Yale Strom
Encyclopedia
Yale Strom is a pioneer among klezmer revivalists in conducting extensive field research in Central and Eastern Europe and the Balkans among the Jewish and Rom communities since 1981. Initially, his work focused primarily on the use and performance of klezmer music between these two groups. Gradually, his focus increased to examining all aspects of their culture, from post-World War II to the present. He was among the first of the so-called klezmer revivalists to identify the connection between klezmer and lautare (Rom/Gypsy musicians) and explore that connection in his scholarly and artistic works.
In the more than two decades since his initial ethnographic trip, Yale Strom has become one of the world's most productive and influential scholar-artists of klezmer culture and history.
, as well as numerous film scores. Strom is also one of the only top composers of Jewish music to carry on the tradition of writing original songs, with Yiddish lyrics, about humanitarian and social issues. List of CD recordings: "Cholent With Huckleberry" (Rounder, 1985), "Eclectic Klezz" (Rounder/Global Village, 1987), "With A Little Horseradish on the Side" (Global Village, 1993 - featuring original Hot Pstromi lineup of Strom, Andy Statman
, Mark Dresser, Ismail Butera and Seido Salifoski), "The Last Klezmer" (Global Village, 1994), "Carpati: 50 Miles, 50 Years" (Global Village, 1996), "Wandering Jew" (Global Village, 1997),"Tales Our Father Sang" (Global Village, 1998), "Garden of Yidn" (Naxos World, 2000) "Cafe Jew Zoo" (Naxos World, 2002), "Dveykes/Adhesion" (Global Village, 2005) "Absolutely Complete Klezmer" (Transcontinental Music, 2006), "Borsht with Bread, Brothers" (Arc Music UK, 2007), "Absolutely Klezmer, Vol. II" (Transcontinental, 2007), "The Devil's Brides: Music from The Witches of Lublin" (Arc Music UK, 2011, featuring narration by actress Miriam Margolyes).
Strom has performed with many well-known musicians including Andy Statman
, Mark Dresser, Marty Ehrlich, Mark O’Connor, licia Svigals Salman Ahmad
, Samir Chatterjee, Salman Ahmad
Muzsikas
, Kálmán Balogh
, Damian Draghici, Marta Sebestyen, Tanya Kalmanovitch, Theo Bikel and myriad others.
Yale has been hailed as "a commanding bandleader and composer" (Pulse! Magazine), "one of the best klezmer musicians in the country" (Houston Public News) and "an all-around musical visionary" (Seth Rogovoy). Dirty Linen sums it up most concisely: "Yale Strom is a Jewish roots trip unto himself". The New York Jewish Week writes:
to publish photographs of Jews in the Eastern Bloc countries. His "The Book of Klezmer: The History, The Music, The Folklore", a 400-page history with original photos and sheet music gathered by Yale during his 60+ ethnographic trips to Central and Eastern Europe, was published by A Cappella Books in September, 2002; this was soon followed by the publication of the world's first "Music Minus One" Instructional Guide to Klezmer (Universal Edition, Vienna Austria, April 2004). Strom's most recent book, written in collaboration with his wife, Elizabeth Schwartz, is "A Wandering Feast: A Journey Through the Jewish Culture of Eastern Europe" (Jossey-Bass Publishers, January 2005). Strom's book "The Absolute Complete Klezmer Songbook" (2006, Transcontinental Music) comes with a CD as well called Absolutely Klezmer Vol I and contains 313 known and rare klezmer melodies, many of which were collected by Strom during his years of field research. His first children's book "The Wedding That Saved a Town", illustrated by Jenya Prosmitsky, was published by Kar-Ben Publishing
in 2008 and won the San Diego Library Association's Best Illustrated Children's book award in 2009. His biography of legendary klezmer clarinetist David Tarras, "Dave Tarras: The King of Klezmer" (Or-Tav Publications, 2010) is the first full biography of Tarras, authorized by the Tarras family and includes 28 Tarras melodies, many of which have never before been published or recorded, as well as rare family archival photos and biographical details.
; he has had numerous solo exhibits (depicting Jewish and Rom life) throughout the U.S. and Europe (complete exhibition list upon request). His solo exhibit of portraits of klezmer musicians (Jewish and Roma) in Bessarabia, "Klezmorim", was exhibited in Romania and Hungary. This same exhibition just recently was at the Jewish Community Center in Houston. His photos are part of many collections including Beth Hatefusoth, The Skirball Museum, The Jewish Museum of NYC, The Frankfurt Jewish Museum and the The Museum of Photographic Arts.
, a position created for him. Yale was the first klezmer violinist in history to be invited to instruct master classes at both the American String Teachers Association
and the Mark O’Connor Fiddle Camp, a position that continues.
In the more than two decades since his initial ethnographic trip, Yale Strom has become one of the world's most productive and influential scholar-artists of klezmer culture and history.
Music
Yale Strom's klezmer field research helped form the base for the repertoires of his two klezmer bands, Hot Pstromi in New York and Klazzj in San Diego (combined in 2006 under the Hot Pstromi umbrella, www.hotpstromi.com). Since Strom's first band began in 1981, he has been composing his own New Jewish music, which combines klezmer with Hasidic nigunim, Rom, jazz, classical, Balkan and Sephardic motifs. These compositions range from quartets to a symphony, which premiered with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. He composed original music for the Denver Center production of Tony Kushner's "The Dybbuk". He also composed all the New Jewish music for the National Public Radio series "Fiddlers, Philosophers & Fools: Jewish Short Stories From the Old World to the New", hosted by Leonard NimoyLeonard Nimoy
Leonard Simon Nimoy is an American actor, film director, poet, musician and photographer. Nimoy's most famous role is that of Spock in the original Star Trek series , multiple films, television and video game sequels....
, as well as numerous film scores. Strom is also one of the only top composers of Jewish music to carry on the tradition of writing original songs, with Yiddish lyrics, about humanitarian and social issues. List of CD recordings: "Cholent With Huckleberry" (Rounder, 1985), "Eclectic Klezz" (Rounder/Global Village, 1987), "With A Little Horseradish on the Side" (Global Village, 1993 - featuring original Hot Pstromi lineup of Strom, Andy Statman
Andy Statman
Andy Statman is a noted Klezmer clarinetist and bluegrass/newgrass mandolinist.Andy Statman was born in Brooklyn, New York City. He first gained acclaim as a mandolinist in pioneering bluegrass bands Country Cookin' and Breakfast Special. Statman, who grew up in a traditional but secular Jewish...
, Mark Dresser, Ismail Butera and Seido Salifoski), "The Last Klezmer" (Global Village, 1994), "Carpati: 50 Miles, 50 Years" (Global Village, 1996), "Wandering Jew" (Global Village, 1997),"Tales Our Father Sang" (Global Village, 1998), "Garden of Yidn" (Naxos World, 2000) "Cafe Jew Zoo" (Naxos World, 2002), "Dveykes/Adhesion" (Global Village, 2005) "Absolutely Complete Klezmer" (Transcontinental Music, 2006), "Borsht with Bread, Brothers" (Arc Music UK, 2007), "Absolutely Klezmer, Vol. II" (Transcontinental, 2007), "The Devil's Brides: Music from The Witches of Lublin" (Arc Music UK, 2011, featuring narration by actress Miriam Margolyes).
Strom has performed with many well-known musicians including Andy Statman
Andy Statman
Andy Statman is a noted Klezmer clarinetist and bluegrass/newgrass mandolinist.Andy Statman was born in Brooklyn, New York City. He first gained acclaim as a mandolinist in pioneering bluegrass bands Country Cookin' and Breakfast Special. Statman, who grew up in a traditional but secular Jewish...
, Mark Dresser, Marty Ehrlich, Mark O’Connor, licia Svigals Salman Ahmad
Salman Ahmad
Salman Ahmad is a Pakistani musician and former actor, who used to be a member of Vital Signs but left after their debut album due to creative differences. He went on to form Junoon, South Asia's biggest and longest-lasting rock band. While still enjoying the success of Junoon, he was involved in...
, Samir Chatterjee, Salman Ahmad
Salman Ahmad
Salman Ahmad is a Pakistani musician and former actor, who used to be a member of Vital Signs but left after their debut album due to creative differences. He went on to form Junoon, South Asia's biggest and longest-lasting rock band. While still enjoying the success of Junoon, he was involved in...
Muzsikas
Muzsikás
Muzsikás is a Hungarian musical group playing mainly folk music of Hungary and other countries and peoples of the region. Established in 1973, it has also played works by classical composers, especially Béla Bartók, who himself collected folk tunes...
, Kálmán Balogh
Kálmán Balogh
Kálmán Balogh is one of the foremost Hungarian cimbalom players, descending from a famous dynasty of Hungarian Gypsy musicians. His virtuosity is matched only by his understanding and respect of his heritage. A graduate of Franz Liszt Academy of Music of Budapest, he has completed many successful...
, Damian Draghici, Marta Sebestyen, Tanya Kalmanovitch, Theo Bikel and myriad others.
Yale has been hailed as "a commanding bandleader and composer" (Pulse! Magazine), "one of the best klezmer musicians in the country" (Houston Public News) and "an all-around musical visionary" (Seth Rogovoy). Dirty Linen sums it up most concisely: "Yale Strom is a Jewish roots trip unto himself". The New York Jewish Week writes:
"He's a gifted photographer and author, a talented documentary filmmaker and has his own klezmer band... Strom's multifaceted career is a wonder, and his work schedule is downright fiendish."
Books
Strom's research has also resulted in nine books (including "The Last Jews of Eastern Europe" and "Uncertain Roads: Searching for the Gypsies". He was the first photographer since Roman VishniacRoman Vishniac
Roman Vishniac was a Russian-American photographer, best known for capturing on film the culture of Jews in Central and Eastern Europe before the Holocaust. A complete archive of his work now rests at the International Center of Photography....
to publish photographs of Jews in the Eastern Bloc countries. His "The Book of Klezmer: The History, The Music, The Folklore", a 400-page history with original photos and sheet music gathered by Yale during his 60+ ethnographic trips to Central and Eastern Europe, was published by A Cappella Books in September, 2002; this was soon followed by the publication of the world's first "Music Minus One" Instructional Guide to Klezmer (Universal Edition, Vienna Austria, April 2004). Strom's most recent book, written in collaboration with his wife, Elizabeth Schwartz, is "A Wandering Feast: A Journey Through the Jewish Culture of Eastern Europe" (Jossey-Bass Publishers, January 2005). Strom's book "The Absolute Complete Klezmer Songbook" (2006, Transcontinental Music) comes with a CD as well called Absolutely Klezmer Vol I and contains 313 known and rare klezmer melodies, many of which were collected by Strom during his years of field research. His first children's book "The Wedding That Saved a Town", illustrated by Jenya Prosmitsky, was published by Kar-Ben Publishing
Kar-Ben Publishing
Kar-Ben Publishing, an award-winning children’s book publisher providing a growing Jewish library for children, is a division of Minneapolis-based Lerner Publishing Group....
in 2008 and won the San Diego Library Association's Best Illustrated Children's book award in 2009. His biography of legendary klezmer clarinetist David Tarras, "Dave Tarras: The King of Klezmer" (Or-Tav Publications, 2010) is the first full biography of Tarras, authorized by the Tarras family and includes 28 Tarras melodies, many of which have never before been published or recorded, as well as rare family archival photos and biographical details.
Film
Strom has directed five award-winning documentary films ("At the Crossroads", "The Last Klezmer", "Carpati: 50 Miles, 50 Years", "L’Chayim, Comrade Stalin!" and "Klezmer on Fish Street") and has composed music for countless others. He was the first documentary filmmaker in history to be given his own run at Lincoln Center's prestigious Walter Reade Theatre, where "The Last Klezmer" broke previous box office records; this record was only exceeded by "Carpati"'s run there. Both films went on to strong theatrical runs both in the U.S. and abroad, and were featured on major Top Ten Lists (The Last Klezmer on the N.Y. Post's for 1994, and Carpati on the San Diego Union Tribune's for 1997). "The Last Klezmer" was short-listed for an Academy Award. "Klezmer on Fish Street" won the 2003 Palm Beach International Film Festival's Special Jury Selection award. His documentary "A Man From Munkacs:The Gypsy Klezmer " was produced by Duna Television (Budapest, Hungary). Two edits exist, the producer's cut to be shown exclusively in Hungary, and the director's cut for other countries. In 2007, Strom curated an event in New York City, "A Great Day on Eldridge Street", a photo shoot (by photographer Leo Sorel) of over 100 of the world's leading klezmer and Yiddish artists (based on the iconic photos "A Great Day in Harlem"), a parade through the Lower East Side and concerts. Strom's short film, "A Great Day on Eldridge Street", documents these events.Photo Exhibits
Strom's solo photo exhibit, "The Rom of Ridgewood", about Gypsy communities in Queens, New York, was mounted at the Queens Museum of ArtQueens Museum of Art
The Queens Museum of Art is an art museum and educational center located in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in the borough of Queens in New York City, United States.-Overview:...
; he has had numerous solo exhibits (depicting Jewish and Rom life) throughout the U.S. and Europe (complete exhibition list upon request). His solo exhibit of portraits of klezmer musicians (Jewish and Roma) in Bessarabia, "Klezmorim", was exhibited in Romania and Hungary. This same exhibition just recently was at the Jewish Community Center in Houston. His photos are part of many collections including Beth Hatefusoth, The Skirball Museum, The Jewish Museum of NYC, The Frankfurt Jewish Museum and the The Museum of Photographic Arts.
Plays
Strom's original stage play, "…from man… to beast… to crawling thing…", was given a fully staged workshop in June 2001 by the Streisand Festival (La Jolla, California). His play, "The Education of Hershl Greenshpan" (formerly, "Verdigris") was workshopped by the San Diego Rep, North Coast Rep as well as in New York City, Connecticut and Los Angeles. Yale was featured in the May 31, 2004 issue of Time Magazine for this play, and the scholarship behind it. In collaboration with wife/partner Elizabeth Schwartz and author Ellen Kushner, Yale co-wrote the audio drama, "The Witches of Lublin" (2011), starring Tovah Feldshuh, and featuring Simon Jones, Barbara Rosenblat and Neil Gaiman, among others. He also composed the original music for the recording.Lectures
Strom has lectured extensively throughout the United States, Asia and Europe and taught at the Gallatin School of Interdisciplinary Studies at NYU for 4 years, where he created the course "Artist-Ethnographer Expeditions". He is on the advisory board of the Center for Jewish Creativity, based in Los Angeles. Since 2006 he has been an Artist-in-Residence in the Jewish Studies Program at San Diego State UniversitySan Diego State University
San Diego State University , founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, is the largest and oldest higher education facility in the greater San Diego area , and is part of the California State University system...
, a position created for him. Yale was the first klezmer violinist in history to be invited to instruct master classes at both the American String Teachers Association
American String Teachers Association
The American String Teacher's Association is a professional organization based in the United States for music teachers. It is the largest such national organization in the US for string teachers. It promotes learning to play string instruments in the next generation of American students, and...
and the Mark O’Connor Fiddle Camp, a position that continues.