I specialise in the Jewish instrumental folk music of Eastern Europe commonly known as Klezmer. I've been Musical Director for The Royal National Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Company and Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, London. Also Klezmer Advisor for the Royal Shakespeare Company for their 1992 production of Anski’s "The Dybbuk".
My CD "Intimate Hopes & Terrors" is available on Oriente Musik (RIENCD58) It features me and a ten piece band made up of the greatest klezmer players from the former Soviet Union...the Former Soviet Union Klezmer Allstars....it's all new material and has clarinet, 5 fiddles, domra, accordion, piano, tsimbl/poyk and double bass....watch this space. There are four tracks from the CD which you can listen to above...please have a look at the March/April edition of Songlines, where you can find a review, a track on the compilation cover "Top of the World" CD, and an article about the revival of Klezmer music in Ukraine and beyond....
I also play baritone sax in Bacalao, an 11 piece salsa band in Brighton, alto sax and Eb clarinet in Fanfara, Brighton's leading (and possibly only) 9 piece east european style Roma brass band.
Another project dear to my heart is The Sound & Light Cinematic Duo. In this project I work with my wonderful wife, Polina Shepherd. To cut a very long story short, we were lead to an amazing archive of extremely rare Jewish silent films made in Kiev between 1910-1945. We have accompanied these films at festivals all over Europe and in the US on clarinets and piano in a traditional style but using lots of original material...
I also work with Polina in her amazing yiddish a capella quartet "Ashkenazim". We've toured the US, performed in London, Brighton, Moscow, St Petersburg, throughout the former Soviet Union and most recently at Ashkenaz in Toronto...The Quartet has a new CD of new material, "baym taykh" available on Oriente Musik.....
Most recent collaborations have been with remixer/reworker of Balkan&Jewish music Max Pashm on his latest release "Never Mind the Balkans", due for release frighteningly soon...
and with Paris based Balkan/World DJ and performer extraordinaire Dj ClicK Hopefully more collaborative efforts to follow in the not-too-distant future. Watch this space
If you're interested in buying the CD "Intimate Hopes & Terrors" then please let me know through this page. I have no credit card facility but am happy to take personal cheques, Postal Orders and Paypal.
The Greek Turkish Clarinet Forum have just opened a new section on Klezmer Clarinet, for which I'm the moderator. If you'd like to check it out please come armed with questions and answers....
Hi. It would be great to have you at some point with us in Wales. Let us know when it would work best for you and we may be able to arrange a gig. All the best
Thank's for the add ;-)) Good tracks here too !!! You can download for free on our page 3 new mastered full tracks, hope you'll enjoy ;-) Greetings from South fo France Peace and Groove HappY-T
Hello Merlin, Many Thanks for the add. Find your music really superb and love "Silvers coins" very much. Good continuation and All the Best for you !! Wish you and all your family a very Happy Easter ! Musical Greetings, Rose-Marie, Belgium
Hi Merlin, thanks for the comment and add. Yes, indeed we´ve had a really great time tonight at the Jazzhaus in Freiburg! We have released our new CD "Yakamoz" there. The organizers were also very happy about your great concert there a few days ago!!! Pity that we couldn´t hear. Hope to meet you one time. Best regards, ensemble FisFüz
Thanks for the comment. I bumped into your site via an old friend of mine who you play with occasionally in Paris. I also saw you play many years ago with Budowitz - which I really enjoyed - great music, great playing!
yoo, Merlin! can´t wait to dub your Gorgeous tune out.. meanwhile keep up the good vibes, springtime is just around the corner smirking at us all. best wishes from Berlin -Spark*