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Kohane of Newark
Thursday June 17 @8pm NO COVER
Rbar 218 Bowery NYC NY
FREE bud lite draft for the first hour
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A very nice review for Kohane of Newark...(see larger text beneath the graphic)
 Texts and Tunes
Ricky Orbach: Killer Jew Punk
by Seth Rogovoy
Kohane of Newark is the "nom de band" of rock singer-songwriter Ricky Orbach, the son of Holocaust survivors who recently released a haunting, musically eclectic collection of original songs called "New Midlife Crisis" (Joodayoh). Orbach's music has been described as "killer Jew-punk" and he's been compared to Serge Gainsbourg, Leonard Cohen, and David Byrne, among others (and I would add Lou Reed as a significant influence), but Orbach's songs are so character-driven and his voice and musical approach so distinctive (in the way that Tom Waits sounds like no one other than Tom Waits) that it's fair to call Orbach a true original.
And "New Midlife Crisis" reads like a memoir in song, touching down variously in songs about his childhood, his family, his adult relationships, which seemingly have included marriage and divorce, violent tragedy, and a yearning for spirituality and peace.
None of these, however, are fully divorced from the Jewish context that informs everything Orbach does. It permeates his lyrics: "Words can make the desert bloom"; "I've tried to get religion and religion seems to be getting back at me"; "I'm not that lazy but I can be a schmuck." His scenarios: a family crisis set against the eight days of Hanukkah; the names of his characters, as in the love song, "Shoshana"; a song called "Pizza," obviously a reference to the Jerusalem Sbarro bombing; and a bar mitzvah, which plays a role in Orbach's character sketch, "Follow."
Orbach's back story supposedly includes a yeshiva upbringing and a successful career as a gem dealer, which presumably has funded his nighttime career as an underground experimental rocker and a budding philanthropist as the power behind the nonprofit organization, "Joodayoh," an arts and education organization whose mission is to cultivate and present genuinely innovative - even alternative - art that promotes the trans-denominational, universal values of social justice, kindness, and charity.
Musically, "New Midlife Crisis" ranges from the classic punk-rock sound of "I Want to Change," to the downtown jazz of "Words," to the Lou Reed-like story-song "Festival," to the noirish cabaret-rock sound of "Follow," to the minimalist New York rock of "Clean." The grandson of a well-known, Newark-based cantor, Orbach has a deep, expressive voice, like a smoother Leonard Cohen. While Orbach plays a wealth of instruments himself - including guitars, bass, percussion, and banjo - he also engages the talents of some of New York's finest, including guitarists Marc Ribot and Richard Lloyd, and cellist Marika Hughes. Also on hand are an ensemble of Middle Eastern musicians on bouzouki, kanoon, vocals, and percussion, giving the effort an appropriate world-beat flavor at times, such as on the Paul Simon-like title track (think "Graceland").
Jewish or not, "New Midlife Crisis" would have marked the arrival - however late in midlife it is - of a significant new voice on the contemporary music scene.
The fact that it gains heft and impact through its rootedness in a life and legacy with ancient spiritual and historical roots just makes it all the more transcendent music for the ages, for all ages.
Seth Rogovoy is the editor-in-chief of Berkshire Living Magazine and the author of The Essential Klezmer: A Music Lover's Guide to Jewish Roots and Soul Music. His book, BOB DYLAN: Prophet, Mystic, Poet, was recently published by Scribner.
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Ricky
Orbach
Words & Guitar
"Jewish or not, "New Midlife Crisis" would have marked the arrival - however late in midlife it is - of a significant new voice on the contemporary music scene...a true original." Seth Rogovoy, Critic and author of 'Bob Dylan; Prophet, Poet, Mystic.'"Killer Jew-Punk,,,musical manna from heaven..." Gary Lucas, Guitarist. Composer"A cholent of angst & wisdom..." Uzi Silber, The Forward"An American Serge Gainsbourg...late night therapy drenched in beautiful music." Steven Lee Beeber, Author of The Heebie Jeebies at CBGB's'; The Secret History of Jewish Punk "...deep grooves, moody, dark jazz, and all-out rock, "Kohane" is weird and extroverted and unexpectedly both raucous and meditative." Matthue Roth, Author, Poet, Critichttp://www.myspace.com/kohaneofnewark
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 Yuval Lion
PercussionPink Noise, M'eshell Ndgeocello, Itaal Shur, Pharaoh's Daughter, Edom, Chiara Civello, Joy Askew, Milo Z, Lizzie West, The Blam, Golem, Frank London, Karina Zaviani, Danny Sanderson
http://www.myspace.com/yuvalion |
 Jon MadofGuitar & Voice
Rashanim, John Zorn, Matisyahu, Marc Ribot, Sean Noonan Brewed By Noon, Greg Wall, Frank London, Eyal Maoz.http://www.jonmadof.com |
 Eyal MaozGuitar
Edom, John Zorn's Cobra, Dimyon, Crazy Slavic Band, Maoz-SirkisDuet, Hypercolor, Lukas Liget, James Ilgenfritz. http://www.myspace.com/eyalmaoz*Don't Miss Eyal Maoz's supergroup "Edom"
right
after Kohane Of Newark @9pm! |
Buy Kohane of Newark's critically acclaimed CD
NEW MIDLIFE CRISIS right here
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 iTunes
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"What this all adds up to is
nothing less than a full-fledged, lovingly
crafted alternative rock operetta, infused with spicy Oriental musical
flavors as vibrant as traditional Bukharan robes."
Uzi Silber, The Forward
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| Join Ricky Orbach and his friends for...
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Click image for video of Flack Blamingo performing "Gotta Go"  | Flack Blamingo LIVE!
See Ricky every remaining Sunday in June at 9pm playing guitar with drummer legend Billy Ficca (Television, The Waitresses) in support of New York punk rock songstress Rew in their unrehearsed New York state of mind at Otto's Shrunken Head. Never a cover. Always an adventure.
Place: Otto's Shrunken Head 538 East 14th Street New York
Sunday June Residency: 6/13, 6/20 & 6/27
Time: 9pm
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Please show your support of Joodayoh cutting-edge arts; we rely entirely on your support to bring these alternative non-mainstream projects to life. Thank you.
 | Joodayoh Inc. is a tax-exempt 501(c)3 non-profit arts and education organization. Our mission is to cultivate and present genuinely innovative - even alternative - arts projects that promote the trans-denominational, universal values of social justice, kindness and charity. Joodayoh relies entirely on your support. Please consider donating to support our efforts as sponsors of Pioneers For A Cure, The Sway Machinery Pilgrimage and Kohane of Newark. Thank you.
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