Klezmer, a musical tradition of the Ashkenazi Jews of Eastern Europe, will be performed at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5 at Temple Bet Yam.
Klezmer originated in the shtetls and ghettos of Eastern Europe where it was performed at weddings and holiday celebrations. Today’s klezmer, influenced early on by its Eastern European roots, gypsy, and Balkan music, now also reflects American jazz and Israeli sounds and uses a variety of musical instruments. The music continues to not only elicit a whole gamut of emotions but reminds many of their Jewish history.
The concert will be performed by four klezmorim: Joseph and Lynn Goldovitz, Jacob Goldberger, and Ray Guiser. The Goldovitzes – who say their greatest influence has been the music and teachings of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach – have played at Klezmer festivals in Safed, Israel and the Jewish Renaissance Foundation in Princeton, New Jersey, as well as locally and around the United States. Their repertoire includes numerous traditional klezmer pieces. While continuing as performers, they are also cantorial soloists for Congregation Sinai in Clermont/Minneola, Florida.
Goldberger has been a musician since his early years in Israel. He has performed in New York with the Gulf Coast Symphony and with a quartet at the International Klezmer Festival in Safed, Israel. Guiser, a renowned saxophonist, reflects the influence of American jazz on klezmer. He began his professional life performing with elite jazz ensembles and other bands of note in Washington, D.C. In addition to teaching woodwinds, he has recorded with many top jazz, classical, pop and blues performers.
Temple Bet Yam is located at 2055 Wildwood Drive, St. Augustine. Tickets are $25 per person. For more information, call Carol Levy at (954) 895-7732.
