The Klez Dispensers
The Klez Dispensers are set to present A Chanukah Concert at the Arts Council of Princeton.
The Dispensers have been playing swinging American-style klezmer since their college days. Their repertoire includes the early years of klezmer and original compositions.
The eight-piece ensemble, comprising of clarinet, trumpet, saxophone, violin, piano, bass, drums and vocals, was formed in 1998 and performs throughout the year at festivals, concerts and simchas. In 2000, the ensemble recorded its first CD, Indispensable, followed by New Jersey Freylekhs in 2004.
The band’s latest album, Say You’ll Understand, featuring Susan Watts on vocals, was released in 2008. The Klez Dispensers played at New York nooks such as Satalla, Makor, Tonic, and CBGB’s, Lincoln Center’s Damrosch Park, the Montreal International Jazz Festival and the Cape May Music Festival.
Individually, each Dispenser is an accomplished musician.
Clarinet and saxophone player Alex Kontorovich is one of the young rising stars on the New York City and international klezmer and jazz scenes. He has performed with with the Klezmatics, Jamie Begian’s Big Band, the Toronto Philharmonia, and the Waterloo Symphony.
Ben Holmes is a Brooklyn-based trumpeter who performs regularly with many ensembles, including the Klez Dispensers, Slavic Soul Party, Romashka, One Ring Zero, King Django’s Roots & Culture Band and his own quartet and quintet.
Violinist Amy Zakar is versed in classical, folk fiddle, and jazz as well as klezmer. In addition to being a nine-year member of the Klez Dispensers, Zakar also performs with Rum&Onions and Yiddish Arts Trio.
Audrey Betsy Welber plays nearly every genre of music on her saxophones, clarinet, and flute.
Vocalist and trumpet player Susan Watts represents the youngest generation of a klezmer dynasty that reaches back to the Jewish Ukraine of the 19th century.
Pianist Adrian Banner hails from Sydney, Australia and immerses himself as a performer, composer, and arranger in a wide variety of musical styles including klezmer, jazz, ska, reggae, classical, showtunes, ragtime and liturgical music.
Heather Chriscaden Versace is active as a bassist, music theory instructor, private lesson instructor and clinician.
Dummer Gregg Mervine possesses a wide rhythmic palette, encompassing incongruous musical genres, disparate personalities, and many other contradictions: east, west, delicate, furious, simple, tricky, spiritual, and cynical.
The concert is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Nov. 24 at Paul Robeson Center for the Arts, 102 Witherspoon St., Princeton.
Tickets are $12 for general public and $10 ACP members, students and seniors.
More information is online at artscouncilofprinceton.org.
,
