Arts Entertainment

Hoedown To

Hear it all at JCC's Jewish MusicFest!

members of his Lucky Break
Band, will sing samplings of his
country-adapted Jewish songs
. 3 erry Wicentowski often greets
at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, June 26,
Sabbath traditions with country when the singing instrumental-
beats.
ists make their Michigan debut
at the second annual MusicFest
In fact, he faces lots of Jewish tradi-
sponsored by the Jewish
tions with country beats.
Community Center of
Wicentowski, joined by three other
Metropolitan Detroit (JCC).
The group will be at the JCC
in West Bloomfield, where
members will perform "Sholom
Aleichem," the song that greets
Sabbath angels, rockabilly style.
Group members will be on an
outside stage, if weather permits,
for a "Bluegrass Hoedown."
Other Jewish songs in other
musical variations — such as
rock, hip-hop, klezmer and
The Lucky Break Band: Jerry Wicentowski, front, with Drew Carson on mandolin,
eclectic — will be per-
Torn Boyd on banjo and Marc _Edelstein, back, on bass.
formed June 21-26 by vis-
iting and local entertainers
divided among three ven-
Thursday, June 23, at the Townsend
Spinning
ues. Concert locations include tered investment adviser and performs
as
a
sideline.
Corner Bar. DJ Jenny La Femme
hip-hop at
the Oak Park JCC as well at
"The process we've undertaken in
(Yevgenya Feterovich), adjusting her
the Corner
the Corner Bar at the
adapting melodies has been done over
music to the crowd, will have some
Bar will be,
Townsend Hotel in
the centuries," Wicentowski says.
Israeli dance music with her.
from top,
Birmingham.
"Music
appeals
and
evokes
emotions.
I
Goldfingers (Jason Steingold),
DJ enny La
"I'm a child of the 1960s
feel
I
can
express
myself
best
through
relocated
from Michigan to
Femme,
and became intrigued by folk
melodies."
California,
will focus on techno,
Goldfingers
music," says Wicentowski,
building
on
his appearances with
and
who will be joined by Marc
Detroit's electronic music scene. Gabe
Gabe Real.
Edelstein on bass, Tom Boyd
Birmingham Spins
Real, who is part of Souldega Music
on banjo and Dobro and
Three
DJs
bring
hip-hop
and
house
and tours outside the state, will bring
Drew Carson on mandolin.
music
to
a
party
starting
at
7:30
p.m.
soulful
sounds to his appearance.
"I began imitating the
sounds on guitar and also
found the banjo mesmerizing.
I knew I needed to hear blue-
grass if I wanted to hear the banjo."
Wicentowski, 56, who grew up in
New York and lives in Wisconsin,
Elaine Serling
played in teen and college bands and
went to music festivals in the South to
Rick Recht
enjoy the forms of music that became
his favorite. An obserirant Jew who has
bachelor's and master's degrees in
Hebrew and Semitic studies,
Wicentowski earns his living as a regis-

SUZANNE CHESSLER

Special to the Jewish News

ZN

6/ 9

2005

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