It’s 20 years since the Jews Brothers Band was born – one of the zaniest and most original bands on the planet. JBB is celebrating with a new album and a nationwide tour with Arts On Tour NZ, complete with ace saxophonist, Neill Duncan, playing the world’s only one handed saxophone.
Neill, a founding member of both the JBB and legendary Wellington band Six Volts, has toured extensively with the Jews Brothers, both nationally and internationally, even after moving to Australia several years ago.
Suddenly, just over two years ago, he was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of cancer necessitating the amputation of his left arm. Neill thought his playing days were over, but musicians and his community in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales decided otherwise. They rallied round, and, together with government funding, organised for Amsterdam based Flute Lab to custom build the world’s only one handed tenor sax. It took instrument maker Maarten Visser a year to make the instrument, hydraulically moving the top keys to the bottom so that Neill could use his right hand.
Now Neill is sounding better than ever, joining JBB founder and leader, Hershal Hersher on accordion, Nigel Gavin playing mandolin and guitar, Peter Scott on double bass, and chanteuse extraordinaire Linn Lorkin providing lead vocals when she is not playing the melodica.
JBB created a sensation when it first hit the local scene in early 1995. What was this sound' And what was this ‘klezmer’ they were playing' For Brooklyn raised founder and bandleader Hershal, this music was a return to his roots, to the music brought to New York by the Eastern European Jews.
JBB’s wild, toe-tapping, hand-clapping repertoire soon had audiences circle-dancing or bopping to the grooves of the ‘best swing band in the land’. Expect also gypsy ‘hot-club’, schmaltzy waltzes and daring vocal harmonies on this 20th anniversary tour of a very special band.
..this idiosyncratic band with its enormous drive, infectious beat and brilliant musicianship...
Australian Jewish News, Sydney.
Stratospheric levels of talent and borderline insanity… like the hilarious whirling gypsy soundtrack to an as-yet-unmade Muppet Mafia movie. The Argus. Brighton, U.K.
“… messy, loose as a goose, over the top and simply wonderful … Jewish grunge on a roll!” Real Groove Magazine NZ
