The Klezmerson ensemble consisting of six members comes to this year’s XX2nd Jazz Fest Sarajevo from Mexico City, where they were founded in 2003 when violinist Benjamin Shwartz decided to experiment with music that combines traditional and contemporary sound, putting klezmer in the urban context of his hometown.
The result is a new and fresh music that combines melodies and rhythms from Eastern European Jewish music tradition with Roma, Central European and Mexican but also other South American influences such as charanga, norteño or cha cha. In addition, elements of rock, hip hop, electronics, funk with abundant jazz improvisation are strongly present.
The Rolling Stone magazine wrote that bombastic adjectives such as “sensational” and “outstanding” are rightfully given to Klezmerson whose concerts offer an energetic and entertaining musical experience to the audience. In addition to the founder, violinist and pianist Benjamin Shwartz, Klezmerson consists of bassist Carina Lopez, guitarist Todd Clouser, drummer Gustavo Nandayap, percussionist and guitarist Carlos Metta and Misha Marks playing baritone horn and latarra.
Klezmerson has so far released six albums, the last Tiferet was released for New York Tzadik as a part of box set The Book Beriah of John Zorn, and in Sarajevo they will have two appearances on Saturday, November 3, presenting their two albums.
The first concert will be held as a part of the The Book of Angels special program at the Sarajevo War Theater (SARTR) at 15:00, when they will perform together with three other ensembles: Angels Quartet, Banquet of the Spirits and Secret Chiefs 3, while at 22:30 the same evening at The Book Beriah Marathon, they will perform with the Gnostic Trio and the 9-member Zion 80 ensemble.