 The Ethnic Clarinet
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Author: Steve Epstein
Date: 2005-11-01 22:02
I attended the Yuri Yunakov and Ivo Papasov concert, 9 pm show, on 10/28/05 at the Painted Bride in Philadelphia, PA. Without writing a "review", let me say it was a great concert and a bit different from what I had expected. Previous Yuri performances have been ear-shattering high decibel affairs; this was loud enough but way more tolerable. In fact, the sound system was excellent. Previous Yuri performances have also been much more dance - oriented, with audience members getting up and bopping around to ruchenitzas and kopanitzas, etc. This time, the band presented a number of much more concert - like pieces, all introduced and explained by Carol Silverman, who also sang on a number of them. Midway through the evening, the band was joined by jazz pianist pianist Armen Donelian (sp?). At the end, the band did play a pravo for dancing. All in all, a great concert.
Steve Epstein
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Author: Katrina
Date: 2005-11-09 05:06
I just returned home from the Ivo/Yuri show here in Minneapolis.
It was a rather different affair than the one you attended, Steve.
Carol did announce some things and sing a bit in the first half (one of my favorite songs, BTW, "Lenorije Chaje") and also in the second half. In the second half some of the chairs around the edges had been removed for dancing, but I spent most of my time in my front-row-center seat.
AND!!! I finally got to see Ivo himself do the "incredible shrinking clarinet" bit as nobody else can do...
What he does with just a mouthpiece (& reed) I wish I could do with my whole clarinet!!! And at one point he even turned the mp around and either blew through the bottom or sucked in, vibrating the reed in a really really cool way!!!
If you can make it to any of their shows, I highly recommend it!!!
Katrina
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Author: Ralph Katz
Date: 2005-11-21 22:02
I attended their concert at the Arab American National Museum in Dearborn, MI on 11/17/05. The concert hall there seats 157 and was full. Pardon this brief review.
The concert was largely from their new CD (below) and other material. Some things I heard when they last played in Michigan in 2003, some I have not.
There were issues with the sound system, and they were somewhat tired, being 6 weeks into a 7-week tour, but this was still a very high-energy concert. People got up to dance and use the limited space. They played a single set, about 75 minutes!
Their new CD "Together Again" is on the Traditional Crossroads label CD 4330 (www.traditionalcrossroads.com). Features Ivo Papasov (clarinet) Yuri Yunakov (alto sax), Neshko Neshev (accordion), and Aalif Ali (drum kit), with Kalin Kirilov (guitar, bass), Carol Silverman (vocals), and Seido Salifoski (percussion). The personel was the same except with only percussionist Mr. Ali on the tour.
There is some repackaging here, but this is still a very exciting recording. They make limited use of overdubbing. Ivo especially, and Yuri to a lesser extent, judiciously process their sounds for impact (I like the results but everyone may not.)
The CD contains 4 Bulgarian cuts and 4 Rom cutsm (just under 53 minutes total). This means that they average just under 7 minutes a song. Whew!
CD produced, and introduction by Harold Hagopian, Liner notes by Carol Silverman.
There are some musicians who, by contract, get payed by the note. If Ivo was payed this way, he would be the richest clarinet player in history.
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Author: Katrina
Date: 2005-11-22 02:36
FYI, Ralph...
Ivo has not been feeling well this trip either, according to Carol...and therefore wasn't teaching.
Amazing what he can play on a "bad" day!!!
Katrina
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Author: Carmen
Date: 2005-11-24 19:24
Together Again is my first ethnic clarinet recording. And it is amazing! Good times. I missed them thanks to a band concert here at DePaul when they were in chicago, but a friend heard it and said it was rockin!
***...so do all who seen such times, but that is not for them to decide. All you can do is decide what to do with the time that is given to you.***
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The Clarinet Pages
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