The Moody Jews have been making a name for themselves in the Treasure Valley and far beyond. Recently, they have graced the stage at venues such as Caldwell’s St. Chapelle Winery, Meridian Dairy Days, Indian Creek Winery. The Sandbar at the Riverside Hotel in Boise and Schnitzel Garden in Eagle. They have brought their music to the Twin Falls Octoberfest, performed with the Serenata Orchestra and wrote music for part of Ballet Idaho’s Ida Ho Ho Ho Holiday Spectacular. They were one of the hits of Treefort 2019 when they played to a packed house at Pengilly’s Saloon. This evening, they will fill Firenza Pizza with music as part of the Boise Revival Project Concert Series.
Wherever they go, audiences are mesmerized by their sound. And what is that sound? Their sound is called Klezmer; and it is a traditional type of Jewish music. As Taggart Lewis, who plays clarinet in the band said, “The Moody Jews has been warmly received overall in Boise. Most people say ‘who is klezmer?’; and we get to teach so many people about this genre of Jewish folk music. Some people don’t care, they just want to dance or to hear strange words of Elana as she sings in Ladino, Spanish, Russian, Yiddish and English. There are special lyrics, musical modes and instruments in a klezmer band, but it comes down to letting the music flow through us and giving the people whatever it is they might need”.
One of the interesting parts of this music is its appeal. As Taggart explained, “The Moody Jews plays high-energy klezmer (Eastern European) music, jazz, Sephardic and Israeli tunes. We will have you up and dancing in no time!”. They packed Pengilly’s Saloon in 2019 for one of the best Treefort shows at Boise’s top musical event. People were dancing, bobbing their heads and enjoying this music. Yet, to look at the audience, it was clear that a many of them there might never have heard klezmer before. Taggart said, “Klezmer is the folk music you didn’t know you loved!”.
Part of their appeal comes from what the music is to begin with. First appearing in Eastern Europe in the late Middle Ages, the music developed as a way to provide entertainment at celebrations such a wedding, holiday group events and other occasions. Sometimes the music was performed in a private home and sometimes and sometimes in a large communal area. By the 1800’s the term “klezmorim” was a common term for the music as well as the Jewish musicians. The Klezmer music was generally very upbeat, popular for dancing and even the tradition of dancing from one house to another as part of a wedding.
By the beginning of the sound recording era, klezmer music found popularity with mainstream recordings and many of the klezmer musicians wound up in different music genres. What happened with that is simple—they brought some of their musical heritage with them and introduced klezmer to an entirely different, non-Jewish crowd. One of the big hits of the late 1930s was Bei Mir Bist Du Schon (Means that You’re Grand), turning into a large hit for the decidedly non-Jewish Andrews Sisters. Another, the Swing Era’s popular And The Angels Sing, started out as the Odessa Bulgar (a Jewish Wedding Dance), until with new lyrics by Johnny Mercer (who won acclaim a few years later for Moon River) and updated music by former klezmer musician Ziggy Elman (trumpeter for Benny Goodman’s Big Band), became not only a popular Swing Era song, but also birthed a popular Hollywood movie.
The distinctive klezmer sound has a joyful, high-energy sound to it which had developed a universal appeal. By the 1960s, klezmer had mainly faded from the music scene, but by the late 70s and early 80s there was a rediscovery of klezmer as both an authentic Jewish folk music and an accessible way to spread the sound to other groups besides the Jewish audiences. By 2000s, there was a resurgence of the music in the United States and Boise was no different. The Moody Jews formed in Boise in 2015, bringing some amazing musicians to create a group which would not only be true to the music’s ethnic origins, but also provide a versatile band that has packed crowds into many places in Idaho.
The Moody Jews consist of Elana Salzman, the group’s vocalist; Oliver Thompson on violin; Danny Beal on piano; Grant Green on percussion and Taggart Lewis on clarinet. The group highlights the klezmer music, but also blends into their sets Jewish-American jazz, Sephardic music (Middle Eastern and Spanish) and Israeli tunes. In a sense, it is not just music, but history; and the Moody Jews even will provide organizations and school with an educational program showing the development of klezmer music while entertaining every one.
Besides their performances at a multitude of venues, the Moody Jews have produced an album which is available on both CD and streaming audio. Jewsday Afternoon is a look into this traditional music, with Elana not only singing in English, but also Hebrew, the traditional Ashkenazic. East European language Yiddish, Spanish and the traditional Sephardic Ladino, which is Judeo-Spanish. Her flawless singing of these traditional (and not so traditional) klezmer tunes gives an authenticity to the songs that cannot be found from many artists. Taggart Lewis brings his clarinet skills to the Moody Jews, providing what many consider klezmer’s most iconic sound. His father introduced him to klezmer many years ago; turning Taggart’s fascination with the music genre into a lifelong passion.
Oliver Thompson has been playing violin since he was a child. Classical, bluegrass, jazz, rock and Basque and East Indian musical backgrounds have enabled Oliver to accurately play these traditional tunes. On piano, Danny Beal brings a Bach to rock background to his piano playing in the Moody Jews. Grant Green is known throughout the Pacific Northwest, bringing his world and Latin percussive talents to several major area blues, jazz and rock groups. With the Moody Jews, he anchors the sound, keeping the beat for the group and providing an exciting sound to the Moody Jews. Many of the members in fact, are known as extremely skillful teachers and performers; and bring a liveliness to the music while staying true to its roots.
Showing their appeal to many different audiences, the Moody Jews leave for Yellow Pine, Idaho to perform not once but twice at the prestigious Yellow Pine Music and Harmonica Festival. On Friday night they will play the Main Stage at the Festival, while Saturday at 8:00pm they perform at the more intimate Tavern. Returning to Boise, they play the Sandbar at the Riverside Hotel on August 26.
Klezmer music, in the hands of gifted musicians like those in the Moody Jews, transcends its humble origins and become a source of entertainment for a wide swath of people. Go and check out one of their upcoming shows; and take a listen to their album. You’ll have a hard time not tapping your foot and dancing to the music of the Moody Jews. Music indeed is a common language—and a joy—-for us all.
Moody Jews website
Moody Jews Facebook Page
Moody Jews at Pengilly’s by Ed Simon for The Boise Beat. Promo pics of Moody Jews courtesy of the Moody Jews.
