Aliza and the KGB (Klezmer Gypsy Boys)
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada | SELF
Music
Press
The second (sold-out) concert of the 3rd Mameloshen Festival of Yiddish Entertainment and Culture took place on Monday May 17th at the Winnipeg Art Gallery. The theme of the evening was “A Bisele Haimeshe Yiddish (A Little Homespun Yiddish)” and featured local performers.
MC Kinsey Posen welcomed the audience of about 340 and introduced the opening performers, Aliza and the KGB (Klezmer Gypsy Band). The group played a varied musical mix, including jazz standards with Yiddish lyrics, klezmer tunes and original compositions, which left the crowd very “freylach” (happy). Lead singer was Aliza Amihude. With skilled musicians Eli Herscovitch, Ariel Posen, Tim Butler and Julian Bradford you can’t go wrong! - The Jewish Post and News
WHERE DID ALIZA GET THAT SKIRT? AMIHUDE AND THE KGB, YAFFE AND ENKIN-ANOTHER FULL HOUSE FOR MAMELOSHEN
By Rhonda Spivak, May 26, 2010
I don't know anything about music, nor do I know anything about Yiddish—which means I know doubly less about Yiddish music.
But I do like klezmer music which is why I enjoyed my introduction to Aliza and the KGB [Klezmer Gypsy Band], who opened the second concert of the Third Annual
Mameloshen Festival at the Muriel Richardson auditorium of the Winnipeg Art Gallery on Monday May 17th ( As an aside- The auditorium is a very nice choice of venue). The group, which was formed less than a year ago, consists of Aliza Amihude [vocals], Tim Butler [guitar], Ariel Posen [guitar], Eli Herscovitch [soprano, alto and tenor saxophones], and Daniel Koulack [bass, violin, and banjo], although there was a replacement for Koulack on the 17th.
The group gave an energetic, high-spirited repertoire of original klezmer gypsy tunes and jazz standards translated into Yiddish, which had the audience clapping and participating in the fun.
Amihude bobbed up and down dancing and playing the tambourine in a one of a kind funky skirt that appeared as if it was made by putting a series of men’s ties together. (The first thing my 11 year old daughter asked me was “Mommy, are those ties? Where did she get that skirt?). Amihude afterwards told me that her sister found the unusual skirt at a second hand store. “Every time I wear it, people ask where they can get one!,” she said. Amihude, a former Camp Massadnik agreed that her Men’s Tie Skirt would be very popular in Massad’s ‘Cheder Tilbashot’ (costume room).
In between trying to answer my daughter’s inquiries about Amihude’s skirt, I noted that the songs “Comes Love” and “Hora Staccato” were a couple of my personal favourites that Aliza and the KGB performed.
Amihude told me that her own personal favourite was “Comes Love,” because of the line, “If you get the flu, eat a bowl of chicken soup. Comes love, nothing can be done.”
At one point in the show, Amihude thanked her mother Ethel Amihude for translating some of the songs into Yiddish.
During the show, I also enjoyed watching and listening to the masterful Eli Herscovitch play klezmer music —it's as if the music flows through him out onto the stage. [As an aside, Herscovitch and I happen to live on the same street with addresses that are similar, such that on occasion I get his mail. After the show, when he was still out of breathe, I told him that not that long ago I had opened a letter before realizing it was addressed to him and it appeared to be financial in nature. He replied, “Was it a cheque?”].
When I asked him if he was pleased with the way the concert turned out, he answered with a smile, “The audience performed very well I thought.”
Amihude told the Winnipeg Jewish Review during intermission that Aliza and the KGB was formed after she and Tim Butler “were noodle-ing one day.” I asked what noodle-ing was, wondering if they had been making a lockshin kugel ! Aliza explained that noodle-ing is another word for ‘jamming,” which led me to wonder if they had been making preservatives. She further clarified that she and Butler had been on stage together “making stuff up” and that was what started them thinking about getting a group together. The others were eager to join in.
Butler was raised as a Catholic, but he said, “I’ve always loved klezmer music.” Amihude piped in, “We call Tim, Yossel.”
Of course, Herscovitch has been part of the Klezmer group Finjan with Kinsey Posen and Shayla Fink, Ariel Posen’s parents, so it’s nice to see that the “klezmer gene” in the Posen/Fink family has been passed down.
No doubt we’ll be hearing lots more from Aliza and the KGB in the future. - Winnipeg Jewish Review
Discography
Comes Love
Hora Stacatto
It Don't Mean a Thing
Photos
Bio
Aliza and the KGB (Klezmer Gypsy Boys) are an acoustic Klezmer, Gypsy, Blues band that sings in English, French, Yiddish, Russian, and Spanish.
Aliza Amihude's expressive voice and theatrical presence blend perfectly with Eli Herscovitch's smooth clarinet and sax-playing like a bagel with cream cheese. Timothy J. Butler, Daniel Koulack, and Ariel Posen make up a world-class string section.
Aliza and the KGB, the best Klezmer Gypsy band in the world, was formed last decade when like minds and hearts began to harmonize the Black Sea with the Red Sea, and Dundee with des Champs d’Elysée, brilliantly blending a winning class of World Music.
This Winnipeg-based band’s repetoire includes original Klezmer and Gypsy tunes, Jazz standards translated into Yiddish, French Swing Tunes, and Russian Folk Songs. Aliza and the KGB’s excellent musicianship and lively performance will resonate in your heart for years.
Aliza Amihude – Vocals, Percussion
Born in St. Bomiface, Manitoba and raised on Nana Maskouri, Jaques Brel, and Yemenite prayers, Aliza has been singing odd songs in various voices since she was a young child. Singing professionally since 2000 as Small Girl with co-composer, Jeff Presslaff, their latest CD, Big Banana, was released and performed at Burning Man 2008. She has performed at the Calgary Arts Centre, in Montreal, the Jazz Winnipeg Festival and at several theatres and clubs around Winnipeg. Amihude has lived in several countries, is 4’10’’, and speaks 4 languages.
Eli Herscovitch – Woodwinds, Harmonica
Performed with Sid Rabinovitch at Gala New Music Festival with Wpg Symphony Orchestra ; Manitoba Arts Council recipient to develop original stories from Eastern Europe as storytelling with classical & contemporary music backup ; leader of his dance band for 25 years ; developed & performed 5 different concerts with unique groups at the Music ‘N’ Mavens series ; performed in the orchestra for the live theatre production of ‘’Strike’’ ; performed at Jazz Wpg festivals with various bands, most recently wiith Aliza and the KGB ; founding member of Juno-nominated Finjan klezmer band for 15 years, performing at many festivals across North America ; included in Winnipeg’s Indigenous Festival performing with Amjad Sabir from Pakistan, playing a blend of Indian music with added western elements ; and performed a concert of music and poetry with Montreal poet, Robyn Sarah
Ariel Posen – Guitar, Mandolin
Ariel also plays with Sierra Noble, Ron Paley, Keith & Renee, the New Lightweights, Groovy Moustache and much more. In the last 6 months, he’s played theatres and festivals in Vancouver, Saskatoon, Calgary, Toronto, Halifax, Dawson city, the Savannah Music Festival in Savannah, Georgia, and opened for Kid Rock and Bon Jovi at the Canad Inns Stadium. He also played on and produced the Chai Folk Ensemble’s new album, "Wanderings"
Timothy J. Butler – Guitar, Violin, Mandolin
Performed at Jazz Winnipeg and Winnipeg Folk Festivals; collaborated with many musicians including Lou Pride and James Cotton; plays regularly at many clubs all around Manitoba; traveled throughout Europe to study the guitar styles of Django Reinhardt, Gypsy music, and Celtic finger-picking. Wrote, played, and recorded 5 CD’s of his original acoustic music.
Daniel Koulack – Upright bass
Made his professional debut on the banjo at age twelve at the Winnipeg Folk Festival. He keeps busy as a multi-instrumentalist, producer, arranger and composer; performed and recorded with the Winnipeg Symphony; appeared at the WSO's Centera New Music Festival ; toured with Finjan, Swing Soniq, Both Ends of the Earth, and the Knappen Street All-Star Band.
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