Watts CD release party a smash
Pete Rushefsky attended the CD release party for one of the most-talked about (and sought) CDs in recent months, the killer disk by the mother-daughter klezmer power house of Elaine Hoffman Watts and Susan Watts. They are joined by friends such as Frank London, David Licht, Rachel Lemisch (another severalth generation Philly klezmer). Since Pete's review includes the vital "how do I get my own copy" info, I am posting it here. My own copy has just arrived, and I am salivating. More soon.
I had the pleasure of attending the CD release party for "I Remember Klezmer" hosted by Elaine & Susan Hoffman Watt's band The Fabulous Shpilkies in Philly last weekend. The venue (The Point in Bryn Mawr, PA) was absolutely packed with a few hundred revelers. The Shpilkies played a terrifically spirited set of traditional Philly (and Hoffman family) klezmer and vocal tunes sung by Susan in her amazing Yiddish/Jazz style.
Then Susan started inviting her friends on stage... and then the band headed out into the audience as tables were pushed aside for dancing...
A lot of klezmer luminaries were to be found there, including... Shpilke Trombonist Rachel Lemisch, Writer/Critic Elliott Simon and his daughter/Clarinetist Jill Simon, Harmonicist/Pianist Jason Rosenblatt (of Shtreiml fame), Mandolinist/Musicologist Craig Harwood (Amherst College), Flautist Daniella Cohen (formerly of Yale Klezmer Band), Violinist Illana Sherer (formerly of Brown's Klezmer band), many of the Klez Dispensers (Clarinetist Alex Kontorovich, Trupeter Ben Holmes, Violinist Amy Zakar, and Pianist Adrian Banner), Robert and Molly Friedman (of the Robert and Molly Friedman Jewish Music Archive at the University of Pennsylvania). There were many other representatives of the venerable Lemisch and Hoffman families (both renowned klezmer dynasties). I'm sure I must've missed a few as well-- it was quite a crowd.
Here's the information Susan Hoffman Watts sent me on ordering the CD featuring her and her mother Elaine Hoffman Watts entitled "I Remember Klezmer."
I think if you were to write a check to Susan Watts that would be fine...
The CD will be available from CDbaby.com or by sending $15.00 and a bissle for shipping to:
I Remember Klezmer
C/O Watts
832 Beechwood Rd.
Havertown, PA 19083
E-mail Susan Watts Hoffman.