Conan O'Brian (and Jewschool's) response to Senator Hatch's Chanukah Song

One of the biggest bits of internet buzz this Chanukah season was Senator Orin Hatch's Chanukah song. (See my post from last week.) The buzz hit prime time last week when Conan O'Brian and his The Tonight Show gang played a clip and then sang a song that was supposed to celebrate of Church of Latter Day Saints founder Joseph Smith's birthday, but mostly, humorously, pointed out how little they knew about Mormons. The song, which which mixed melodies of Driedel and Maoz Tzur, was a gift from Max Weinberg, Tonight Show band leader and the show's only Jew.

According to recent a JTA article, the idea for the song actually came from everyone's favorite progressive left Jewish blog, JewSchool. "Larry Yudelson posted a query to his fellow Jewschool.com contributors wondering if “there are any special Mormon holidays for which we can return the favor?” In response, Jewschool managing editor Alana Suskin mused, “Wouldn’t it be off the charts funny to do a [Jewschool] holiday song for Mormons?" They knocked around some lyrics online and then "occasional Jewschool contributor and full-time “Tonight Show” writer Rob Kutner recognized a funny idea when he saw one."

Their song is funny and terrible (both on purpose) , unlike Sen. Hatch's which is mostly funny and terrible by accident.

Double Klezmer Wednesday: Cracow Klezmer Band & The Bester Quartet

I just realized I haven't posted any Klezmer recently. To make up for it, today will be (insert lots of reverb) 'Double-Klezmer Wednesday.'

The first video is by the Cracow Klezmer Band with guest vocalist Grazyna Auguscik. According to their Myspace Page, the CKB formed in 1997 in Krakow, Poland. They've had a number of successful albums on the Tzadik label and have played festivals and concerts around the world.

According to her bio, Auguscik is "is one of the most intriguing contemporary vocalists on today’s World jazz scene. Her elusive style challenges traditional definitions of jazz and show vocalist and musician without boundaries." (I love bio puffery. Does this actually mean anything?). If you like her performance in this video (and I do) check out her website for more info or her new album 'Live Sounds Live' available through CDBaby.

Cracow Klezmer Band & Grazyna Auguscik

And for my second Wednesday klezmer video...The Bester Quartet, the latest incarnation of the Crackow Klezmer Band. Less frielach, more chamber music, the Bester Quartet's "trademark is performance of the music of a vast stylistic range that assimilates some selected elements borrowed from classical, jazz and vanguard music, including the best of achievements of the contemporary chamber music where improvisation constitutes a foundation to build some unique instrumental forms on." (whew, I'm breathless and I only cut and pasted that puff). I love traditional klezmer, but I've come to really enjoy this kind of klezmer infused chamber music. For me, Davka owns this space, but the Bester Quartet is a welcome addition.

Bester Quartet

Hat tip to YouTube users Thomkee and MCKMyslowice for posting the videos.

Traditional Chassidic Melodies: The Negin Brothers

Here's a lovely Chassidic tune played by London's "The Negin Brothers" at a recent farbrengen (Lubavitch Chassidic gathering)...

Yossi & Nosson Negin Brothers Jewish Music


According to the Negin Brothers website, "We enjoy playing all Jewish music, especially traditional, Chasidic, and Lubavitcher tunes. Whether it is being expressed through the genres of acoustic-folk, electronic, ambient or classical, we always aim to capture the spirit contained in the melodies."

The Negin Brothers have two recordings, and lots of free mp3's, available. Check them out...

Davka & Kitka

I got hooked on Davka a couple of years ago. Their brand of klezmer and Sephardic chamber music has a healthy (but not overpowering) jazz and avante-garde sensibility that really works for me. I find their Tzadik albums (particularly Judith) sneaking back into heavy rotation every couple of months.

I had one of my usual "to late or to far away" moments this week when I found out that Davka teamed up with Kitka to do a series of concerts that would be televised on PBS. Kitka is a female vocal ensemble specializing in "music rooted in Eastern European women's vocal traditions." I don't know much about them other than that, but will have to check them out. The PBS show was scheduled to be aired in December. You can check out this broadcast date listing to find out if your local station played it. If you missed it (like I did) you can call the station and bug them about repeating it. Or you can buy the DVD.

Here's the concert trailer: