World music

Live Session by David Krakauer & The Cocktail Mazel Tov Party Orchestra

Audio 48:30

Mazel Tov Party Cocktail.

© Table Pounding Rd

By: Laurence Aloir

7 mins

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Label Bleu and Table Pounding Records are pleased to announce the release of clarinetist, composer and

's first album in eight years under his own name :

Always searching for new aesthetic frontiers and new sounds, Krakauer teamed up with producer

to create a cathartic expression of joy and affirmation.

In response to the rise of bigotry and intolerance around the world, Krakauer and Tagg have brought together a team of artists from a wide variety of genres and cultural backgrounds to deliver a counter-message of positivity that celebrates our humanity. common.

album and touring project

was conceived and created by Krakauer and producer Kathleen Tagg as an "explosion of good vibes" in response to the current climate of incredible polarization and negativity pervading our daily lives.

Alongside Krakauer and Tagg, the album features an all-new line-up of a world-renowned group of musicians: clarinet virtuoso Krakauer is the godfather of keyboards and the eccentric production of Tagg, the Iranian drummer and multi-talent

, virtuoso bass from jazz guru

, vocals and words from soul singer and rapper

, and lines from oudist/guitarist

.

This group brings their enormous musical and cultural diversity to the project, and collaborates to create both original works and unique reimaginings of works from around the world.

The album takes traditional and ancient dance forms and completely recasts them to bring a clear message of tolerance and inclusion.

Polka, square dance and hora have never sounded this way before, with electro beats, acoustic Middle Eastern hand drums, deep grooves and lyrics that call for space for all.

Krakauer's howling clarinet urges us to unite, celebrate and feel the power of our lives.

Mazel Tov Party Cocktail.

© Laura Carbone

A square dance?

The polka?

Hornpipe, Hora and Calypso?

Urban rhythms mixed with acoustic instruments and thought-provoking rap?

What is this music?

Over the months that have sharply divided us in 2020, Krakauer and Tagg have begun to reflect deeply on what we all share as human beings in order to counter the relentless barrage of stories relating to our differences.

They were deeply troubled by the fact that the conversation is so divided, that blind bigotry is rampant, and that tensions between different groups of people have never been higher: urban versus rural.

Red against blue.

Conservatives versus liberals, etc.

What is the common place where we have the potential to come together as human beings, without needing to know the beliefs of the person next to us, to have a good time?

It's music and dance.

Krakauer and Tagg therefore turned to older dance forms.

Those that are designed for communities to come together and move.

Dances that are instantly recognizable.

And from there, they delved into the realities of their America, with all its amazing diversity, and added these sounds: for example, a square dance with words partly in Quebec French, drums on an Iranian daf and a rhythm beat maker born in Morocco and based in New York.

Music with the shape and pulse of a traditional square dance but the rhythm of

a Brooklyn nightclub.

A musical meeting place where each member presented themselves as they were, with all their history and skills, to create a new sound where little bits of individuals create the whole thing.

It's a Mazel Tov cocktail party and everyone is invited!

In these uncertain times, this is an opportunity for artists and audiences to come together, celebrate all that we have in common, and toss a metaphorical "Mazel Tov cocktail" into the air to light up the world!

For 25 years, David Krakauer has spearheaded projects that bring together multicultural elements in unexpected ways.

He is considered one of the main forces redefining and reimagining the music of his Eastern European Jewish cultural heritage.

In 2008, he founded Table Pounding Records as a hub for projects that cross genres.

Then in 2015, Kathleen Tagg joined Krakauer in the production and creation of Table Pounding Records: Table Pounding Music.

David Krakauer at RFI.

© Laurence Aloir/RFI

Artist statement and historical background from

and producer

: In the face of the overwhelming negativity and alarming rise of hatred and intolerance in the world today, we felt obliged to offer a musical celebration of our shared humanity as a counter-power to all this madness.

This project was inspired by a slip from a conservative pundit who called Molotov cocktails "Mazel Tov" cocktails.

The image of a "Mazel Tov" cocktail illuminating the world with hope and joy - instead of being a weapon of destruction - challenged us.

This idea is summed up by the lyrics of the album's eponymous song: "

 We imagined that a music project could be a fun party that had the potential to be used as a catalyst to encourage and support people to do positive things in the world.

We wanted to take traditional and ancient dance forms and revamp them completely to bring an explicit message of tolerance and celebration of our shared humanity.

And we wanted to create new tunes that make people dance.

These two years have been very hard, and we need to move together.

It's a party, and you're all invited!!!

We unequivocally support the Black Lives Matter movement as well as all other movements and organizations in favor of tolerance and mutual respect.

David Krakauer and Kathleen Tagg, New York December 2021.

Cocktail Mazel Tov Party Orchestra at RFI.

© Laurence Aloir/RFI

Titles performed at the Grand studio at RFI

- Bella's Calypso

Live RFI

- North Country Square Dance.

 Taken from the album

- Love Song for Lemberg/Lvov

Live RFI.

Lvov

is now called

, David wrote this song in reference to the city where his grandfather was born in Ukraine.

Line Up

- David Krakauer, clarinet and vocals

- Kathleen Tagg

, accordion, computer playback, piano

- Sarah MK

, vocals

- Martin Schamoonpour

, daf

- Yoshie Fruchter

, electric guitar

- Jerome Harris

, bass.

Sound:

and

David Krakauer Playlist

- Sidney Bechet:

(1937)

- Coleman Hawkins:

(1939)

- John Coltrane:

(1959)

- Dave Tarras (klezmer clarinettist).

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