THEODORE BIKEL: THE FIRST 85 YEARS

The most formal of "living rooms" was a lot less formal than this picture of the Stern auditorium of Carnegie Hall would have you believe. Picture a stage filled with microphones, instruments (and, of course, the piano) where a really wonderful birthday bash was about to begin. A birthday bash to honor what one can probably truly refer to as "a man for all seasons". Theodore Bikel. And a real party it was.


From the moment David Amram came out with his various instruments the party was off and running. While there is a list of artists too long to go into detail about, suffice it to say all had a connection to Theo Bikel---be it drama, music, dance, or his causes for justice, freedom, and equal rights.

The first half of the program had the honoree sitting in a box in the center of the hall with some of his celebrated guests--including Chita Rivera while the entertainment started with accolades to him from the likes of Beyond The Pale, the actress (we could say actor) Patricia Connolly, and a host of others. Alan Alda was a truly gracious interlocutor and read some wonderful messages sent for the occasion from various people ending with a message from Michael Bloomberg---but, as Mr. Alda shook the note to see---no key to the city.

A few people I do want to mention in a bit more detail in the first half of the program and also comment that they all presented just one piece --or 2 if they were short ones.

THE KLEZMATICS, as always, brought the house down with 2 pieces; the second of which came from their Wonder Wheel album.

SUSAN WERNER, who many of you have heard on Traditions and recently saw at the Hurdy Gurdy Folk Music club, did a wonderful turn using her guitar--though I admit I had hoped to see her at that Carnegie grand piano.

PETER/PAUL/NO MARY were a wonderful few moments that really got the audience involved with two pieces---the first a wonderful piece about not making fun of people who might be"different" and the second was Puff The Magic Dragon. A few comments about that interlude which was both positive, negative and unnecessary. On a positive note the first piece was perfect for the demographic of the audience--more about the demograpic later--the second, "Puff", also involved the audience and was wonderfully received. Mr. Yarrow's comments about Mary were, I felt, totally unnecessary. As he said himself,"...I am probably saying more than I should.." Right he certainly was. I am sure we are all happy that she --as he said--" is cancer free" but I do not know that he needed to describe her chemotherapy and its side effects which prevented her appearance. Some folks just cannot -- I will leave the last comment out. Noel Paul Stookey was, as usual, a quiet, talented, class act.

There were more great people that came out in the first half---including Judy Kaye, Michael Wex ( who did a brilliant parody/satirical country western piece) the author of Born To Kvetch amongst other that brought him a over the radar.

The second half of the program started with Theodore Bikel making a short and touching speech about the evening and the cause it was benefiting. He followed that with some amazing virtuosic pieces that included some solo work, some work with Shura Livpovsky, and also his wife Tamara Brooks on the piano.

It really turned into a birthday party at this point when Theo Bikel and Tamara Brooks brought out:

SARAH HOROWITZ, the brilliant violinist who, I thought was in her 20s from where I was sitting, but is in fact just 14 years old.

DAVID KRAKAUER, a clarinetist that totally tore the house down with his brilliant mastery of the instrument. Hard to describe what he did with it but, suffice it to say, he combines Jazz, Klezmer, and improv into a magical blend.

Next a wonderful ensemble presentation with the Klezmatics and others after which they all left the stage and left it to Tom Paxton who did two pieces that were known to some---but, as said earlier, given the demographic might not have been familiar to the audience. So, sing a long was out. Arlo Guthrie was next and got a rousing welcome (as did Tom Paxton). After his once piece---more later on that---

Finally the entire group came on stage for the grand finale (though I had hoped the audience would sing Happy Birthday) which was one of the most clever and touching things I have ever seen. It started out with Theo Bikel doing "Those Were The Days" in Yiddish and then it turned to English and many people had original verses to add that pertained to the birthday boy. All were clever but, frankly, I thought Tom Paxton's the funniest (I do not know if he wrote it)---about being in a bar in Greenwhich Village with Irish Revolutionary songs being sung and Bikel singing them in Yiddish. Shades of Saints and Tzadiks CD.

While I said I do not know if Tom Paxton wrote that it is because in the midst of the entire ensemble stood, I believe,Chris Wangro who seemed to be wonderfully conducting this finale. Perhaps he had a hand in the composition since the lyrics were on paper they sang from. The encore came as a wonderful solo piece of "If I Were A Rich Man" by Theo Bikel accompanied on the piano by Tamara Brooks. All on the stage left only for him and Tamara.

It was, by any measure, a wonderful and touching evening. A few thoughts about some of the moments:
The demographic was predominantly an older Jewish crowd which did appreciate Puff the Magic Dragon but seemed lost in the Arlo Guthrie selection---St. James Infirmary. Something I should think a performer would realize. The audience did seem to appreciate the Tom Paxton pieces but were not of the group or age that would sing along---as they did with Puff--or any of the other Yiddish themed pieces.

The entire evening was truly one that was meaningful to the honoree, adored by the audience, and the young artists and the older ones were a joy to behold. It was a wonderful thing that they all had a connection to Theo Bikel.

I was delighted and honored to have been in the hall and it is, truly, a hall that has memories that go through the ages---classical, folk, jazz, etc; The nations "parlor" if you will. The right place for this wonderful 85th birthday commemoration. How wonderful to see the eternal spirit of youth in this youngster at 85----as it is said---Kine Hora---you should live to 125.

ARCHIVED PROGRAMS

WFDU is now archiving the programs at WFDU.FM The programs will be available for 2 weeks from their air date. If you missed any of the TRADITIONS or SUNDAY SIMCHA programs you can now hear them at your convenience---provided a two week period is convenient.

One caveat. When you tune in the program you will hear is the final 2 minutes of the previous program---so, just hang in there!!

A SLIP SLIDING SUGGESTION AGAIN

Which is to scoot over to The Almost Daily Rooster. Just click on the name or the link at the right.

This is sort of like the guy with the cane dragging you into the clothing store of yore. So---get your ass, rear-end, or tuchas over there. I promise it will be of interest.

ROY TALBOT--A REMEMBRANCE OF THE TALBOT BROTHERS

An era ended on May 15 in Paget, Bermuda. The last surviving member of the hugely popular and groundbreaking Calypso group "The Talbot Brothers" died at the age of 94. This Sunday I shall remember them with some of their music and commentary on TRADITIONS.




In the picture above Roy Talbot is on the far right playing his trademark instrument (which he built from meat packing crates---think the origins of steel drums---oil cans) named "Bermudavarius" and had only one string. He was also the resounding bass singer of the group.

The brothers---though a cousin was also in the group---grew up in Tuckertown but their family was moved to another section of Bermuda to allow for the development of Tuckertown into very posh residential community that now has homes owned by Mayor Bloomberg, Ross Perot among others. Like so many people we have played on TRADITIONS their roots started in Church music and led them to such great heights. They appeared in worldwide venues including TV in the US including appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show.

A few personal recollections now of the group. My wife and I had the delight of finding the group while visiting Bermuda in the late 1950s. They along with artists like Erskine Zuill were exciting discoveries to us---and an aside here--Bermuda at that time was totally segregated and that also included hotels in which Jewish visitors were not allowed. Elbow Beach comes to mind. Castle Harbour was one of the few that did permit Jews. People like the Talbots had it harder since they, just as in the U S, were precluded from spending nights in the venues in which they performed. That could be an entire different topic---the evolvement of Bermuda.

We found The Talbot Brothers, as I said. Found them with such wonderful pieces as "Yellow Bird", "Trimmingham and Trott", "Back To Back--Belly to Belly"and many more--including "Jane Jane Jane" ( more about that later). One had to reserve quite some time in advance to get into their performances---as one did for people like Zuill and Hubert Smith. The music was rhythmic and topical in that it covered political situations in Bermuda and the U S (Atomic Nightmare---I'm Going to run like a son of a gun).

A word here about some of the topical material---which you will hear a bit of on Sunday. Atomic Nightmare is fairly self explanatory. Trimmingham and Trott is a wonderful piece about a retail establishment in the WW2 years that catered to U S Navy personnel with some feelings of taking advantage. I am not certain if it was recorded by The Talbot Brothers (though they performed it) but it was recorded by Hubert Smith. Back To Back (Belly to Belly) was not their composition and had been covered by many---including some 5 or so versions by Harry Belafonte---I thought theirs the best. It was composed by Lord Intruder-----aka Winston O'Connor. You have to love those names.

The Talbot Brothers consisted of Roy, Archie, Austin, Bryan, Ross, and cousin Cromwell Mandres and used a different instrument line-up than the more typical Trinidadian calypso instrumentation---
Fast forward now to the 1970s. The Talbot Brothers had achieved world wide fame appearing on major TV shows in NY and touring the world. Being, not only, the toast of Bermuda but, given the segregation there in the earlier years much demanded at private parties at the very wealthy. Not only appearing their but being totally trusted entertainers ---as they say--what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. So it was with them and the society types that invited--hired--them.

The personal reminiscences---the later 1970s. My wife and I once again went to Bermuda and hoped to see the Talbots. It seemed sad---an Irish troupe of performers which included dancers, singers, and an alleged comic were headlining and the Talbot Brothers were relegated to being an opening act and playing dance music afterwards. At one point, my wife asked if they might be able to perform "Jane Jane Jane" and they said that the brother who was the lead on that had died---but if she knew the words to please join them on the stage for it. She did. A memorable and nostalgic (now) moment.

Fame may well be fleeting but sincerity and loyalty are not. On the way back to the airport I overheard one of the passengers on the bus say to his wife or fiance---"..hey, was this not great---just like NY". Sad!! You were supposed to open yourself to the great local talent and not hope you were home with the touring Irish Troupe of performers doing what was homogenized entertainment.

More on Sunday on TRADITIONS when we shall hear a bit of their music---and more if I can receive music from the author---Roy Talbot's nephew --of material I do not have. He is the author of a new book celebrating and commemorating his family-"Bermuda's Famous Talbot Brothers---A Celebration in Pictures and Song". It includes 2 CDs.

For more information on that go to http://www.talbotborthersbermuda.com/ If you want to know about Bermuda and segregation in the earlier years let me know and I will discuss it.

Might as well close with a nice shot of Bermuda- on second thought let us close with the Talbots since Bermuda is not the Bermuda that made them who they were anymore and would, probably, not appreciate what they have let slip away from them:

Roy Talbot---long and productive life---you and your era will be missed.

What is Racist and what is not

Originally I was going to have you scoot over to the ALMOST DAILY ROOSTER but I realized that the video that I would have presented there now appears on the right side. So, let me give you some thoughts pertaining to the evolution of our culture and the "folk" music hook is that it too has evolved over the years---thank heavens.

Still fun to sit on that old front porch and sing those songs but most performers today call themselves "folk musicians" so we can stretch it, as they do, here and talk about a rare TV gem and do some explaining and thinking about it.

There was a time in the late 1930s and the 1940s when there was a radio program created and performed by two white men that captured the imagination of the country. Amos and Andy" as created by Freeman Gosden and Charles Correl. The water pressure, as recorded by various water companies, rose during commercials when this show was on the air. The nation was listening. Decidedly so. Was it racist? We will get into that a bit later. First watch something from their TV version on the right side of the screen.

OK --that is the TV version and I also hoped you saw the introduction of the Black (African American--being PC here) actors. They truly captured Amos, Andy, Kingfish, and all the rest.

Admittedly the parts were created and played on radio by two white men of great talent and insight. They also had the foresight to realize this could be transferred to Television and they did it admirably. The actors--if you watched the video of their introduction on the right side of the screen---shows how they truly captured the characters.

At this point let me make a few comparisons to what, I feel, would encompass, at this time, a "racist" presentation or a presentation of totally annoying people that create stereotypes. Think of The Jeffersons. A spinoff of All In The Family. From satire to stereotype is all I can think of regarding this inane program.

Amos And Andy had the distinction of being a program before its time. A program that was, not only, clever and funny but also satirical and gave much needed work to Black actors (who were superb in their roles).

Think about a few things that you may not recall or may be too young to know of in this era. There was a time when (Chrysler was the sponsor--when it could still dictate things) and cancelled a show because Harry Belafonte touched the female artist on the program--hard to believe. Yes, it was a different and a hard to believe time.

Amos and Andy ---after the radio years--came up with a truly wonderful program---now it would be called a sit-com---but best definition is a filmed version of a brilliant comedic enterprise with actors that truly encompassed their roles.

Let us realize that these were brilliant actors performing in well written pieces in the likes of many ethnic and well done pieces of that era. The Goldbergs, Abie's Irish Rose, Duffy's Tavern, and many more. Harmless fun that gave us insight to other ethnicities in an inoffensive way.

A picture of the star of Amos and Andy probably should follow:

TIM MOORE aka KINGFISH

SCOOT ON OVER

I do believe I have not paid attention to the 3d page of the blog--THE ALMOST DAILY ROOSTER . Well, if you scoot on over there---I could have put this here but thought you might find it interesting in that location.

Frankly, this site gets many more visits and if it remains so I shall cancel The Almost Daily Rooster and put everything on this page and on the Playlist page. Sort of the like the newspapers---combining and cutting back for efficiency and savings. That page was always intended for the non-folk items and should you decide not to visit it often then I shall use this page for both the folk and other items that I think might be of interest.

So,if you scoot on over there now---the link is above and on the right---you will see something that will either astonish you or you will appreciate a remembrance of an artist that was truly unique.

FIND OUT ON THE ALMOST DAILY ROOSTER

One last thing---the Harmonica. Tune in to Sunday Simcha in the next few weeks and you will find some amazing Harmonica works---in the Yiddish tradition---not only this person but the amazing Israeli trio---THE ADLER TRIO.