Joyous, Mournful, Exotic
Want something a little different for your event? Something joyous yet mournful, full of exotic melody and rhythms that anybody can dance to, regardless of experience, ability or mobility? Traditional Jewish dance music from the Midwales Hills takes you on a journey through eastern Europe and beyond, 2000 years of history and many different cultures.
Welsh Klezmer
Klezmer is traditional Jewish dance music, drawn largely from the “Old World” of the Ukrainian & Polish Jewish tradition. A generous seasoning from Russia, Turkey, Greece and the Balkans is then thrown into the mix. Gypsy music is a strong influence, and also music from the diaspora in the “New World”, the melting-pot of America, where klezmer met jazz. Klezmer has been around the block more than once, and has now found a special place in the heart of Wales.
120 Years’ Experience
The Klezmonauts began in 2005 and have spent nearly twenty years discovering and exploring this incredibly rich (and at times almost lost) musical seam. Clarinet, piano accordion, fiddle, viola, mandolin, piano and U-bass give a rich and textured sound to a repertoire of many hundreds of tunes. The six band members have well over 120 years’ musical experience between them. As a result each brings their own unique style, a musical fingerprint, to shape the music. One of the highlights of our year is the KlezNorth festival in the Derbyshire village of Youlgrave. Here klezmer musicians from all over the world get together to share their knowledge, tunes and love of the music and culture.
Jewish-Welsh Fusion
Each member of The Klezmonauts was either born in Midwales or has lived there for many years. So we have one foot in traditional Jewish dance music and the other firmly planted in the Welsh tradition. We delight in finding musical connections between the two, unlikely though such a fusion might seem! (Visit the Media Room to hear some clips of Welsh tunes blended with klezmer.)
Music To Dance To
The Midwales Hills are alive with the sound of traditional Jewish dance music! So whether your event is a sit-down concert, community event, birthday, anniversary or full-on wedding, let The Klezmonauts and our experienced klezmer dance callers do the heavy musical lifting. Lose yourselves in a magical other world of traditional Jewish dance music with a Celtic flavour just for an evening!