London Klezmer to tour Australasia
Much-loved international klezmer ensemble the London Klezmer Quartet return to Australasia in January 2017 and will feature music from their latest hit album.
The London Klezmer Quartet
LKQ’s fourth album, ‘To the Tavern’, takes their evocation of the celebratory and soulful music of Jewish Eastern Europe (‘klezmer) to a whole new level. The recording, which they will recreate live in performance for the tour, is a dawn-to-dawn story about a klezmer band’s arrival in a small town. With a wealth of traditional-style compositions by the band, the adventure weaves fabulous instrumentals with the irresistibly sonorous vocals of Indra Buraczewska, who features in traditional laments, a Warsaw Yiddish theatre hit with a hint of jazz (‘Goodbye New York’) and even a song about beetroot soup!
A band arrives at dawn at the railway station in a small middle-European country town for a 24-hour sojourn.
The musicians find their way around, get to know the locals and lead a rowdy session at the local tavern, before exhaustion sets in as they see in the new day. The spirit of the album reflects current and perennial themes of migration and community.
The London Klezmer Quartet was formed in 2009 by four London-based klezmorim with a shared interest in the traditional playing style. The group is Ilana Cravitz (violin), Susi Evans (clarinet), Carol Isaacs (accordion) – all direct from the UK – and Aussie, Indra Buraczewska (double bass & vocals).
Of their third album, fROOTS magazine said “An essential combination of virtuosity and personality, caught between toe-tapping celebration and the most beautiful sadness, lacing all with rueful humour and soul… Elevating throughout.”
The London Evening Standard enthused: “With artistry like this, the music doesn’t have to be reinvented.” “A fantastic sound with inventive arrangements, virtuosity, exciting original tunes and soulful playing,” said Songlines. “Exuberant yet cultured playing… no shortage of dynamism here… The tradition is safe in the hands of the next generation,” echoed the Sunday Times. “Dynamic and authentic,” says Time Out, London. “Individual virtuosity and a superb sense of ensemble”, according to Australia’s Trad & Now.
LKQ arrive in Australia 12 January for the Illawarra Folk Festival before performing in Sydney’s East, Inner West, Northern Beaches and Wollongong. Then they head to New Zealand for their debut tour (Motueka, Nelson, Paekakariki, Wellington, Levin, Napier, Hamilton, Te Pau and Auckland) before recrossing the ‘ditch’ for performances in Brisbane, Lismore, Nimbin, Newcastle, Katoomba, Parramatta and the NSW South Coast. Finally, they set toes tapping in Bendigo and Melbourne before rounding off the tour in Adelaide and the Clare Valley!
Tour dates:
12-15 Jan – Illawarra Folk Festival, Bulli NSW
19 Jan – Camelot, Marrickville NSW
20 Jan – HONKFEST, Wollongong NSW
21 Jan – Klezmer and Hungarian Bush Dance, Five Dock RSL NSW (with The Transylvaniacs)
22 Jan – Humph Hall, Allambie NSW
8 Feb – Klezmer Workshop and Concert, Lismore Bowling Club NSW
9 Feb – Brisbane Jazz Club QLD
10 Feb – Nimbin Bush Theatre NSW
11 Feb – Maleny RSL, QLD (with The Unusual Suspects)
14 Feb – 5 Church Street, Bellingen NSW
16 Feb – Lizottes, Lambton Newcastle NSW
17 Feb – Blue Mountains Theatre, Springwood NSW
18 Feb – Riverside Theatre, Parramatta NSW
19 Feb – South Coast Music Society, Batehaven NSW
21 Feb – Smith’s Alternative, Canberra ACT
23 Feb – The Capital, Bendigo VIC
26 Feb – House Concert, Glen Iris VIC
28 Feb – Melbourne Recital Centre VIC
2 Mar – South Coast Folk Club, Port Noarlunga SA
3 Mar – Prospect Town Hall, Adelaide SA (Adelaide Fringe)
4 Mar – HATS Courthouse Cultural Centre, Auburn SA (Adelaide Fringe)
5 Mar – House Concert, Fullarton SA
New Zealand
25 Jan – Chanel Arts Centre, Motueka
26 Jan – Fairfield House, Nelson
27 Jan – St Peter’s Village Hall, Paekakariki (with Klezmer Rebs)
28 Jan – Meow, Wellington (with Klezmer Rebs)
29 Jan – Klezmer Workshop and Dance, Temple Sinai, Wellington
31 Jan – Lily’s Ranch House, Levin
1 Feb – The Cabana, Napier
2 Feb – Nivara Lounge, Hamilton
3 Feb – House Concert, Kerepehi (TBC)
4 Feb – House Concert, Te Pau
5 Feb – Auckland Hebrew Congregation
