Rob Rudin's Half-Jewish (double bill with Naftule’s Dream)

[marycurtin.livejournal.com]

Rob Rudin's Half-Jewish, double bill with Naftule’s Dream. Tuesday, January 24, 8:00 pm. $10 cash at door. Johnny D’s, 17 Holland Street, Davis Square, Somerville. For information call (617) 776-2004 or log onto http://www.johnnyds.com.

It's been two years since drummer Rob Rudin left for the Cape. Now he’s back living in Somerville re-establishing his band that he half-joking calls Rob Rudin's Half-Jewish. “It’s a pun,” explains Rudin, “on the fact that some of the musicians happen to be Jews, some don’t. But it’s serious, too — while all of the music is part of my Jewish experience, the musical influences can come from anywhere.” These influences include music from India and Turkey, Reggae, songs of revolution, salsa, jazz of all eras and, of course, Klezmer.


“I put together the group in order to play original and traditional Jewish music with some of my favorite musicians,” says Rudin, proudly, “and they all answered the call of my shofar!“ Half-Jewish is comprised of several Boston-area musical heavy weights. Local music vet Mark Chenevert (clarinet and saxophone) met Louisiana transplant Danny Heath (trombone and vocals) in the Hot Tamale Brass Band. Trumpeter Sam Dechenne plays in the reggae group John Brown’s Body. Pianist Gill Aharon is a regular at the Lily Pad in Cambridge. Paul Dilley plays bass in Girl’s, Guns and Glory. Mimi Rabson, on violin, is a member of the Klezmer Conservatory band and multi-reedman Ted Roland plays around with his Ted Roland Three.

[Representative sounds at http://www.myspace.com/robrudin. Also, give a listen to members of Half-Jewish performing on WMBR’s (88.1FM) I Love A Parade program, Fri., Jan. 20th, 4 pm.]

The avant garde Jewish instrumental group Naftule’s Dream follows at 9:00 pm.