SAN DIEGO — From the creative muse of Yale Strom comes another concert with the intriguing title, “BLUEISH: JEWS AND THE BLUES.”
The multi-talented Strom, scholar-in-residence at SDSU’s Judaic Studies Department, has brought concerts combining his klezmer forces with international musicians from mariachi, and classical to jazz, from an Afghanistan drummer and an Israeli oud player, to a flaminco dancer.
This time, the free concert on Thursday evening, November 7, 7:00 p.m. in Smith Recital Hall on the SDSU campus, will be celebrating the intersection of Jews and Blues.
The concert will feature music in English and Yiddish and draw inspiration from the Chess Records, Chicago’s famous Blues label.
In the great Blues Era, Jewish performers like Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw, played with black musicians like Teddy Wilson and Lionel Hampton. Music born on the plantations came to Chicago after World War II and Corky Siegel, harmonica; Harvey Mandel, guitar; and Michael Bloomfield, guitar; developed relationships with black musicians Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Junior Wells and others. They helped spread the Blues worldwide.
BLUEISH: JEWS AND THE BLUES looks at why Jews fell in love with African-American Blues.
Featured guest performers with Strom’s klezmer group, Hot Pstromi, will be Tomcat Courtney, guitar, Sue Palmer, piano, and Robin Henkel, dobro guitar.
Courtney, approaching his 90th birthday, is known as San Diego’s “godfather of the blues.” He grew up in the cotton-farming community of Downsville, Texas, where he heard some of the best Blues musicians. He lives in Spring Valley and continues to play three nights a week in local clubs.
Palmer’s Motel Swing Orchestra album was nominated for Best Jazz and Best Blues album in the 2019 San Diego Music Awards. She and her groups are regulars at Humphrey’s.
Henkel won the Best Blues CD at the 2000 San Diego Music Awards. He is known for performing in many genres.
The three guest Blues artists will be joining Hot Pstromi’s, Yale Strom, violin; Tripp Sprague, tenor saxophone; Duncan Moore, percussion; Gunnar Biggs, bass; Fred Bennedetti, guitar; and Elizabeth Schwartz, vocals.
As with all of Strom’s SDSU offerings, this promises to be a wonderful musical gift to the community. This time, it is colored BLUE.
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Wingard, a retired violinist with the San Diego Symphony, is a freelance writer specializing in coverage of the arts. She may be contacted via eileen.wingard@sdjewishworld.com
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