Prog Digest – An Xperience Column

Prog Digest – An Xperience Column – by Klyde Kadiddlehumper.

What a long strange trip it’s been. No, this is not another Grateful Dead article. While I like the Dead and have a ’72 VW bus with a custom plate, that is not where we are headed this month. We are going to be visiting a much older form of music.
During the past month or so, Constant Companion and I have had a number of family events out of town—Hoboken and Nashua, NH in particular.

Two weekends in a row were consumed by a wedding; the actual ceremony in Hoboken and then the bride and groom being introduced and celebrated at the bride’s home synagogue. Both events were lovely, everyone was pleasant, and a fine time was had by all.
At the wedding reception, I’ll admit to seeing something I’d not before—a DJ with a drummer. Not certain how common that is currently, as that was not the case in my day.

The luncheon after the second weekend was far more interesting from a musical standpoint, and the real topic here. No DJ. No recorded music. There was dancing and there was a band—and music, I must admit, that I do love.

It was a klezmer band.

Klezmer is a traditional music starting with the Ashkenazi Jews of Central and Eastern Europe. The single word “klezmer” really didn’t come about until the beginning of the 20th Century.

Now, I am certain there is a portion of the audience reading this little crazy monthly article saying, “Klyde, klezmer is not prog music.” As has been mentioned, I write whatever pops into my pill-crazed little head, and klezmer is more progressive than you all might think!
Who’da thunk that there have been fusion klezmer bands, incorporating jazz and punk? Bands with such names as Daniel Kahn & The Painted Bird, Flying Bulgar Klezmer Band, Mames Babegenush, Moishe’s Bagel, and the ever-popular Klezmatics.

As they approached a short break to grab lunch, the band announced there would be Israeli dancing, and asked if we were all ready for that. Things to know: Klyde does not dance, much to the chagrin of Constant Companion. Only dancing I ever did was a short tap bit I had to learn as the lead in a musical in college. KLYDE DOES NOT DANCE.

Well, the fun began. Likely the best-known piece you would here from a klezmer band is the dance “Hava Nagila” (translated, it means “Let Us Rejoice”). And there was dancing, and bride and groom lifted in chairs, and all kinds of things. What fun (to watch).

The second dance was described as a Jewish Virginia reel; I found the description rather interesting. Called “Yesh,” the title means “There is a goat” or “We have a goat.” A fast-moving dance, the length of which really depends on how many couples happen to be participating.

The longer I write this column, the more it really impresses on me that variety is the spice of life. That is not a trite little saying, it is a truth. Not THE truth. A truth.

From this point forward, perhaps we ought to think of this as a progressive dinner. Each iteration is different food and a different location. Each with a style of its own.

So, check out a klezmer band and report back. A new dinner will be served on these pages each month.

Until next time.

Klyde

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