Klezmer Meets Houdini And Mata Hari

Music and poetry at the Ruby Lounge 4 – 7pm, Sunday 21 November 2010

In a unique Wellington arts event, the Klezmer Rebs will perform an intimate concert at the Ruby Lounge, featuring a special set of poetry with music by Raumati author Lynn Jenner. The show is on 21 November in Ruby Lounge’s relaxing 4 – 7pm Sunday slot.

The Klezmer Rebs, Wellington’s popular eastern european ethnic/world music band, will perform two sets of their poignant and uplifting songs from the yiddish/jewish klezmer culture. Featured will be a short bracket of hannukah songs done klezmer style. Folk/klezmer will be mixed with Italian, French, latin, Russian and tango songs, along with some jazzy American swing, and some raging partisan and political anthems that the Rebs are known for. The Rebs’ exciting clarinettist/soloist Urs Signer is down from Parihaka and helicon (tuba) player Amanda MacLean across from Gisborne for this special show.

Klezmer meets Houdini After the Klezmer Rebs first set will be a special 20 minute artistic partnership featuring the poetry of Lynn Jenner, from her highly praised recent book Dear Sweet Harry. Lynn’s poetry introduces you to Harry Houdini, the world’s greatest ever escapologist, and Mata Hari, a woman who did not so much dance as slowly and gracefully take off her clothes. The musical accompaniment is pushy, poignant, sweet and sad and hopeful, just like Houdini and Mata Hari, and it travels around the world just as they did.

Then the Klezmer Rebs return for a final set of their lively, tuchas-shaking music. Jewish soul music at its best.