Program Fuses New and Old Music, Creativity, Meaningful Connection to Chanukah

LA JOLLA, California — The Litvak Dancers’ LIGHT and Yale Strom’s Broken Consort program served as a memorable opening for the eight nights of Chanukah. Performed on the first night of the holiday for an appreciative audience in the Lawrence Family JCC’s Garfield Auditorium, the two-part program was presented by the Center for Jewish Culture as part of their Arts and Ideas series. It showcased two of the cultural treasures of our region.

Yale Strom brought three guest artists to join the string members of his Hot Pstromi Band, calling the group “Yale Strom’s Broken Consort.” His guests were Amos Hoffman, Israeli-born Oud and guitar player; David Wallace,
violist, chair, string department , Berklee School of Music; and Sara Caswell, Grammy-nominated jazz violinist, faculty member, Berklee School of Music.

They joined Fred Benedetti, guitar faculty, Grossmont College and San Diego State University; Alex Greenbaum, cellist, Hausmann Quartet, sdsu; Mark Dresser, contrabass, music faculty, UCSD; and Yale Strom, violinist, music faculty, SDSU. Singing in several different languages was the sultry-voiced Elizabeth Schwartz, vocalist and hand percussionist.

All the songs were related to Chanukah, although most were unfamiliar. The second half of the program opened with an oud introduction which lured us into the oriental cadences of a Moroccan version of “Maoz Tsur.” After Schwartz’s beautiful vocal rendition, the musicians improvised on the melody, giving innovative perspectives to the original.

The Yiddish song, “Bulbes” (Potatoes), with the title changed to “Latkes,” thus relating it to Chanukah, was also given a similar treatment, first sung by Schwartz, then tossed between the talented musicians to take riffs as the spirit moved them. Also included were two of Stroms’ original works, a Chanukah song in English and a new tune, dedicated to his gifted wife, Elizabeth.

Yale Strom’s Broken Consort concluded the program by  accompanying Elizabeth in the iconic Yiddish Chanukah song, “Khanike O Khanike.” The charismatic vocalist invited all to join in the singing.

The first half of the program, the Litvak Dance Company’s presentation of Light, was beautifully choreographed by Litvak’s director, Sadie Weinberg, and Elyssa Dru Rosenberg, director of Seaside Arts Center. It told the story of a Catholic family discovering their Converso roots.

Erica Ruse cut a graceful figure as Mrs. Mendes, Emily Miller was an agile Shekinah, and the two tall male dancers, Nick McGhee as Isaac, Jordan Daley as the Inquisitor, were acrobatic and imposing. The dancers playing the guards and the townspeople did admirable ensemble work. The choreography incorporated charming sequences danced by six young girls from the Seaside Arts Center.

LIGHT was accompanied by a score composed by Yale Strom and performed by four of the the musicians from his klezmer band, Hot Pstromi — Yale Strom, violin; Fred Benedetti, guitar; Mark Dresser, bass; and Tripp Sprague, flute and saxophone.