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| David Krakauer's The Big Picture CD  Clarinet virtuoso David Krakauer announces the release of his most adventurous CD to date - The Big Picture. David Krakauer, clarinet, Jenny Scheinman, violin, Adam Rogers, guitars, Rob Burger, keys, organ, accordion, vibes, Greg Cohen, double bass, Jim Black, drums, percussion,Sheryl Bailey, guitar, Nicki Parrott, double bass, Keepalive, sampler. An artist of great renown, clarinetist and cultural visionary David Krakauer presents his new project, THE BIG PICTURE, paying homage to both Krakauer's personal discovery of his cultural heritage and, in the broader sense, to the journeys we all take to find meaning and connection in our lives. The album was produced by Joseph Baldassare and recorded by Roy Hendrickson. THE BIG PICTURE album features Krakauer's sextet, a new constellation of musicians, meticulously chosen to display their virtuosity and poetrywith these stimulating new arrangements and interpretations of familiar movie soundtracks by classic film music composers - among them, Marvin Hamlisch, Wojciech Kilar, Vangelis, Sergei Prokofiev, Ralph Burns, Jerry Bock, John Kander & Fred Ebb. Movies include such diverse gems as Sophie's Choice, The Pianist, Cabaret, Radio Days and Funny Girl. Each movie has a special Jewish connection - whether emphasizing the director, actors, composer, or Jewish tradition, from topics of war and persecution to sophisticated satire and farce. (Sophie's Choice, Life is Beautiful, Lenny, The Producers, Fiddler on the Roof.) "For the music part, " says Krakauer, "I've taken themes from iconic films with Jewish content and re-imagined them with a band of world-class musicians. The album has become more special than I'd ever imagined. It brought me to a new emotional level, reminding me of the incredible resiliency of my great-grandparents, arriving from Eastern Europe with virtually nothing, and how they were able to overcome incredible poverty and anti-Semitism to succeed. I've never been prouder to be Jewish. But at the same time I think this project really speaks about how people across the ages have found ways to survive in the face of adversity. That's not just the Jewish experience. It's everyone's struggle." Born and raised in New York City, his early exposure to diverse cultural influences provides a powerful towline for his music. Krakauer earned his reputation as a Klezmer specialist, then showcased his formidable talents in other musical arenas, such as classical music, electronica and jazz. He has shared stages as a group member and soloist with a wide array of artists, string quartets and classical aggregates - among them, the Klezmatics, John Zorn, Fred Wesley, Itzhak Perlman, Osvaldo Golijov, Eiko and Koma, Leonard Slatkin, Iva Bitova, Kronos, Tokyo, the Emerson, the Orchestre de Lyon, the Orquestra Sinfonica de Madrid, the Phoenix Symphony, the Brooklyn Philharmonic, the Dresdener Philharmonie and the Detroit Symphony. TRACKS WILLKOMMEN, Cabaret LA BELLA E VITA, Life is Beautiful SI TU VOIS MA MERE, Midnight in Paris BODY AND SOUL, Radio Days THE MARCH, Love and Death MOVING TO THE GHETTO, The Pianist THE FAMILY, Avalon HONEYCOMB, Lenny LOVE THEME, Sophie's Choice KEEP IT GAY, The Producers PEOPLE, Funny Girl TRADITION, Fiddler On The Roof ABOUT THE SHOW "THE BIG PICTURE" A Cinematic Concert Music Performed by Krakauer AT THE MUSEUM OF JEWISH HERITAGE IN DOWNTOWN MANHATTAN PREMIERE: WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2014 PERFORMANCES: WEDNESDAYS & SUNDAYS, FEBRUARY 2 - 23, 2014 PERFORMANCE LINE UP: David Krakauer, clarinet Rob Schwimmer, piano, keys, theremin Sara Caswell, violin Mark Helias, double bass Sheryl Bailey, guitar John Hadfield, drums, percussion David Krakauer showcases his new project, THE BIG PICTURE, a powerful new multi-media production at Edmond J. Safra Hall in the Museum of Jewish Heritage - A Living Memorial to the Holocaust downtown, THE BIG PICTURE tells Krakauer's story in an artful marriage of music and the moving image. This project may be Krakauer's most adventurous to date and will run for a period of four weeks - a first for the venue. To lend creative intrigue, New York graphics giants Light of Day and Cutting Room Films have created original films for the production. Instead of using the visual element as a creative starting point, Krakauer's music serves as the catalytic agent. The visuals embrace Krakauerʼs adventurous and individual spirit of self-discovery. The Museum itself serves as a compelling location for this residency. It overlooks the New York Harbor, a reminder of the Jewish and non-Jewish immigrants landing on Ellis Island bringing their hopes, stories and vast cultural heritage to this new promised land. Krakauer, whose own ancestors immigrated from Eastern Europe, became one of the most important innovators in Klezmer music, contextualizing the ancestral sounds of his heritage into a distinctive, personal voice. "THE BIG PICTURE is a special kind of project, " says Krakauer. "It's a tour through Jewish history, and an exploration of how the movies show us the universality of our individual quests. I want this experience to serve as an opportunity for all. I am privileged to be the tour guide for this incredible voyage." PERFORMANCE DATES PREMIERE: WED, JAN. 29 AT 7.30PM EXTENDED RUN: SUN, FEB 2 AT 2 PM; WED, FEB. 5 AT 7.30 PM; SUN, FEB. 9 AT 2PM; WED, FEB. 12 AT 7.30PM; SUN, FEB. 16 AT 2 PM; WED, FEB. 19 AT 7.30PM; SUN, FEB. 23 AT 2PM. TICKETS: $35 General, $30 Seniors/Students, $25 Members ABOUT THE MUSEUM OF JEWISH HERITAGE, DOWNTOWN MANHATTAN The Museumʼs exhibitions educate people of all ages and backgrounds about the rich tapestry of Jewish life over the past century-before, during, and after the Holocaust. Edmond J. Safra Hall, the 375-seat state-of-the-art theater offers unobstructed views with great acoustics from every seat in the house. http://www.mjhnyc.org/bigpicture/ ADDRESS Edmond J. Safra Hall, 36 Battery Place, New York, NY 10280, Ph: 646-437-4202 write your comments about the article :: © 2014 Jazz News :: home page |