Be cool and enjoy some hot klezmer and Jewish folk music from around the world with High Dezert Klezmer & Judaic Band (fka The Rebbe’s Orkestra).
Incorporating the sounds and rhythms of Jewish music from many parts of the world, High Dezert Klezmer & Judaic Band brings a unique style to Klezmer–the instrumental dance music rooted in the Jewish wedding ceremonies of Eastern Europe. The band’s repertoire includes instrumental & vocal pieces from the Middle East, and folk songs in several languages including Yiddish, Ladino (Judeo-Spanish), Hebrew, Russian, Arabic and Romanes (the language of the Roma/ Gypsies). The band also plays some Israeli folk dance tunes, traditional fiddle tunes and songs from New Mexico, as well as traditional folk music from the Mediterranean and the Balkans.
Recording and performing professionally throughout the southwest since 1996, High Dezert Klezmer & Judaic Band has been exploring the ways in which Jewish people have interacted with surrounding musical traditions over the centuries. From Spain to Iraq, Poland to the Mediterranean: High Dezert Klezmer & Judaic Band plays tunes and songs as widely divergent as the geography and yet with surprisingly similar themes.
In addition to playing for weddings and B’mitzvahs & other simchas (joyous events) the group has performed at Globalquerque, The Outpost Performance Space-Outpost Productions, The Crestone Music Festival “Crestfest” (Crestone, Colorado), The ABQ Folkfestival, AMP Concerts, and has shared the stage with klezmer luminaries such as trombonist Dan Blackksberg, flutist Adrianne Greenbaum, drummer Elaine Hoffman-Watts (z”l) and trumpeter Susan Watts of the Hoffman family klezmer dynasty, 2015 NEA folk heritage award winner Michael Alpert, and many others at KlezmerQuerque festivals 2003-2026. In 2010, High Dezert Klezmer & Judaic Band (as The Rebbe’s Orkestra) released its first CD "Klezmer y mas" to widespread acclaim.
High Dezert Klezmer & Judaic Band members are:
BETH COHEN-lead vocals/violin/mandolin/banjo/penny whistle;
BARBARA FRIEDMAN-bass/tambura/vocals;
RANDY EDMUNDS-guitar/tambura/vocals;
and DEBO ORLOFSKY-accordion/vocals;
$20.00 Suggested donation at the door in Nahalat Shalom’s Sanctuary:
3606 Rio Grande Blvd. NW, Albuquerque, NM 87107. 505-343-8227
Doors open at 6:45pm show at 7pm: wear your dancing shoes!
For more information: contact Beth Cohen: cohenedmunds@netzero.net