Tuesday, May 16
Event: Opening Night | Bring in Da Klez Bring in Da Funk
Venue: Washington DCJCC
Time:08:00 PM - 10:00 PM
The New Orleans Klezmer All-Stars opening night show is now sold out. If you would like to join the standby line, please come to the Washington DCJCC’s 16th Street Lobby starting at 7:00 pm, Tuesday, May 16. The Washington Jewish Music Festival invites you to check out our line-up of… Full Description
Wednesday, May 17
Event: Klez for Kids
Venue: Washington DCJCC
Time:10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
The New Orleans Klezmer All-Stars are sure to captivate young imaginations with their energetic groove. Pre-K and kindergarten students of all backgrounds can enjoy this lively, interactive morning concert, followed by a question and answer session. Parents and caregivers welcome.
Event: Peace Café Open Mic
Venue: Busboys and Poets
Time:08:00 PM - 10:00 PM
If you play the darbuka drum or have a favorite poem from the Middle East, if you love the arts and care about the struggle for peace, this night is for you. Members of the local DC community from a variety of backgrounds share elements of their culture through music, poetry and dance—along with their conviction that peace is not impossible. To be considered for participation in the Open Mic, please submit your piece to the organizers at sarahbeller@dcjcc.org by May 4.
Thursday, May 18
Event: Kabbalah Kirtan
Venue: Washington DCJCC
Time:07:30 PM - 09:00 PM
Yofiyah
Throughout history and across cultures, chanting creates joy and dissolves stress. Ancient Kabbalists had a deep understanding of this practice. Enjoy an evening’s journey with Yofiyah, internationally-known voice of this mystical art… Full Description
Friday, May 19
Saturday, May 20
Event: Balagan Boogaloo Party
Venue: Bourbon (formerly Blue Room)
Time:10:00 PM - 01:00 AM
dj handler, DJ Shotnez, Y-Love and special guests
Straight from the clubs of New York City, where they’ve shared the stage with Matisyahu, Anthony Coleman and countless others on the cutting edge of Jewish music, these young artists are spinning their eclectic sounds into the DC scene. Party to a unique mix of Israeli hip hop, bhangra, baile funk, new Mediterranio, ’80s freestyle and Afro beat—not to mention live Aramaic rap. A critic’s pick in Time Out New York, this fearless and… Full Description
Sunday, May 21
Event: Variations on a Theme: Jazz Brunch and Discussion
Venue: Washington DCJCC
Time:11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Marilyn Lerner and Adrienne Cooper
World-renowned pianist Marilyn Lerner and vocalist Adrienne Cooper are not a quiet duo. Their new collaboration reflects their partnership on both a musical and a personal level, while openly exploring their identities as gay Jewish musicians. Join these artists for an enlightening musical brunch and discussion.
Event: What’s Up with Jews & Hip Hop? Panel Discussion
Venue: Washington DCJCC
Time:01:00 PM - 02:30 PM
Y-Love, dj handler and Jake Break with Jose Dominguez, moderator
Who’d have thought that rap could be Jewish or that Jews could be in the hip hop scene—or that this genre would take off in popularity? Hip hop legend Steve “Steinski” Stein is joined by two younger artists, founder of Modular Moods Records dj handler and Jewish hip hop lyricist Y-Love as they discuss their take on the phenomenon.
Please note: Unfortunately Steve… Full Description
Event: Spring on the Steps
Venue: Washington DCJCC
Time:12:00 PM - 03:00 PM
Musicians and dancers from the DC community draw crowds to the 16th Street steps with energetic performances, culminating in a participatory drum circle with Suresh’s BottomLine Drumming. The Washington Jewish Week called Suresh “the Pied Piper of Jewish Drum Circles.”
Event: Rhythm and Jazz: Afro-Semitic Diaspora
Venue: Carnegie Institution of Washington
Time:07:00 PM - 08:30 PM
Hasidic New Wave and Yakar Rhythms
In an electrifying synthesis of rhythm and jazz, the premiere traditional-experimental Jewish jazz group Hasidic New Wave teams up with an improbable partner—the renowned Senegalese Sabar drum ensemble. Riveting to the eyes, exhilarating to the ears and provocative to the mind, these musical explorations expand the horizons of Afro-Semitic and Judeo-Muslim… Full Description
Monday, May 22
Event: Masada Rock
Venue: Washington DCJCC
Time:07:30 PM - 09:00 PM
Rashanim
Ten years after renegade composer John Zorn released his “Masada Songbook,” an ambitious set of avant-garde pieces inspired by klezmer, Middle Eastern and classical music, Zorn’s Tzadik record label has released Masada Rock, featuring the Jewish power trio Rashanim. Named after the noisemakers used during the raucous holiday of Purim, Rashanim, lead by guitarist Jon Madof, is a trio of guitar, bass and percussion that draws on Jewish melodies, indie rock, punk and jazz. Their… Full Description
Tuesday, May 23
Event: Encore Screening of A Cantor’s Tale
Venue: Washington DCJCC
Time:07:30 PM - 09:30 PM
Winner of the 2005 Washington Jewish Film Festival Audience Award for Best Documentary, A Cantor’s Tale is back. Cantor “Jackie” Mendelson takes us on an expressive journey through the golden days of Chazzanut (Jewish liturgical music), when cantors in New York had chart topping recordings and fans like the Beatles and The Rolling Stones. Mendelson goes back to his roots on a tour through Boro Park, back to the famous deli his father once owned, and visits the synagogues and cantors that… Full Description
Wednesday, May 24
Event: Closing Night | Voice Like Henna
Venue: Washington DCJCC
Time:08:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Michal Cohen
Ancient melodies waft over modern beats like wind over desert dunes. Michal Cohen’s Henna project draws on 16th Century Yemenite poetry, adding a fresh twist to Hebrew and Arabic folk songs. Combined with live and electronic percussion, these enchanting songs take on a vibrant pulse. Cohen is a versatile, award-winning singer and composer whose Yemenite-Israeli background and jazz education inform her striking, passionate music. Get ready to be transported.
“A… Full Description
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