Music
Press
Krazy for Klezmer
You’d better watch out, freilach is coming to town
By Megan Sullivan
See url for complete text of article - Packet Publications, By Megan Sullivan
MANSFIELD — Klezmer music, a traditional art that has its roots in the old Jewish culture of Eastern Europe, has been making its way into the mainstream.
Fans of Woody Allen movies and HBO's "Curb Your Enthusiasm" may not know it, but much of the music used to bridge scenes is based on the often frenetic, occasionally mournful, but usually joyful sounds of klezmer.
In South Jersey, klezmer is even making its way into classrooms thanks to a local band that includes several active and retired college professors and public school teachers. The Odessa Klezmer Band -- under the direction of Columbus resident Ed Goldberg -- teaches students life lessons through its ethnic music.
"It brings another aspect -- a real-life aspect -- to the kids," said Goldberg, a 60-something professor of computer sciences at The College of New Jersey.
Goldberg said it's helpful for children to be taught by people with other real-life gigs, so to speak. The most effective teachers are often cited for presenting subject matter dynamically to capture and hold students' attention.
"Being on the bandstand when we play gives us good presence in the schools where we teach," said Goldberg, who plays accordion and bass fiddle with the band and arranges its selections.
"I look at my teaching as having another show, and I get excited with my students."
A former teacher at both Burlington County College and Middlesex County College, Goldberg believes his band experience helps him breathe excitement into his often dry computer science classes. Interacting with audiences at weddings and other community venues makes his band members better teachers, he believes.
Accordion player Ed Goldberg rehearses with wife Barbara (left), who plays a Middle Eastern drum called the darbuqua, and singer Barbara L. Rothschild. They are just a few of the active and retired educators in the Odessa Klezmer Band. (JOHN ZIOMEK/Courier-Post)
IF YOU GO
The Odessa Klezmer Band will perform at the following venues:
Annual Palmer Square Menorah Lighting in Princeton, 5 p.m. Thursday
Hanukkah/Klezmer Concert at The Record Collector, 358 Farnsworth Ave., Bordentown, 7 p.m. Friday
A Season for Peace World Music Concert, Plainsboro Municipal Complex Courtroom, 641 Plainsboro Road, 3 p.m. Dec. 5
- Courier Post, Cherry Hill, NJ. Barbara S. Rothschild, Staff writer
Who Stole The Kishka?! is the latest album by New Jersey-based Ed Goldberg and the Odessa Klezmer Band. The band started in 1984 and has been very active in the area's music scene. The album's 17 songs cover a lot of territory, as they touch on the Jewish styles from around the world (but with an American flair).
Goldberg is the soul of the group, providing all the arrangements, as well as performing on Accordion, Piano, Bass, Electronic Bouzouki (Yes!), and Vocals.
Among my favorite tunes on the album are Meron Nigun, which features the Trumpet/Sax (a combination I found enjoyable throughout the album) and some nice percussion, as well as my first taste of the Electronic Bouzouki, which I have come to appreciate as an alternative to the more conventional mandolin/guitar/banjo. Avinu Waltz is a nice piece that flows gently and features Trumpet/Sax and Clarinet/Sax, and some nice accordion. Otchi Chornia is a favorite Russian-style song, with some great Piano/Accordion. Check out the Piano accompaniment behind the Sax solo! I've been a fan of Yiddish Charleston for a long time, and the band does a great job with this American-style tune. Turk In America is my favorite clarinet feature. It also has some great percussion, and Goldberg keeps busy on Electronic Bouzouki/Bass/Accordion.
If you like Polka, check out Sax Polka. It's a great Sax/Trumpet/Accordion piece. I didn't quite get it at first, but after listening to it a few times I came to appreciate this tune and the authenticity the band brings to it. The title track, Who Stole The Kishka?!, is the other Polka-style song here, and features Goldberg on the Vocal.
There are other Vocals to be found here, including Klezmer Medley, a collection of well-known Yiddish songs, O'Mamme, Bin Ich Farliebt, Israeli Medley, and Oif'n Pripetshik.
The CD insert is a two-sided sheet with four paragraphs about the music and the band. I did find band member bios on the group's website, though.
Odessa Klezmer Band is a group the values the American Klezmer style, and it comes across in this recording. As to the answer for Who Stole The Kishka?! you'll just have to listen to find out!
- Keith Wolzinger Klezmer Podcast
Who Stole The Kishka?! is the latest album by New Jersey-based Ed Goldberg and the Odessa Klezmer Band. The band started in 1984 and has been very active in the area's music scene. The album's 17 songs cover a lot of territory, as they touch on the Jewish styles from around the world (but with an American flair).
Goldberg is the soul of the group, providing all the arrangements, as well as performing on Accordion, Piano, Bass, Electronic Bouzouki (Yes!), and Vocals.
Among my favorite tunes on the album are Meron Nigun, which features the Trumpet/Sax (a combination I found enjoyable throughout the album) and some nice percussion, as well as my first taste of the Electronic Bouzouki, which I have come to appreciate as an alternative to the more conventional mandolin/guitar/banjo. Avinu Waltz is a nice piece that flows gently and features Trumpet/Sax and Clarinet/Sax, and some nice accordion. Otchi Chornia is a favorite Russian-style song, with some great Piano/Accordion. Check out the Piano accompaniment behind the Sax solo! I've been a fan of Yiddish Charleston for a long time, and the band does a great job with this American-style tune. Turk In America is my favorite clarinet feature. It also has some great percussion, and Goldberg keeps busy on Electronic Bouzouki/Bass/Accordion.
If you like Polka, check out Sax Polka. It's a great Sax/Trumpet/Accordion piece. I didn't quite get it at first, but after listening to it a few times I came to appreciate this tune and the authenticity the band brings to it. The title track, Who Stole The Kishka?!, is the other Polka-style song here, and features Goldberg on the Vocal.
There are other Vocals to be found here, including Klezmer Medley, a collection of well-known Yiddish songs, O'Mamme, Bin Ich Farliebt, Israeli Medley, and Oif'n Pripetshik.
The CD insert is a two-sided sheet with four paragraphs about the music and the band. I did find band member bios on the group's website, though.
Odessa Klezmer Band is a group the values the American Klezmer style, and it comes across in this recording. As to the answer for Who Stole The Kishka?! you'll just have to listen to find out!
- Keith Wolzinger Klezmer Podcast
You Can Hear Strains of Klezmer in Benny Goodman. Article in US 1 by by Susan Van Dongen.
See url for complete text of article. - U.S.1 Princeton Newspaper. by Susan Van Dongen
Discography
Who Stole the Kishka?! - CD
Odessa - Tradition - CD
Photos
Bio
Odessa Klezmer, under the direction of Ed Goldberg, brings the happy dance music of the Klezmirim music to mainstream America. The band has been in existence since 1984. Ed was brought up playing Eastern European and polka music in Elizabeth, NJ, on the road for 25 years touring with the Jimmy Sturr band, an 18-time Grammy award winning polka artist.
The band has played numerous festivals, weddings, bar mitzvahs, concerts, TV shows, Operettas, and dance dates throughout the NJ-NY-PA area. They’ve also taken their show on the road everywhere from kibbutz’s and army bases in Israel, to New York City’s Gracie Mansion and City Hall for Mayors Guiliani and Blomberg, NJ Gov Jon Corzine and local Army bases. Recently they played in NYC Off-Broadway operetta Strauss's Die Fledermaus, and pop-opera Gypsyfest.
They play a variety of Eastern Europe, German, Russian, Spain, Hungry, Ukraine, Ladino, and Middle Eastern music, polka and czardas. Most of their work is concerts and multi-cultural festivals, exposing various forms of traditional Klezmer music to the general public. Klezmer music is typically played on acoustic instruments, including the clarinet, trumpet, accordion, violin and percussing. It is truly world folk music because it has been shaped over hundreds of years by improvisational creativity of Jewish musicians in their home country.
Although Klezmer is more closely tied to Eastern Europe, other areas with Jewish populations have contributed slightly different rhythms and styles: Turkisher(Middle East & Turkey), Rumanian Hora, Bulgar(Bulgaria), Frailach(Germany), and of course, lower east side of NYC.
The Odessa group is under the direction of leader Ed Goldberg, playing accordion, a professor of Computer Sciences at The College of NJ. Ed has performed at Carnegie Hall on four occasions and has made over 160 recordings of Polish, Ukrainian, Country, Israeli, and Klezmer music. Ed has been on 4 recordings that have either been nominated or won Grammy Awards.
The band recently received the 2009 Just Plain Folks second place award winner for Best Klezmer Album “Who Stole the Kishka?!”. JPF is a community of more than 51,500 songwriters, recording artists and music industry professionals that provides a network of cooperation and inclusion for musicians. JustPlainFolks.org
"I love this music because it has deep roots and yet it is contemporary and it is so much about improvisation. I hope the Odessa Klezmer Band can reach a much broader audience than the Jewish community because Klezmer is really about communication. It is a great way to experience other cultures and come to understand them in a very profound and basic way."
Ed Goldberg
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