Klezmer Rebs

How about this for a hillside sign?

davidw — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:25:37 +0000

Yishama-o-rama : DJ Cut Loose remixes the Rebs

davidw — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 04:47:18 +0000

Here’s a first for the Klezmer Rebs – young, exciting and still finishing her DJ course at Polytech, DJ Cut Loose (aka Jen) has remixed Od Yishama, which is part of a medley on the 13th track of the Rebs latest CD Just add shmaltz.

Cut Loose was given the Rebs’ pre-mastered tracks from the song and has transformed it into something very different. Yishama-o-rama she calls it. You can listen to it right now!

… or head over to Jen’s Myspace page, and you can dance to it anywhere!

Live klezmer all over Wellington in March

davidw — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 22:20:04 +0000

Finally the Rebs have some gigs in the Wellington region after playing Taranaki, Palmy and Greytown over the summer, and some private invitation only gigs (we were proud to play at the opening of the Anne Frank Exhibition at Te Papa). Catch us at Bodega or Paekakariki, or head up to Whanganui:

17 March St Patricks Day Klezmer Special at Bodega with Oy Azoy and Klezmer Rebs Oy just $5 at the door. Rebs play from 9.15 – 10, and Oy Azoy play from 10.30 – 11.15. Two klezmer bands on St Paddy’s Day – how bizarre! Expect some promiscuous musical exchanges between members of both bands. Oy Azoy is the new klezmer kid on the block – very jazzy and contemporary, featuring Lorenzo Pradel – tenor sax, Will Sklenars – double bass, Josh Simon – keys, Reece Mcnaughten – drums, Dean Scott – trombone, and Hayden Hockley – clarinet.

20 March Folk, Yeah fundraiser for Green Party at Paekakariki Memorial Hall, from 7pm, $15/$12 concession, featuring Chilli Jam, Matiu Te Huki and Klezmer Rebs, plus DJ Ara. Come and support the Greens. Always a great crowd at Paekakariki. Cash bar.

2 May, 6.30pm Whanganui Jazz Club, at Whanganui RSA

New ‘kind’ for a proud Reb

davidw — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 09:14:36 +0000

Our clarinetist Urs and his lovely partner Em have thrilled the Rebs by bringing into the world a little fellow and future Klezmer Rebs fan. Enormous mazel tov from all the Rebs to Urs and Em and the little Rebbelakh!

Rebs fotos from Greytown Arts Festival

davidw — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 09:26:35 +0000

The sun shined for the Rebs at Greytown Arts Festival on Sunday 24 January

Here are a few snaps from our 2 sets.

At the end we enjoyed an old fashioned jam session with the other musos on the bill.

Palmerston North concert review: “Lively group stirs soul with energy”

davidw — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 19:13:47 +0000

Stephen Fisher of the Manawatu Standard reviews the Klezmer Rebs’ 17 January performance at the Palmerston North Library with lots of kind words here.

Rebs Storm Palmerston North and Tokomaru

davidw — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 08:58:09 +0000

The Rebs have just returned from 2 stunning shows in the Manawatu. First we played the great rural cafe the Bent Horseshoe. Must have done something right because the packed cafe of 42 paying customers bought 18 CDs! Thanks to Steve at the Cafe for having the Rebs and being a passionate supporter of NZ music!

Then we drew a crowd of about 120 at Palmerston North City Library on Sunday afternoon. What a welcome – Palmerston North sure knows how to show appreciation and support for us klezmorim! Urs was particularly proud to have his ex music teacher from college in the audience.

Here is a foto from the Library gig. We are looking forward to the review in the local Manawatu Standard after great publicity in all 3 local papers.

Ethnic folk vibe set to please the crowds

davidw — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 00:23:49 +0000

Check this link for a nice article on the Rebs in the Wairarapa Times Age promoting our upcoming performances at the Greytown Arts Festival on 24 January.

And apologies for the error in the article – Reb Rose O’hara (our keyboardist) is indeed from Masterton but her uncle not her grandfather started the famous Golden Shears competition.

Dompost’s Simon Sweetman reviews Just Add Shmaltz

Dave Moskovitz — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 23:49:23 +0000

Simon Sweetman published a short review of the Klezmer Reb’s CD Just Add Shmaltz in The Dominion Post, Friday 2 October 2009, in the Entertainment section, page B6. From the review:

If you have enjoyed The Benka Borodovsky Bordello Band or The Jews Brothers, then The Klezmer Rebs will be to your taste…. It’s thigh-slapping music that is likely to be returning to a Botanic Garden concert near you.

Just Add Shmaltz reviewed in The Listener

Dave Moskovitz — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 05:17:37 +0000

In the Listener (26 September – 2 October 2009, page 43) Ian Dando gives a great review of the Reb’s latest CD Just Add Shmaltz:

This Wellington octet can let their hair down and swing Jewish wedding music with energetic solos just where it matters on clarinet, violin and trumpet, with spontaneous lead singing to match. Clarinet solos are wildly creative in their Russian-flavoured Ochi Chorniye. There are some crackers when they leave traditional klezmer and write their own, especially the opening Kumt Kumt Chaverim, with its catchy refrains gyrating tonally between E minor and B flat major. The Rebs offer genuine in-style klezmer sonority, played with bubbling festivity.