TPFF 2007 performer: Alexandria Kleztet

Performer Preview

Alexandria Kleztet

World Stage 3:30pm

Seth Kibel of the Alexandria Kleztet took time out to share some thoughts on music and performance with us:

Who and what are your primary musical influences, and why?

We pride ourselves in having a sound that is both traditional (even ancient!) and modern, all at once. We take traditional klezmer music which is the secular folk music of Eastern European Jews, and mix it up with all sorts of other stuff from our varied musical backgrounds. Jazz, classical, rock, and world music are all thrown into the mix. This doesn't seem unnatural or illogical. After all, klezmer is a "mutt" of a musical form to begin with. It began with a blending of Middle-Eastern/Arabic modalities and Eastern European dance forms. Add in some influence from the Roma (Gypsies), and you get old world klezmer. In the immigrant communities of New York, those old world sounds mixed with the new world sounds of early jazz, dixieland, and Tin Pan Alley. In the 40's and 50's, big band jazz and swing were thrown into the mix. There's no reason why the musicians of today shouldn't continue this process by incorporating some of their own musical influences into the klezmer repertoire.

What do you like best about performing? What do you like least? What's the hardest part about it?

Performing before an engaged audience is a magical experience. By engaged, I mean an audience that is connecting to the music we are performing. They might be dancing. They might just be listening. In either case, there's a special bond that is created between the musicians and their audience. It allows us to reach new levels of musicianship and expressiveness. It's hard to explain, but a good crowd can really bring out the best in a musical ensemble. I'm addicted to that feeling.

What is it like for the audience who comes to hear you play? How do you try to connect with them, not only through your songs but in other ways?

We try to provide as much variety as possible in our live performances. That means playing some traditional klezmer repertoire -- the old standards, performed in a relatively traditional manner. That also means performing compositions, including original music written by the members of the band, that draws upon more modern influences. As such, there's usually something in every Kleztet show that resonates with each person in the audience. By the same token, there's usually something in every Kleztet show that DOESN'T connect with everyone in the audience. That's the gamble when you go to hear live music. You're taking a chance that there might be something played that you don't care for. But the rewards far outweigh the risks!

For more info on the Alexandria Kleztet, visit http://www.kleztet.com, or www.myspace.com/thealexandriakleztet.