Monday morning at KlezKamp

AM2 classes are going on right now as I write this. KlezKamp's first full day is well under way. Most of the crises have been taken care of and folks are gathered all over the hotel doing the business of KlezKamp, learning and sharing all aspects of Yiddish music and culture. This is happening after a night of spirited dancing, singing and music last night. The EpesCenter is almost set to open with an amazing array of klezmer and Yiddish related goods, not to mention the KK22 t-shirts and sweatshirts featuring the ever-popular faux-Magritte Dos iz nisht keyn beygl cover to the catalogue.


I'm looking forward to hearing Henry Sapoznik interview his fellow founder of the klezmer revival, Andy Statman, later this afternoon during our forshpayz period before dinner. We're really fortunate that Andy will be here teaching master classes in clarinet and mandolin. I first heard him play on the Vaserl record of new Yiddish songs which was recorded in the mid-70s and have enjoyed his playing ever since.

I'm also looking forward to the German Goldenshteyn Memorial Concert, which is tonight's evening activity. All of the musicians who recorded with German at KlezKamp last year will be playing in his memory. That recording session yielded the wonderful recording German Goldenshteyn: A Living Tradition, which is a fitting tribute to German, who died this past June. One of the best things about KlezKamp is the opportunity to meet and get to know amazing people such as German Goldenshteyn. We miss him terribly but his music was heard all over the lobby last night so he is still with us.