Yiddish Radio Project: Live!
A Journey to the Golden Age of Yiddish Radio

Hosted by Henry Sapoznik with Dave Isay
Featuring The Yiddish Radio All-Star Band

Coming to New York City, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, and Chicago

 

The golden age of Yiddish radio is being celebrated in a series of live shows touring the country to accompany the Yiddish Radio Project series from NPR. Henry Sapoznik is the master of ceremonies for this multi-media spectacular honoring the forgotten pioneers of Yiddish radio. With huge archival photos projected behind him, Henry leads a tour through the most magical recesses of his archival Yiddish radio collection and shares his choicest clips. For the show, these precious audio remnants-not heard publicly in over half a century-are presented with simultaneous English translations projected on a movie screen.

Sharing the stage with Mr. Sapoznik is the Yiddish Radio All-Star Band, featuring the last of the living klezmer legends who inspired the recent revival of the old-world musical form. Their repertoire ranges from traditional klezmer to the Yiddish-Swing style popular on Yiddish radio in the 1930s and 40s.

The show culminates with co-producer David Isay introducing the finale of the Yiddish Radio Project radio series, a produced documentary about a program that, in 1947, re-united Holocaust survivors live on the air.

Yiddish Radio Project: Live! is coming to the following cities:

New York City

Sunday, March 17, 2002, 7:00 pm
Center for Jewish History
Co-sponsored by WNYC and the Center for Jewish History
For tickets, which are $25, call (917) 606-8200.

Monday, March 18, 2002, 8:00 pm
Symphony Space
Co-sponsored by WNYC
For tickets, which are $25, call (212) 864-5400 or visit tickets.com.

Philadelphia

Monday, April 1, 2002, 2:00 pm & 7:00 pm
Prince Music Theater
Co-sponsored by WHYY
For tickets, which are $30 ($25 for groups of ten or more or for members of WHYY or the Prince Music Theater), call UpStages at (215) 569-9700 or buy them on-line. For group sales call (215) 972-1005.

Los Angeles

Monday, April 15, 2002, 8:00 pm
Skirball Center
Co-sponsored by KCRW and the National Foundation for Jewish Culture
For tickets, which are $25 ($21 for members of KCRW), call (323) 655-8587.

San Francisco

Tuesday April 16, 2002, 8:00 pm
Palace of Fine Arts Theater
Co-sponsored by KQED, the Magnes Museum, and the National Foundation for Jewish Culture.
For tickets, which are $25 ($19 for members of KQED or the Magnes Museum), call (415) 392-4400 or visit tickets.com.

Boston

Tuesday, April 23, 2002, 8:00 pm
Coolidge Corner Movie Theater
Co-sponsored by WBUR
For tickets, which are $25 ($20 for members of WBUR), call (617) 734-2500.

Chicago

Thursday, April 25, 2002, 8:00 pm
North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie
Co-sponsored by WBEZ and the Third Coast International Audio Festival
For tickets, which are $30/$25 ($25/$20 for members of WBEZ), call (847) 673-6300 or buy them on-line.

New York

Tuesday, May 21, 2002, 7:00 pm
Museum of Jewish Heritage
SOLD OUT!

---

The Hosts:

• Henry Sapoznik (MC): The foremost historian of Yiddish radio, Henry is also a leader of the klezmer revival, author of the award-winning book Klezmer! Jewish Music From Old World to Our World (Schirmer Books), founder of "KlezKamp: The Yiddish Folk Arts Program" and a Grammy nominated record producer and performer.
  
  
• David Isay (Host): Yiddish Radio Project co-producer, David Isay has won every major award in radio broadcasting, including three Peabody Awards and a MacArthur "genius" Fellowship.
  
  

The Band:

• Peter Sokolow (Piano, and Musical Director): The premier Yiddish pianist and orchestrator of classic Yiddish music, he has been featured in every major documentary on klezmer music. He is the most important link to the last generation of Yiddish music greats. Pete is 62 years old and lives in Brooklyn, New York. (All peformances.)
  
  
• Paul Pincus (Alto Sax): Paul studied music at Julliard and went on to become a favored studio musician from NBC to WEVD. He is the only man alive to have played with both of klezmer's great 20th century clarinetists, Dave Tarras and Naftule Brandwein.  Paul is 84 years old and lives in Old Bridge, New Jersey. (All peformances.) 
  
  
• Ray Musiker (Clarinet): A third generation klezmer clarinetist known for his work with his late brother Sam on the legendary 1956 klezmer LP, Tanz!, Ray's most recent klezmer recording is Matai? He is 75 years old and lives in Lynbrook, Long Island. (All peformances.)
  
  
• Joel Chernet (Tenor Sax): A consummate master of multiple reed instruments, Joel has played in countless American and Jewish dance orchestras, and had recorded more than twenty albums of Hasidic and klezmer music with keyboardist Pete Sokolow. Joel is 60 years old and lives in Merrick, New York. (New York, Philadelphia, Boston, and Chicago performances.)
  
  
• Howie Leess (Tenor Sax): Howie studied under the great klezmer virtuoso Shloimke Beckerman, and went on to become one of the founders of the Hasidic music scene when it formed in the 1950s. The last of the great "Jewish tenor improvisers," Howie is 81 years old and lives in Pittsford, New York. (Los Angeles and San Francisco performances.)
  
  
• Julie Epstein (Drums): Julie is the last surviving member of the great Epstein Brothers Klezmer Orchestra, subject of the documentary film A Tickle in the Heart and the winner of a NEA National Heritage Folk Arts Award in 1998. Julie is 75 years old and lives in Tamarack, Florida. (Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco performances.)
  
  
• Shelly Horn (Drums): Shelly's prodigious range of musical styles has provided the rhythmic backbone for the Barry Sisters, Klezmer Plus, Tony Bennett, Xavier Cugat's Latin American Orchestra, and innumerable Broadway pit orchestras. He is 58 years old and lives in Bellville, New Jersey. (New York and Philadelphia performances.)