festival’s largest work of art! Assisted by Shadowland Theatre, kids can create their own costumes and props for the Ashkenaz Parade on Labour Day Monday.
Schaecter Techter (New York): Scion of a profoundly influential family of American Yiddishists, Binyumen Schaecter plays piano and directs his two singing daughters, aged 9 and 14, in a charming journey through Yiddish song.
Sruli and Lisa (New York): Duo returns to Ashkenaz with interactive programs involving kids of all ages in Jewish music making on various novelty instruments (kazoos, whistles, drums, etc).
Lit/Talk
Aaron Lansky (Amherst, MA): Author and founder of National Yiddish Book Center tells the fascinating story of how he saved tens of thousands of Yiddish books from extinction and founded the world’s largest repository of Yiddish literature.
Alan Bern and The Other Europeans:
Binyumen Schaecter (New York): Binyumen Schaecter reminisces about growing up in one of New York’s most influential families of Yiddish linguists, poets, writers, and activists.
Bob Cohen (Budapest): Budapest based ethnomusicologist and musician (Di Naye Kapelye) will give presentation on Jewish/Roma musical connections and his own fieldwork in Hungary and Romania.
Michael Wex (Toronto): Author, raconteur and Ashkenaz icon returns.
Sepharadic Roundtable:
Visual Art
Isaac Bashevis Singer and His Artists: A unique exhibit of drawings and paintings by 16 different artists who illustrated various books and short story collections by the famous Jewish author.
Theatre
A Night in the Old Marketplace” (New York)
Grammy award-winning klezmer giant Frank London mixes Jewish, jazz, and world beats in his unique adaptation of a phantasmagorical Yiddish play, written in 1907 by I.L. Peretz. Performed by an outstanding group of 10 musicians and singers plus a narrator, the tragi-comic "shtetl ghost love story" is an unforgettable performance experience.
Rafael Goldwaser (France) “A Gilgul fun a Nign” (Metamorphosis of a Melody)
Yiddish theatre actor Rafael Goldwaser returns to Toronto with his newest one-man show, based on a story by I.L. Peretz, the father of modern Yiddish literature. Goldwaser’s latest traces a melody by the legendary klezmer fiddler Pedotser as it evolves and reincarnates across time and space, eventually coming full circle to its original conception. Featuring unique projections of images on talitim, Goldwaser’s existential musings on the soul of a melody and those who possess it is a full of beauty and universal meaning.
Film
Goldfaden’s Legacy: A musical romp celebrating the songs, stars and stories of Yiddish Theatre.
Glimpses of Yiddish Czernowitz: A visual tale of the all but lost Jewish community of Czernowitz. This filmic essay expresses critical historical moments of Jewish life in the city and in the region of Bukovina.
Paint What you Remember: Story of the life of Mayer Kirshenblatt and his paintings.
KlezKanada Scholarship Films: a variety program of short films made over the last 5 years at the KlezKanada Festival by participants in the David Stein Memorial Film Scholarship program.
The Socalled Movie (2010): NFB-produced portrait of Yiddish hip-hop renegade Socalled.
SONG OF THE LODZ GHETTO (2010): Long-awaited film by Toronto filmmaker David Kaufman about the protest songs created in the Nazi ghetto of Lodz Poland and their transformation by the group Brave Old World into a contemporary concert program (presented by Ashkenaz in 1999 and 2007)
Taqasim (2007)
Shot in the streets of Cairo, Tagasim features Arabic and Jewish musicians and memorable back-ally jams featuring Felix Misrachi, Zehava Ben, Abraham Salman and many others.
Celebrations and Rituals
Ashkenaz Parade: The undisputed highlight of every Ashkenaz Festival, the world famous parade is a cavalcade of music, song, dance, puppetry, stiltwalking and group revelry.
Havdallah: Celebratory Jewish ritual in a large, outdoor ceremony.
Slichot: Ancient Jewish tradition; an interactive event featuring a collective of local artist including Aviva Chernick, Aaron Lightstone, Ernie Tollar, Josh Engel, and others. featuring highly artful music and audience participation.
