http://www.jweekly.com en Copyright 2010 2010-03-18T21:25:30+00:00 http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/57486/local-klezmer-act-zoyres-is-no-sour-pickle http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/57486/local-klezmer-act-zoyres-is-no-sour-pickle#When:21:25:30Z by emily savage | Just can't get enough klezmer? Fear not, dear readers, this week I talked to local klezmer act Zoyres Eastern European Wild Ferment and - lucky you - they have two live shows this week: 1) Zoyres, Seth Augustus, & Emperor Norton’s Jazz BandThursday March 18 9pm startStarry Plough3101 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley (near Ashby Bart)$7 2) Zoyres Eastern European Wild FermentFriday March 197:30 doors/8pm showRed Poppy Art House2698 Folsom St, San Francisco , CA$10-15 *Excerpts from the interview: j. weekly:When and how did Zoyres begin? Why play klezmer music? Zoyres:  Zoyres Eastern European Wild Ferment began around 2003 with the intent of approaching klezmer and Eastern European folk music from both a “traditional” and rootsy perspective, as well as a stretched out and experimental one.  A huge inspiration back then, and still, was Naftule’s Dream, a Boston based band that compellingly bridges traditional klezmer music with way-out experimental and jazz improvisational forms (think of the perfect band if Frank Zappa were to be Bar Mitzvah’d). j: Do you craft your own tunes or play classic klezmer songs, or a mixture of both? z: Zoyres’ repertoire includes traditional klezmer tunes as well as traditional Balkan folkdance tunes from countries such as Macedonia, Bulgaria, Greece, etc.  We also write our own compositions both in and out of those styles.  Our approach is to mix the “traditional” with sounds that catch our own ears and reflect our broad listening experience.  The results vary, some tunes might sound quite like a 1920’s recording of a folk musician, while others have clear reference in traditional music, but are played in wildly different settings.  And then we write tunes and improvise in ways that don’t fit into any neat categories. Here’s a bit more on the conceptual framework of the group’s aesthetic:The name "Zoyres" derives from the Yiddish term for fermented vegetables, "zoyers." These foods have been transformed by culture and community (of the microbial sort) through incredible biochemical fermentation processes. These "cultural" transformations underlie our own cultural development, as humans have relied and reveled in fermented foods for millennia. Zoyres' music represents the geo-social analogue to the biochemical ferment. Our music, of Eastern European origin, brined in the contemporary cultural milieu, is akin to the pickle, still evident in its cucumbral origin, but with a taste and texture transformed. j: What is the audience's reaction to your music generally? z: Audience reaction is typically positive.  Our sound appeals to a wide audience, that includes folkdance aficionados, jazzheads, experimental music lovers, and everyone in between.  The band is packed with real solid players and we put a lot of intention into developing arrangements, both of which make a powerful statement.  Sometimes we play for folkdancers, which is a lot of fun for us, and hopefully for them.  We often surprise them with new takes on old folkdance favorites, so they can’t always dance by rote, but need to be up on their toes!  For those interested in traditional folk music, what we play might stretch their ears a bit and we’ve gotten some funny feedback in that regard, especially from our Youtube videos.   blogs 2010-03-18T21:25:30+00:00 http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/57426/bang-your-head-israeli-black-metal http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/57426/bang-your-head-israeli-black-metal#When:21:32:27Z by emily savage | Those of you who read this blog regularly (anyone out there?) may have realized by now that I’m generally a sucker for anything heavy metal and Jewish. And this one, dear readers, takes the cake. Meet Salem — the Israeli black metal act formed in 1985 under the auspicious title of Axe Metal.  The musicians of Salem were electric pioneers in the budding Israeli heavy rock scene, and have managed to stay together for more than two decades despite rampant anti-Semitic record execs, a mail bomb scare in the 1980s and the general death of mainstream metal in the early 1990s. Both Salem’s music and lyrics touch on different facets of Judaism, smashed through with the bloody spike of black metal of course. The band employs typical Middle Eastern sounds into its hard rock shell, and its key concept albums Kaddish (1994) and Collective Demise (2002) recall the horrors of the Holocaust.Its seventh studio album, Playing God and Other Short Stories, will be released on Pulverised Records on April 3, 2010. blogs 2010-03-16T21:32:27+00:00 http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/41576/jewish-indie-rock-at-sxsw http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/41576/jewish-indie-rock-at-sxsw#When:19:10:19Z by emily savage |   Since nearly every major and not-so-major band in the universe is prepping for South By Southwest (the hugemongous Austin, TX music festival) next week, there isn’t very much concert news happening on either coast. So let’s take a minute to recognize a few super-hip bands fronted by fantastic Jewish singers that will be performing at SXSW along with the rest of the music world. From our blustery West Coast, there’s Oakland indie rockers Rogue Wave, fronted by Jewish singer-guitarist Zach Schwartz (i.e. Zach Rogue). Formerly on Sub Pop, the band’s fourth full-length album Permalight was released just last week on Brushfire Records.The band has seen more than its fair share of tragedies in the past few years; longtime drummer/keyboardist Pat Spurgeon has dealt with kidney failure, Schwartz slipped two discs in his neck and was temporarily paralyzed and bassist Evan Farrell died in a house fire. But through all the horrific circumstances, Rogue Wave kept making music, kept playing live. The band’s documentary “D Tour,” which chronicles the chaos of it all, will air on the IFC Channel. And representing from the East Coast, the jangly indie pop sounds of the Pains of Being Pure at Heart (i.e. the longest, hipsterist name in recent memory). POBPAH (may I call you POBPAH?) formed in Brooklyn in 2007, led by Jewish vocalist and guitarist Kip Berman. The group’s self-titled debut, released in 2009 on Slumberland Records, earned high praise from the Pitchfork crowd and legions of twee-pop fanatics. So, if you’ve somehow finagled your way into a carpool road trip or actually purchased plane tickets out to Texas for SXSW, you can check out our newfound Jewish brethren here: Rogue Wave:March 18 at Emo’sMarch 20 at Emo’sThe Pains of Being Pure at Heart:March 18 at Fader FortMarch 19 (2 p.m.) at La Zona Rosa: Village Voice SXSW PartyMarch 19 (11:45 p.m.) Mohawk: Slumberland ShowcaseAnd of course, dozens more Jewish/Jewish-fronted bands will be descending on dusty Austin next week, get the full schedules here: www.sxsw.com Go forth, young music travelers! blogs 2010-03-09T19:10:19+00:00 http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/41575/je-taime-lex-yeux-noirs http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/41575/je-taime-lex-yeux-noirs#When:20:51:31Z by emily savage | With the annual Jewish Music Festival coming up soon (March 20-29), Bay Area audiophile Jews should have little cause for complaint. The fest will include world music, Israeli rock and Argentinian klezmer, among other genres. Do not fret, dear readers, there will be plenty more info on the specifics of the festival in an upcoming j. article, but here and now I'd like to turn your attention to one act that has piqued my interest — Les Yeux Noirs. The Paris-based sextet plays a stunning mix of klezmer, jazz, traditional Yiddish sounds and Romani music. Fronted by brother Eric and Olivier Slabiak, the group also includes musicians thumping out beats on electric and double bass, accordion and drums. Their albums include danceable klez pop and references to Yiddish lullabies (so precious). What can I say, I'm a sucker for a French Jew. The gist:Lex Yeux NoirsPresented in association with The Jewish Music FestivalAt the Osher Marin JCC200 N. San Pedro Rd. $23 members/ $26 publicwww.marinjcc.org And of course, be sure to check out the Jewish Music Festival's Web site for the complete schedule: www.jewishmusicfestival.org. blogs 2010-03-05T20:51:31+00:00 http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/41443/adam-green-moldy-peaches-posts-tour-dates http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/41443/adam-green-moldy-peaches-posts-tour-dates#When:21:24:09Z by emily savage | Playful Jewish singer-musician Adam Green (A.K.A the boy in the Moldy Peaches) announced an upcoming world tour on his website today. Lo and behold- he’ll make a few stops in the Bay Area! Green will bring his lo fi pop sounds to the Crepe Place in Santa Cruz on April 5 and Café du Nord in San Francisco on April 6 and 7. While he is perhaps best known for his work with Kimya Dawson in the Moldy Peaches, Green also boasts a thriving solo career after the band went on hiatus in 2002. His sixth solo album, Minor Love, was released last week on Fat Possum Records. The notoriously silly singer gets a tad more serious on the new album and shows a softer, more adult side this time around. I’d strongly suggest snagging some tickets to his local shows before they sell out! blogs 2010-02-23T21:24:09+00:00 http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/41442/jewish-pride-and-omri-casspi http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/41442/jewish-pride-and-omri-casspi#When:23:29:19Z by andy altman-ohr | Have you encountered any non-Jews who can't understand why the Jewish community is so excited about Omri Casspi being in the NBA?   Do you have a sense of pride about Omri Casspi that you can't really explain?   CHECK OUT THIS blog entry on ESPN's NBA page titled "Omri Casspi and the Jewish masculine identity."   Whaddya think?   blogs 2010-02-22T23:29:19+00:00 http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/41441/spoken-word-artist-wows-at-inside-the-activists-studio http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/41441/spoken-word-artist-wows-at-inside-the-activists-studio#When:21:54:15Z by stacey palevsky | I was mesmerized. In front of me stood a young guy, mid-20s, who appeared comfortable in his own skin. I was mesmerized the moment he opened his mouth to share his poetry with the audience at "Inside the Activists' Studio," Feb. 21 at the Contemporary Jewish Museum. The poet: Josh Healey. He grew up in a rough neighborhood of Washington, D.C. in a Jewish family that had Shabbat dinners every Friday night. He has lived in Oakland for the past 18 months. He works at Youth Speaks, a literary arts organization for kids and teenagers. The Jewish poet was invited to speak at J. Street's first annual convention, but then disinvited after critics said his progressive opinions "might be offensive" to conference-goers. That may or may not be true, but at the CJM, Healey exhibited no offensive language or viewpoints. His poems had gravity. They had narratives and pulsing emotion and a little bit of humor, which was much appreciated after an hour-long panel discussion with changemakers and social justice leaders about the challenges they face in making their dreams reality. Healey's performance reminded me of the other time I've been exposed to spoken word - in Iowa, of all places. When I worked there, one of my colleagues was a slam poet, and she invited me to several of her performances. She was Cherie at work; on stage, she transformed into Chillin' the Conscious Poet, and she, too, mesmerized me with the power of her poems. Healey reminded me of Chillin', even though they look nothing alike. But they both tackled ideas and topics most people are too afraid to bring up in everyday conversation — race, religion, poverty, equality, politics, judgments, prejudice, fear. Just as I was moved years ago by Chillin's captivating rhythms, so too was I inspired by Healey. If you're curious, you can catch Healey at one of two upcoming events: • Thursday, February 25. In Defense of Food: A Spoken Word Affair. Museum of the African Diaspora. 685 Mission Street, San Francisco. 8:00pm. With Poetri, Kirya Traber, & more. $10-20.  • Thursday, March 18. Pierced Ear Poetry Slam. Plea for Peace Center. 630 E Weber St, Stockton, CA. 7:00pm. Feature performance. $7.   blogs 2010-02-22T21:54:15+00:00 http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/41440/mother-of-15-grandmother-of-200-dies-in-brooklyn http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/41440/mother-of-15-grandmother-of-200-dies-in-brooklyn#When:21:27:52Z by stacey palevsky | The New York Times has reported that Yitta Schwartz, a member of the Satmar Hassidic sect, died at age 93. She had 15 children, 200 grandchildren, and upwards of more than 1,000 great- and great-great grandchildren. Her family told the Times that Schwartz could claim nearly 2,000 descendents — which means "she may have generated one of the largest clans of any survivor of the Holocaust — a thumb in the eye of the Nazis," the Times said. Every Shabbat, Schwartz made six loaves of challah using 12 pounds of dough to feed her enormous family.  The obituary is well-worth reading in full. blogs 2010-02-22T21:27:52+00:00 http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/41377/rykarda-parasol-performs-tonight http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/41377/rykarda-parasol-performs-tonight#When:18:18:04Z by emily savage | Husky-voiced local Jewish vocalist Rykarda Parasol will perform TONIGHT (Thursday, Feb. 18) at the Hemlock Tavern alongside ambient math rockers Chambers. Parasol, who lives and plays in San Francisco, was born to a Polish father who escaped the horrors of the Holocaust and stunning Swedish mother who taught her about the past. The result? Parasol sings gothy, noir-tinged rock ditties full of soul and swagger. Want more on Parasol? Do not fret, dear reader, a full feature is in the works… blogs 2010-02-18T18:18:04+00:00 http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/41369/come-inside-the-activists-studio-this-sunday http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/41369/come-inside-the-activists-studio-this-sunday#When:18:02:53Z by stacey palevsky | I have often told myself that I want to change the world - and yet I'm not sure how to do so. My intentions are good. But my actions? Um, does reading and writing about activists count? If you've ever felt the disparity between your aspirations and your actions, come to Sunday's Inside the Activists' Studio. The event, organized by American Jewish World Service-AVODAH and Progressive Jewish Alliance, promises to be compelling, entertaining, provocative and useful for all you hopefuly change-makers out there. Inside the Activists' Studio was started in 2007. Then, it was a small operation that met in the Women's Building. IAS has since been polished and expanded to a larger venue in San Francisco, and has even grown beyond the Bay Area, with programs in New York and Washington, D.C. "It really embodied the purpose of our organization — which is to create community and inspire people to sustain a sense of social change from a Jewish foundation," said Jocelyn Berger, the Bay Area Program Officer for the AJWS-AVODAH Partnership. She added that she hopes that "people come out of this event with ideas for how to craft a life path that sustains work in the social change arena." I hope I do, too. So, you want the details? Inside the Activists' Studio begins at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 21 at the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco with a panel discussion moderated by Michael Krasny, host of "Forum" on KQED Radio. Panelists will convene at 3 p.m. and include: Caitlin Sislin, advocacy director at the Women's Earth Alliance Daniel Kaufman, president of the One Percent Foundation Erin Potts, executive director of Air Traffic Control Jon Gilgoff, founding director of Brothers on the Rise The panelelists will answer questions such as: What inspires you? What sustains your work? How does that work relate to your Jewish identity? After the panel, Josh Healey, a Jewish poet and activist, will share with the audience a spoken word performance. And then — the main event! Skills-share workshops (This is the really useful part.) Workshops are slated to begin at 5:30 p.m. Attendees can choose only one from the following options: Art is a Hammer: Spoken Word, Storytelling, and Social Change — with Josh Healey From the Farm to Your Plate: Jewish Perspectives on Food and Justice — with Sarah Leiber Church of PJA and Rabbi Dorothy Richman of Berkeley Hillel Making Change Happen: Moving from Ideal to Real — with Toby Rubin of UpStart Bay Area Toward Collective Liberation: Faith Based Organizing and Supporting LGBTQ Communities — with a Jew, Unitarian and a Baptist Unifying the Spheres: Social Change and Spiritual Transformation — with Josh Weisman and Eryn Kalish There will also be a "wildcard" workshop selected from community proposals. A little birdie told me that one might focus on privilege and power in social justice work. Juicy. And stick around after. You'll get dinner. And good, activist company. The event is co-sponsored by: Bay Area Tribe, Birthright Israel NEXT, Contemporary Jewish Museum, EcoJews of the Bay, Hazon, The Hub at JCCSF, Jewschool, LGBT Alliance, Moishe House, New Generations of the New Israel Fund, UpStart Bay Area, Young Adult Division of the Jewish Community Federation and Zeek. Co-sponsored by: Bay Area Tribe, Birthright Israel NEXT Bay Area, Contemporary Jewish Museum, EcoJews of the Bay, Hazon, The Hub at JCCSF, Jewschool, LGBT Alliance, Moishe House, New Generations of the New Israel Fund, UpStart Bay Area, the Young Adults Division of the SFJCF, and Zeek.     blogs 2010-02-17T18:02:53+00:00