The Hot Latkes Klezmer Band Authentic and Inventive Klezmer, Ladino and Israeli Music and Dance  More about the band  Upcoming shows  Contact the band  Official Latke Recipe
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The Hot Latkes Klezmer Band performs a children's show at Seneca College in Toronto on Sunday, Feb.25, 2001 at 2pm.

The Hot Latkes Klezmer Band performs an Orchestra London Cushion Concert on Sunday March 4, 2001 from 1-4pm. Location TBA.Based in London, Ontario, Canada, the Hot Latkes Klezmer Band performs for enthusiastic audiences in Southern Ontario and surrounding areas. The music is always rousing and spirited.

The Latkes are available for concerts, festivals, workshops, children's programs, weddings, and bar/bat mitzvahs.
Specializing in dance music, the group can be featured in dance programs and workshops.

More about the Latkes

The Hot Latkes Klezmer Band is London's own professional Klezmer ensemble. Launched in the spring of 1993, the group has developed an extensive repertoire of Klezmer and Yiddish theatre music, much of it based on the work of luminaries of the past including Dave Tarras, Abe Schwartz, Molly Picon, Harry Kandel and Aaron Lebedeff. In addition to traditional Yiddish material the Latkes have delved into Ladino and Yemenite Jewish music as well as Greek and Gypsy music.

The band has undertaken several interesting projects and collaborations since its founding. In 1993 the band recorded a cassette Universal Klezmer which has been featured on CBC folk and eclectic music programmes. The Latkes were the closing act at the 1994 Home County Folk Festival and have performed at the Peterborough Folk Festival, the Windsor JCC, and the Vivace series in Farmington Hills, Michigan. The Hot Latkes participated in the debut of Sunfest ‘95, a multi-cultural festival which is to be an annual event and in London’s Between Cultures Arts Dialogue.

Last spring the Latkes presented a series of 10 concerts in schools and public libraries with the support of the London Public Library, the Home County Folk Festival and the Music Performance Trust Fund. In addition to exposing young people to Klezmer music for the first time, many of these performances included a story/dance version of Ruth Bornstein’s Dancing Man. This presentation featured Sharon Wise and the spontaneous participation of a host of young dancers.

The current members of the Hot Latkes include Henry Krichker, violin; Phil Pinchas Murphy, the Irisher Klezmer on clarinet and sax; Marg Stowe, guitar; Pete Hysen, tuba and bass; Richard Negus, vocals, guitar and clarinet; and Sharon Wise, who dances, sings and plays accordion. Dan Golden plays viola and mandolin and handles most of the arrangements, musical and otherwise.

In the past year the Latkes have shared the stage with a number of performers including singers Rena Sheskin and Denise Pelley, and Orchestra London. The Latkes were thrilled to share the stage with Finjan at a concert here in London in January. The band will appear next at the Jewish Storytelling Festival at the JCC, February 11 in collaboration with Toronto storyteller Lesley Robbins.

The Hot Latkes have also entertained at numerous simchas and community events here and in Toronto playing for dancing and singing--certainly the best way to keep in touch with the joy of Klezmer music.

To contact the Hot Latkes Klezmer Band send email to Daniel Golden at dcgolden@netcom.ca or
phone (519)-439-4243 London, Ontario, Canada.

Mailing Address:

Hot Latkes Klezmer Band

c/o Daniel Golden

778 Colborne St.

London, ON., CANADA N6A 3Z9