them to Europe, South America,
Israel and the United States, to
about four months a year, since
other band members also have
young babies.
More like klezmorim with an
attitude, the Klezmatics take the
traditional style of Eastern Euro-
pean Jewish music that they've
painstakingly researched over the
years and offer their own con-
temporary take on the mostly Yid-
dish songs. With an edgy blend,
they infuse rock, jazz, minimalist,
Latin and hip hop into their
klezmer music. Then, they add
gay overtones to support their
causes and beliefs. In the decade
that they've been together, the
Klezmatics have managed to turn
their unique counter-klez style
into an international success.
Whatever the reason, the Klez-
matics — straight, gay, Jewish
and non-Jewish — appeal to au-
diences of all ages.
"Which is not surprising, given
it's Jewish music," says Svigals,
who is a leading specialist in tra-
ditional Eastern European Jew-
ish violin style as well as Greek
fiddle music. "At the Knitting Fac-
tory, which is an avant garde place
in New York, we got little old
ladies and teen-agers ... It's sort of
like a seder table — what all these
people have in common is that
they all belong to the same fami-
ly, otherwise they wouldn't be to-
gether.
"Jews in particular have a very
progressive history," adds Svigals
who, as a child, was sent by her
parents to the Workmen's Circle
School to formally learn Yiddish.
In addition to touring all over
the world for their concerts, the
Klezmatics have collaborated on
projects with violinist Itzhak
Perlman, Israeli singer Chava Al-
berstein and poets Allen Ginsberg
and Jerome Rothenberg. They've
provided music for new works by
choreographer Twyla Tharp, film-
makers Judith Helfand (A
Healthy Baby Girl, about the ef-
fects of the fertility drug DES on
Jewish families) and Jonathan
Berman (The Shvitz), as well as
Pulitzer Prize-winning Tony
Kushner (Angels in America).
Kushner had the group write the
music for The Dybbuk: Between
Two Worlds, his adaptation of a
Yiddish play based on folklore
about exorcism.
Music from The Dybbuk will be
featured on the Klezmatics as-yet-
to-be-named next album, due out
in spring. ❑
The Klezmatics will per-
form at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec.
8 at Congregation Shaarey
Zedek, Main Sanctuary, 27375
Bell Road, Southfield. The Lak-
er Chanukah Concert, made
possible by the family of Sarah
Laker and the late Harry Lak-
er, is open to the entire com-
munity free of charge.
See related review on
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