One Hot Pstromi
Detroit native Yale Strom celebrates
Yiddish and klezmer music in
a Vivace Music Series performance.
LINDA BACHRACK
Special to the Jewish News
IV
set aside by Stalin for Jews who wished
to live in a Yiddish-speaking area.
"Yes, there are Jews still living in
Birobidzhan," says Strom. "I was just
there.
"We are also working on a documen-
tary film about the revival of Jewish cul-
ture in Eastern Europe through klezmer
music ... reality or virtual reality"
If his life seems impossibly full,
Strom, a 21st-century Renaissance man,
is determined to add to its breadth. He's
finishing his seventh book, The Book of
Klezmer, and is releasing his eighth CD,
hen Yale Strom was first
introduced to the violin as
a young student at
Detroit's Vernor
Elementary, he seemed more enthralled
with his position as school crossing guard
than he did with the pursuit of music.
"Mrs. Baker was a wonderful
woman and she offered free violin
lessons," remembers Strom, now an
accomplished musician, composer and
filmmaker.
"But I really loved being a
safety patrol boy on the big cor-
ner of Schaefer and Pembroke.
I especially enjoyed the winter
snow days because I got to go
to class late with the perfect
excuse. I was helping people
shovel out their cars stuck in
the streets and driveways."
Strom and his band, Hot
Pstromi, will perform in con-
cert at the Birmingham
Temple Vivace Music Series
Saturday, Nov. 18.
The lively ensemble
Violinist Yale Strom brings his Hot Pstromi band
includes violinist Strom,
to the Birmingham Temple.
accordionist Peter Stan, well-
known bassist Sprokett J.
Garden of Yidn.
Royer and vocalist Elizabeth Schwartz,
"Many of the numbers we'll do at
who is Strom's wife.
the concert will be from this album,"
Hot Pstromi is renowned for its
he says. "It features Yiddish and
Yiddish vocal standards and klezmer
Ladino vocals by Elizabeth."
music, as well as Strom's original com-
To top it all off, Strom debuts his
positions combining elements of
first feature film next year. Called On
Chasidic, Sephardic, klezmer, jazz and
the QT, it stars James Earl Jones.
classical music.
"I enjoy working in all media: pho-
Strom, now a New York City resi-
tography, film, music, writing," says
dent, lived in Detroit for the first 12
Strom. "They help me express the
years of his life, attending the Berman
human condition, and I will continue
Branch of the United Hebrew Schools.
to explore my Jewish culture through
"I really enjoyed going to the bagel shop
all of those art forms."
on Schaefer and Seven Mile Road for a
bagel stick, something they don't know
of here in NYC. Only 7 cents they cost."
Today, Strom visits the Detroit area
Yale Strom and Hot Pstromi per-
often. Though he keeps busy in New
form 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 18, at
York with his 3-year-old daughter and a
the Birmingham Temple in
slew of projects, he still finds time to see
Farmington Hills. The performance
his grandmother Eve Newman, who just
is part of the Vivace Music Series.
celebrated her 100th birthday. She is a
Tickets are $15/members and
member of Congregation Shaarey Zedek.
$18/nonmembers. Student
Currently he's working on two docu-
tickets are $12. Order by phone,
mentary films with his wife. One film is
(248) 788-9338 or (248) 288-3953.
about Birobidzhan, the region that was
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