Saturday To-Do: Meshugga Klezmer Band
MESHUGGA KLEZMER BAND
8:30 p.m., Afterthought. $8.
Right on schedule (by which I mean, after so long I can't remember), the Meshugga Klezmer Band returns to the Afterthought. Central Arkan-sas' best and possibly only klezmer act comes with impressive bona fides. It's played with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, for bar/bat mitzvahs, at weddings, at Jewish food festivals and at a number of local venues. But lest I put the horse in front of the carriage, klezmer is Jew-ish folk music that's rooted in Eastern Europe and often takes the style of a Jewish prayer, with instruments or vocalists mirroring crying or laughing sounds. It's woozy, lilting music that usually begins contemplative and builds into a dance-y tempo. The eight-piece features guitar, bass, drums, keyboard, violin, clarinet, saxophone and accordion and two, maybe three generations. Expect new material including a new one penned by attorney Peter Miller (that's him beaming on the back of the Yellow Pages) and a klezmerized version of a holiday classic now called “Klez-Kraker.”
8:30 p.m., Afterthought. $8.
Right on schedule (by which I mean, after so long I can't remember), the Meshugga Klezmer Band returns to the Afterthought. Central Arkan-sas' best and possibly only klezmer act comes with impressive bona fides. It's played with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, for bar/bat mitzvahs, at weddings, at Jewish food festivals and at a number of local venues. But lest I put the horse in front of the carriage, klezmer is Jew-ish folk music that's rooted in Eastern Europe and often takes the style of a Jewish prayer, with instruments or vocalists mirroring crying or laughing sounds. It's woozy, lilting music that usually begins contemplative and builds into a dance-y tempo. The eight-piece features guitar, bass, drums, keyboard, violin, clarinet, saxophone and accordion and two, maybe three generations. Expect new material including a new one penned by attorney Peter Miller (that's him beaming on the back of the Yellow Pages) and a klezmerized version of a holiday classic now called “Klez-Kraker.”
