click here for my website
clarinetist, saxophonist, guitarist, composer, bandleader.
I specialise in the Jewish instrumental folk music of Eastern Europe commonly known as Klezmer. I've been Musical Director for The Royal National Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Company and Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, London. Also Klezmer Advisor for the Royal Shakespeare Company for their 1992 production of Anski’s "The Dybbuk".
My CD "Intimate Hopes & Terrors" is available on Oriente Musik (RIENCD58) It features me and a ten piece band made up of the greatest klezmer players from the former Soviet Union.the Former Soviet Union Klezmer Allstarsit's all new material and has clarinet, 5 fiddles, domra, accordion, piano, tsimbl/poyk and double basswatch this space. There are four tracks from the CD which you can listen to above.please have a look at the March/April edition of Songlines, where you can find a review, a track on the compilation cover "Top of the World" CD, and an article about the revival of Klezmer music in Ukraine and beyond
I've worked as Music Co-ordinator for KlezKamp, KlezFest London and taught at KlezFest St Petersburg, KlezFest Ukraine, Dona Fest Moscow and KlezKanada. Apart from my own ensembles I've toured throughout Britain and Europe with Budowitz, Sukke, Frank London's Klezmer Brass Allstars and Aaron Alexander’s Midrash Mish-Mosh.
I also play baritone sax in Bacalao, an 11 piece salsa band in Brighton, alto sax and Eb clarinet in Fanfara, Brighton's leading (and possibly only) 9 piece east european style Roma brass band.
Another project dear to my heart is The Sound & Light Cinematic Duo. In this project I work with my wonderful wife, Polina Shepherd. To cut a very long story short, we were lead to an amazing archive of extremely rare Jewish silent films made in Kiev between 1910-1945. We have accompanied these films at festivals all over Europe and in the US on clarinets and piano in a traditional style but using lots of original material.
I also work with Polina in her amazing yiddish a capella quartet "Ashkenazim". We've toured the US, performed in London, Brighton, Moscow, St Petersburg, throughout the former Soviet Union and most recently at Ashkenaz in Toronto.The Quartet has a new CD of new material, "baym taykh" available on Oriente Musik.
Most recent collaborations have been with remixer/reworker of Balkan&Jewish music Max Pashm on his latest release "Never Mind the Balkans", this is a great CD featuring Me on clarinets, sax and some guitar, Polina Shepherd on vocals, Eugenia Georgieva on Vocals, George Kypreos on Bouzouki, Rik Harrington on guitars and
Laura Anstee on Cretan lyra & cello. It's out now and available his myspace page.
and with Paris based Balkan/World DJ and performer extraordinaire Dj ClicK Hopefully more collaborative efforts to follow in the not-too-distant future. Watch this space
And even most recently, I am putting together a collaborative remix CD of "Intimate Hopes & Terrors". Working title to be "Intimate Hopes & Tear-Ups". So far tracks have come back from Max Pashm, Smadj and the The Flying Coyote Brothers. Have a listen further up the page. Tracks will also be remixed/reworked by Dj ClicK, Mercan Dede, Phil Thornton, SoCalled, Mark Pointing and Andy Satellite, Palyrria and DJ Lelly. If you're a remixer and interested in being involved then please let me know!
If you're interested in buying the CD "Intimate Hopes & Terrors" then please let me know through this page. I have no credit card facility but am happy to take personal cheques, Postal Orders and Paypal.
The Greek Turkish Clarinet Forum have just opened a new section on Klezmer Clarinet, for which I'm the moderator. If you'd like to check it out please come armed with questions and answers
