Guestbook

Margot

Rock!

would love to see you get some gigs in the midwest...i'll keep working on st. louis and maybe nashville. we need more <i>good</i> klezmer out here...

i'm still trying to get nephew-man to the world music festival in bloomington indiana but no greyhound buses even go there. world music people do, though. i'll poke around if i have time, maybe go up & see eric mandat. he might know! i have friends in music places, it's not over yet.

gave you five stars - twice! but it doesn't count as a birthday present, 'cause i'd give you those anyway! take care & much love, tom

I want to put some weblinks up here for people who are concerned about the Katrina disaster. Our thoughts and love go out to all our brothers and sisters in the Gulf Coast, but we need to send more than thoughts and love! Here are some links to help you find ways to help:

www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=19015 for information about several bands that got displaced

New Orleans Musicians Clinic (NOMC)
www.swlahec.com This is a clinic that provided health care to musicians and is now tracking those musicians down and a**ting them

NOAHleans.com I know some of these people personally - they're finding gigs getting a**tance out to displaced musicians

We are also in touch with our friends the New Orleans Klezmer AllStars, who have all been displaced. "Displaced" seems like such a polite and inadequate word to describe what's happened. Their website is www.Klezmers.com

www.worldcantwait.org last but not least, we must protest the treatment of the region's most vulnerable citizens.

We have been in touch with some of the displaced people we personally know and have been able to send some a**tance. If you'd like information about how to help people directly you can contact me here. If you have other links you want to share please send them along also.

A sheynem dank and keep in touch.
Margot

L'shana tova!

thanks for showing your nephews the high points of bloomington indiana...hope you had a good midwestern tour...keep up the good music! let me know next time you're anywhere in shouting distance...

You MADE our wedding. We knew you would frm the moment we first hoped we would find someone like you. Thank you SO SO much. The music still is with us today and will be for the rest of our lives.

We will forever be listening to you and we will see you as soon as possible at a live show! No words could express our gratitude. You make and create not only extraordinary music but have given us beautiful memories. Thank you.
Mara and Eli

I'm a massive fan of both genres,
and it was amazing to hear to my two favorites
combined in a tasty blend (I saw the Chatham concert). It was interesting:
I was expecting a hyperactive sound, but there were a lot of meditative parts to the band's set.

By the way, I know that Irish ceili bands used saxophones fairly frequently up until about a generation ago.

Regards, Paul
NJ

We can't thank you enough for braving 200 miles of I-95 to play at our
simcha. You guys are fantastic musicians and real mentschen.
Everywhere I have gone for the last few days, I hear the same
question-"Where did you find the band? They MADE the party." Thanks again,

I can't count how many people told me how cool you are and what a fun time they had dancing to your music.

I know it could not have been easy on the roof (hot/sunny) and dance floor(tiny), but you are true professionals and never sounded anything but great.

Thanks so much, and I hope we'll see you again soon!

we played a gig last night with another irish klezmer band 'hora' and
afterwards a fan came up and told us about your stuff - i havent heard it
yet - but the guy sang your pra** and knew his stuff - anyway - im dying
to hear youse, so check us out and tell us what you think.

take her handy,

I want to let you know how excited I am to have just discovered "Margot Leverett & the Klezmer Mountain Boys." It's not just that it's good bluegrass or good klezmer (and of course it's both). It's finally something that I can claim as MY music - what else would be right for an Appalachian Jew? My heritage of birth is very deep in the KY hills, and I'm deeply proud of every aspect of my Appalachian heritage. And my faith of choice, which brings focus and joy to my life, is Judaism. I get many confused looks when I define myself in Jewish circles as an Appalachian Jew, but let's face it, I had a Granny who cooked beans, biscuits and cobbler, not a Bubbeleh who fixed bagels, brisket and kugel - I'll never be culturally Sephardic, Ashkenazi, or anything other than back hills Kentucky via the southern Ohio diaspora. Finding this music has brought me such pleasure. Thank you for making it happen. I'm going to do my best to find a way north (from Delaware) to one of your Klezmer Mountain Boys concerts.

With many thanks for this piece of joy you've brought to my life, Leslie Vincent

I wish I could hear the Philly Orchestra performance. Do you chat with
Ricardo Morales and the other orchestral guys?. I'm curious about their
responses.

I brought about 14 friends with me and they had a great time
experiencing klezmer up close and personal.

Stay well ----Soo Sooo great to meet you. I will be sharing your cd with
composer Paul Schoenfield April 19. Some of my friends are performing his
music on that date.

Norma of Detroit

I play a Buffet R13 with a Marcellus mouthpiece and legere reeds. Thanks
for bringing all your friends to the concert!

Yes, it's been great playing with Philadelphia and I've met many of the
musicians, including Morales. They've been very enthusiastic and supportive.
It's really been a fabulous experience.

Thanks for staying in touch Norma.
best,
Margot

The audience so enjoyed your performance. Your warmth, charm and humor were so appreciated, along with your exceptional talent! It was a pleasure meeting all of you!

MusicFest 2007 was an outstanding success! The resonses from the sold-out, standing room only audiences were fabulous. Your participation certainly added to this success.

Thank you, again, for all your time, efforts and talent that you shared with this year's MusicFest. You truly enriched our community!

Fondly, Elaine Schonberger
Director, Jewish MusicFest
JCC of Metropolitan Detroit

I DO hope we can find some way to collaborate on something again. It just seems right. Continued success! I'm so happy we know each other.
 

Sid Beckerman, klezmer clarinetist and beloved teacher and mentor to a generation of klezmorim, passed away on April 4, 2007.

Sid was the son of the legendary Shloymke Beckerman, whose incredible recordings can still be found on 78rpm records. Klezmer is traditionally passed from generation to generation, father to son, but Sid's son's decided to be cardiologists instead, so Sid passed the tradition on to me, for which I'm eternally grateful. Carefully, meticulously, and full of love he taught me everything his father had taught him, often in his father's words, and with commentary by his wife Mae Beckerman, an accomplished musician in her own right. Sid was a mentor and inspiration to a whole generation of klezmer musicians and became our most important link to the great klezmorim of the past.

As time passes, I realize that when someone teaches you a tune, they've given you much much more than just a series of notes. You listen, you practice, they tell you when you've got it right and when you don't, and in the end you realize they've given you a whole world, full of joy and tears, laughter and dancing, and love. This is what Sid gave us, with all his heart and all his might.

May his memory ever be for a blessing.

Margot
 

Now you can hear an interview with us on Klezmer Podcast #9! go to www.Klezmerpodcast.com

Thanks to Keith Wolzinger for doing a great job with this! I appreciate having this little piece of klezmer history on the net.

ps we're also on YouTube! at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycMo5LJNe40

http://uregina.ca/rvk/etf.html

I just read your website again, and it's really great. I actually
think I've changed my behavior more because of your encouragement
than anyone else's in recent months. Except maybe Al. You and Al --
a good team. I have a garden too -- on my fire escape. I miss real
gardens, but it's amazing to eat fresh food from the fire escape.
 

On your blog, you wrote: "...if you have suggestions for what we can do about the environment, e-mail them to me..."

OK, I've got one. Take a look at my truck... the one that will soon be running on 100% wind-generated electricity:

http://www.austinev.org/evalbum/1280

My mother didn't exactly raise me to be a mechanic, but after I saw Gore's movie, what else could I do?

So now, I've got you and boys wailin' on the 'Pod, while I'm torquin' up the lugnuts. (How's that for an image?!)

Seriously, though -- your tone is so wonderfully expressive, I just love every note of it.

Question for you: You mentioned your Marcellus mouthpiece and Legere reeds on the blog. Could I ask: What strength Legere? Also, the regular Legere, or the Quebec cut?

I play a Selmer Signature with a Charles Bay mouthpiece, but you may have just tempted me to try out a Marcellus.

Anyway, thank you for the fabulous music... and thank you for re-connecting me with umpteen zillion years of Jewish tradition.

Cheers from Houston,

Steve Kobb
P.S.: You're welcome to see my paintings at www.stevekobb.com
 

The wedding was incredible thanks to you guys....I hope it didnt' bother you too much to have people "borrowing" instruments....I could see why it might....but just so you know it really lended to a fun family time to see my cousins son Harrison jammin on the drums and to have Evan play with them in this way....it was really great....so thanks so much for allowing that .....

The music was wonderful and EVERYONE felt comfortable....my dad was a bit apprehensive about the bluegrass thing and i'm sure you could see what a great time he was having.....!
He's a hoot huh?

I have no idea when but i feel sure i'll be calling you to play somewhere again.....
Ok thank you thank you thank you......we had a beautiful wedding...

B'Shal OMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

Haris
 

http://youtube.com/watch?v=43o53NjjMeo
http://youtube.com/watch?v=UFio7ihhr8g

Thank you for inspiring my exploration of this work.
I don't get up to New York much, but I really enjoyed
the Klezmer Jam sessions.

Eric Rangell

Memorial: Tuesday, August 26, 2008 at 7pm, there will be a special memorial gathering in honor of our great entertainer Bruce Adler who passed away on July 25 in Florida. The gathering will take place at Congregation Rodeph Sholom, 7 West 83rd Street, near Central Park West.
Friends and colleagues of Bruce will share memories and pay tribute to his extraordinary life that was cut short by cancer at the age of 63. Among those who will speak are Mike Burstyn, Zalmen Mlotek, Tovah Feldshuh, Avi Hoffman, Harry Groehner, Theodore Bikel, Dan Siretta, Michael Larsen, and others. Cantor Robert Abelson will sing the El Mole Rachamim. For details contact Moishe Rosenfeld at www.goldenland.com