New York, NY (Top40 Charts/ hubtone PR) AVAILABLE IN STORES AND ONLINE FEBRUARY 18, 2014
David Krakauer , clarinet
Jenny Scheinman , violin
Adam Rogers , guitars
Rob Burger , keys, organ, accordion, vibes
Greg Cohen , double bass
Jim
Black , drums, percussion
and
Sheryl Bailey, guitar
Nicki Parrott, double bass
Keepalive, sampler
THE CD RELEASE COINCIDES WITH A MONTH-LONG ENGAGEMENT AT THE MUSEUM OF JEWISH HERITAGE IN DOWNTOWN MANHATTAN. TO READ ABOUT THE MUSEUM'S RESIDENCY, PLEASE SCROLL DOWN.
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 multimedia 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. https://www.mjhnyc.org/bigpicture/
ADDRESS
Edmond J. Safra Hall, 36 Battery Place, New York, NY 10280, Ph: 646-437-4202
For further information on
David Krakauer, please visit: www.davidkrakauer.com
