Regardless of background or religion

Wednesday, December 09, 2009

By Aaron Davis

Jackson Hole, Wyo.-Countless pieces of music have been composed over the centuries to compliment organized religion. Arguably, music has kept religion remarkably visible in our culture, regardless of a person’s denomination or preference in genre. Individuals, synagogues, temples and churches use art and music to shape the vitality of their spiritual lives.

The Chabad Jewish Center of Jackson Hole, together with a dedicated committee of seven local Jews, will launch its inaugural Jackson Hole Jewish Music Festival (JHJMF) over three days this weekend—the first of its kind in Wyoming and complementing Chanukah (observed Dec. 11 to 19 this year).

“Regardless of background or religion, the JHJMF is truly going to be a fun, fascinating and joyous celebration of music in the shadow of the Tetons,” said Rabbi Zalman Mendelsohn, Executive Director of Chabad Jewish Center.

From Biblical to modern times and from such contrasting parts of the world as Poland, Yemen, Uzbekistan, Russia, Morocco, Romania and Cuba, cultural Jewish music has been evolving for more than a thousand years. JHJMF will showcase exotic genres Klezmer, Sephardic, Yiddish, Israeli, Middle Eastern and Sephardic, combined with Jewish jazz, rock ‘n’ roll and even bluegrass.

Saturday through Monday will feature world renowned Ruby Harris Band with a couple appearances by local singer-songwriter Judd Grossman, performing the various instrumental pieces from around the world. Harris’s band also features Jerry Sokolov (trumpet), Ephraim Schwab (bass), Frank Caruso (piano) and Shaul Gotkin (drums). The band just returned from a coast-to-coast tour that included stops in all five New York City boroughs, topped with a sold-out concert on Times Square.

Harris, a violinist, is considered “one of the Fathers of Jewish Rock, ” a title earned as frontman of the first Klezmer Revival band. He was also apart of Sun Records Rhythm Section Rockabilly Legends (Elvis’s backup band), and has performed in concert with legends George Clinton, Buddy Miles and members of Jefferson Airplane and Grateful Dead. 

Through broad support from the community, all concerts are free. There is limited space for each show and online registration will give ticket holders priority over walk-ins.

“Our online and phone reservations for the three nights of cultural Jewish music have been coming in nonstop and we are expecting a good showing for all three nights,” Mendelsohn said. JHW

JHJMF, this weekend in Teton Villlage. Parking is free in the lot adjacent to the Alpenhof Lodge after 3 p.m. Shuttles from the Alpenhof  lot to the Four Seasons are available on Monday, every 10 minutes from 4:30 to 5:10 p.m.  A rate of $150/night will be offered at Four Seasons Resort. Register for tickets at JHJMF.org.


COURTESY PHOTO

PERMALINK:
Regardless of background or religion | Planet JH News Article: Music Box

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