MUSIC

The Jewish Community Center of Houston welcomes Irish singer Susan McKeown and Klezmatics lead singer and accordionist, Lorin Sklamberg, as they present Saints & Tzadiks: A Concert of Yiddish and Irish Songs. The concert is Wednesday, February 16 at 7:30 p.m. at Jones Hall on the University of St. Thomas campus.

The concert explores the connections between Irish and Yiddish songs, lore and myth. Culled from rare archive material and old recordings, McKeown and Sklamberg have selected songs on various themes from the Irish and Jewish traditions such as love, death, betrothal and betrayal. The bulk of the Jewish material is drawn from the Ruth Rubin Archive at the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research. The Irish songs come from both the popular and the ancient Gaelic sean nós traditions.

Susan McKeown grew up in Dublin, Ireland. She settled in the East Village of Manhattan and 1990. She first gained attention as a singer-songwriter through her performances at Café Sin-é (Susan is featured in the documentary film about the legendary informal Irish cultural center of the early 90’s).

McKeown has built an impressive career through her many releases, extensive touring and performances on programs such as 'A Prairie Home Companion', 'All Things Considered', 'Mountain Stage' and 'Sessions at West 54th' as the guest of Natalie Merchant. Susan's voice and music have been featured in numerous documentary films on PBS, BBC, RTE and ABC (Australia). She has performed with Natalie Merchant, Pete Seeger, Mary Margaret O'Hara, Linda Thompson, Billy Bragg, Johnny Cunningham and The Klezmatics.

In October 2010 Susan was interviewed on Weekend Edition about 'Songs from the East Village', the world music album for families which she produced. Her new album, ‘Singing in the Dark’ (2010 Hibernian Music), is an exploration of creativity and madness through the lyrics of poets who lived with mania, depression and addiction.

“McKeown grabbed both song and audience by the throat, dragged them through heaven and hell and back again, and left the stage to the loudest applause heard all evening,” from ROLLING STONE magazine.

Lorin Sklamberg has a vibrant history with the JCC Houston. He’s been here with the Klezmatics and in joint ventures with Adrienne Cooper and Frank London. Born in Los Angeles, he grew up in a culturally supportive Conservative Jewish community and began playing klezmer at age 16. He has been the lead singer of the Grammy-winning Jewish American roots band The Klezmatics since its founding in 1986.

His work as vocalist, composer and multi-instrumentalist can be heard on some 50 recordings; he has performed solo and in collaboration with such diverse artists as Itzhak Perlman, Don Byron, Uri Caine, Jane Siberry, Marc Cohn, Tony Kushner, Moxy Früvous, Neil Sedaka, Emmylou Harris, Pete Seeger, Tracy Grammer, Odetta and, of course, the Klezmatics.

Sklamberg’s song “Headdy Down” (with unpublished lyrics by Woody Guthrie) was recently printed in Sing Out! Magazine. Ongoing projects include a series of programs and cds with Klezmatics band mate Frank London exploring the rich tradition of Yiddish spirituals; the latest is tsuker-zis (Tzadik). He has written for film, stage and circus, has produced a number of recordings of world and theater music, and has performed and taught Yiddish song from Buenos Aires to Kiev.

Sklamberg serves as the Sound Archivist of the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research. He has been called "one of the premier American singers in any genre," by Robert Christgau, All Things Considered, National Public Radio.

Tickets for Saints & Tzadiks: A Concert of Yiddish and Irish Songs are $10 for adults; children and students are free. Tickets purchased at the JCC will guarantee a seat. Contact Brittany Horwitt at 713-729-3200 ext. 3327 or bhorwitt@jcchouston.org  or to purchase tickets online, visit www.jcchouston.org/music.  

The University of St. Thomas is located at 3910 Yoakum in Houston. Parking is available in Moran Center located at Graustark Street and West Alabama Street.

Visit www.jcchouston.org  for more information about other arts and culture events and programs the JCC is offering.

This concert is presented by the Jewish Community Center of Houston in collaboration with The University of St. Thomas Center for Irish Studies Cultural Outreach Forum, Houston Young Professionals Supporting Irish Studies and The Irish Society. The University of St. Thomas Center for Irish Studies Cultural Outreach Program is funded in part by a grant from the City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance. This program was also made possible, in part, by funding from the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston, United Airlines and JPMorgan Chase & Co.