21st Annual Jewish Music Festival March 4, 2006

21ST ANNUAL JEWISH MUSIC FESTIVAL, MARCH 4-26, 2006! Opening Night is a rare Bay Area appearance of the heroically nutty New Orleans Klezmer Allstars. Other highlights: Bagels and Bongos - Septeto Rodriguez and special guest Irving Fields explode in a riotous fusion of Havana, Harlem and the Catskills; Jewish Fringes - premieres of new music by the Bay Area's hottest contemporary composers Community Music Day hosted by the hilarious Josh Kornbluth, featuring an exotic Instrument Petting Zoo, and much, much more! Please visit the website for the complete program. Tickets and information can be obtained online or through the Festival Box Office at 415-276-1511 or visit www.jewishmusicfestival.org. A program of the Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center.

The complete Festival program is :

* OPENING NIGHT: New Orleans Klezmer Allstars, a "genre-crossing, heroically nutty ensemble [with] a raucous, wild spin on the popular Eastern European revival." (Billboard) Saturday, March 4, 8:00 pm, 1st Congregational Church, 2501 Harrison Street, Oakland $26 General Admission / $22 Students/Seniors/BRJCC members.

* I-Tal-Ya A taste of Passover from the 2000 year old Jewish community of Italy, with Francesco Spagnolo, leading authority on Italian Jewish music, Cantor Sharon Bernstein and Michael Alpert of the internationally acclaimed group Brave Old World. Includes brunch. Limited Seating. Get your tickets early! Sunday, March 5, 11:30 am, Caffe Venezia, 1799 University Ave., Berkeley. $36 one price for all.

* Bagels & Bongos: Septeto Rodriguez brings the influences of Havana, Miami and New York together in a brilliant alchemy of Cuban sounds and klezmer. Special Guest: Irving Fields, 90-year-old creator of the now classic, recently re-released Jewish-Latino fusion record, Bagels and Bongos, (1959). (He still has a weeklyl piano gig in NY) MC: Chuy Varela: Music Director, KCSM. Sat., March 11, 8:00 pm, 1st Congregational Church, Oakland $26 / $22 2501 Harrison Street, Oakland.

* Traditions and Transformations Cantors Alberto Mizrahi (of the PBS special "The Three Cantors" and Jack Mendelson (of the film "The Cantor's Tale) take liturgical singing of Ashkenazi and Sephardic traditions to new heights. With NY jazz pianist Anthony Coleman. Presented in association with Temple Sinai. Sunday, March 12, 7:30 pm, Temple Sinai, 2808 Summit Street, Oakland $26 / $22, including Temple Sinai members.

* Jewish Fringes Celebrated Bay Area composers of New Music: Paul Dresher, Daniel David Feinsmith, Amy X Neuburg and John Schott premiere original works for a post-modern world.Thursday, March 16, 7:30 pm, Berkeley Repertory Theatre. 2025 Addison St., Berkeley $26 / $22.

* From Istanbul to Jerusalem: Yahudice Sephardic music from an ensemble of Turkey's finest musicians with Israeli Ladino (Judeo-Spanish) singer Hadass Pal Yarden. Sunday, March 19, 7:30 pm, Berkeley Repertory Theatre 2025 Addison St., Berkeley $26 / $22.

* Beyle Schaechter-Gottesman : an intimate afternoon of original Yiddish songs with Beyle Schaechter- Gottesman: Yiddish songwriter, singer, poet and recipient of the 2005 NEA National Heritage Fellowship Award. She will appear with international Yiddish singer Theresa Tova. Thursday afternoon, March 23, 2:00 pm, BRJCC 1414 Walnut Street at Rose, Berkeley $15/ $12.

* Three Yiddish Divas with Joanne Borts, Adrienne Cooper and Theresa Tova. A new generation of stars pours passion and artistry into Yiddish jazz, cabaret and theater songs, including the timeless repertoire of the Yiddish theater greats who inspired modern Broadway. Saturday, March 25, 8:00 pm, JCCSF $25/ $23, including JCCSF members JCCSF, California and
Presidio Sts., SF.

* Community Music Day
Hosted by irrepressible comedian and TV personality Josh Kornbluth. Instrument Petting Zoo, interactive workshops, and performances throughout the day showcase Bay Area artists including a Family Concert with Ira Levin, Charming Hostess, the Instant Klezmer Mandolin Orchestra, members of Kitka, Gary Lapow & Songs from Coney Island, and Klezmer/Roma Dance Extravaganza. Guaranteed to bring out your inner musician. For all ages! Sunday, March 26, 11-5 pm, BRJCC, 1414 Walnut Street at Rose, Berkeley $24. Family pass (up to two adults and two children) / $10 General Admission / $7
students, seniors, BRJCC members, and children under 5.

www.jewishmusicfestival.org