Frank London
Encyclopedia
Frank London is a New York City
-based trumpet
er, bandleader, and composer active in klezmer
and world music. He also plays various other wind instruments and keyboards, and occasionally sings backup vocals. With The Klezmatics, he won a Grammy award in Contemporary World Music for "Wonder Wheel (lyrics by Woody Guthrie)".
-based klezmer band The Klezmatics
. He is also a member of Hasidic New Wave
and leads Frank London's Klezmer Brass Allstars. He was a co-founder of both Les Misérables Brass Band and the Klezmer Conservatory Band
.
In addition to his work in klezmer music, he is in demand as a sideman, and has performed or recorded with such diverse artists and groups as John Zorn
, John Cale
, Itzhak Perlman
, Allen Ginsberg
, LL Cool J
, Mel Tormé
, David Murray
, Lester Bowie's Brass Fantasy
, La Monte Young
, Natalie Merchant
, They Might Be Giants
, Jane Siberry, Ben Folds Five
, Marc Ribot
, Reggie Workman
, Chava Alberstein
, Anne LeBaron
, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
, Luna
, Maurice El Medioni, Gal Costa
, Ljova (Lev Zhurbin
), Aaron Alexander's Midrash Mish Mosh, Avraham Fried
, Iggy Pop, and countless others. He played at Carnegie Hall with Angelique Kidjo, Youssou N'Dour and Omara Portuando. He played the trumpet solo on LL Cool J's "Goin' Back to Cali."
He served as conductor and music director for David Byrne
and Robert Wilson's
The Knee Plays, and has collaborated with the Palestinian American violinist Simon Shaheen
.
Frank London:
Frank London with Lorin Sklamberg (Klezmatics singer):
Frank London's Klezmer Brass Allstars:
The Shekhina Big Band:
Film and theater music:
Soundtracks:
Hasidic New Wave:
's Romance. In 2011, A Night in the Old Marketplace was workshopped and premiered at MassMOCA.
He has also composed music for films, including John Sayles
' The Brother from Another Planet
(1984) and Men With Guns
(1997), Yvonne Rainer
's Murder and Murder, the Czech-American Marionette Theater's Golem, and Tamar Rogoff's Ivye Project.
, and at the Lincoln Center Summer Festival. He attends various workshops throughout the year, including KlezKanada
of Montreal
, where he teaches aspiring musicians the art of klezmer music. He has taught Jewish music in Canada
, Crimea
, and the Catskills and is Artistic Director of KlezFest London in London, England.
Yiddish theatre actress Jenny Romaine has the following to say about London:
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
-based trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
er, bandleader, and composer active in klezmer
Klezmer
Klezmer is a musical tradition of the Ashkenazic Jews of Eastern Europe. Played by professional musicians called klezmorim, the genre originally consisted largely of dance tunes and instrumental display pieces for weddings and other celebrations...
and world music. He also plays various other wind instruments and keyboards, and occasionally sings backup vocals. With The Klezmatics, he won a Grammy award in Contemporary World Music for "Wonder Wheel (lyrics by Woody Guthrie)".
Education
London received a B.A. in Afro-American music from the New England Conservatory in 1980. He is on the music faculty of SUNY Purchase.Projects
London is best known for his role as trumpeter in the New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
-based klezmer band The Klezmatics
The Klezmatics
The Klezmatics are a Grammy Award-winning American klezmer music group based in New York City, who have achieved fame singing in several languages, most notably mixing older Yiddish tunes with other types of more contemporary music of differing origins...
. He is also a member of Hasidic New Wave
Hasidic New Wave
Hasidic New Wave is an American experimental klezmer music group. Its members, all of whom were improvisational jazz musicians from downtown Manhattan, formed for the purpose of fusing Hasidic musical styles with elements of jazz, funk, and avant-garde rock...
and leads Frank London's Klezmer Brass Allstars. He was a co-founder of both Les Misérables Brass Band and the Klezmer Conservatory Band
Klezmer Conservatory Band
The Klezmer Conservatory Band is an Boston-based group which performs traditional klezmer music; it was formed by Hankus Netsky of the New England Conservatory of Music in 1980. Originally formed for a single concert, they have gone on to release eleven albums....
.
In addition to his work in klezmer music, he is in demand as a sideman, and has performed or recorded with such diverse artists and groups as John Zorn
John Zorn
John Zorn is an American avant-garde composer, arranger, record producer, saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist. Zorn is a prolific artist: he has hundreds of album credits as performer, composer, or producer...
, John Cale
John Cale
John Davies Cale, OBE is a Welsh musician, composer, singer-songwriter and record producer who was a founding member of the experimental rock band The Velvet Underground....
, Itzhak Perlman
Itzhak Perlman
Itzhak Perlman is an Israeli-born violinist, conductor, and instructor of master classes. He is regarded as one of the pre-eminent violinists of the 20th and early-21st centuries.-Early life:...
, Allen Ginsberg
Allen Ginsberg
Irwin Allen Ginsberg was an American poet and one of the leading figures of the Beat Generation in the 1950s. He vigorously opposed militarism, materialism and sexual repression...
, LL Cool J
LL Cool J
James Todd Smith , better known as LL Cool J , is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and actor...
, Mel Tormé
Mel Tormé
Melvin Howard Tormé , nicknamed The Velvet Fog, was an American musician, known for his jazz singing. He was also a jazz composer and arranger, a drummer, an actor in radio, film, and television, and the author of five books...
, David Murray
David Murray (jazz musician)
David Murray is an American jazz musician. Murray plays mainly tenor saxophone and sometimes bass clarinet. He has recorded prolifically for many record labels since the mid-1970s.-Biography:...
, Lester Bowie's Brass Fantasy
Lester Bowie
Lester Bowie was an American jazz trumpet player and composer. He was a member of the AACM, and cofounded the Art Ensemble of Chicago.-Biography:...
, La Monte Young
La Monte Young
La Monte Thornton Young is an American avant-garde composer, musician, and artist.Young is generally recognized as the first minimalist composer. His works have been included among the most important and radical post-World War II avant-garde, experimental, and contemporary music. Young is...
, Natalie Merchant
Natalie Merchant
Natalie Anne Merchant is an American singer-songwriter and musician. She joined the alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs in 1981 and left it to begin her solo career in 1993.-Early life:...
, They Might Be Giants
They Might Be Giants
They Might Be Giants is an American alternative rock band formed in 1982 by John Flansburgh and John Linnell. During TMBG's early years Flansburgh and Linnell were frequently accompanied by a drum machine. In the early 1990s, TMBG became a full band. Currently, the members of TMBG are...
, Jane Siberry, Ben Folds Five
Ben Folds Five
Ben Folds Five is an alternative rock trio formed in 1993 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The group comprises Ben Folds , Robert Sledge , and Darren Jessee . The group achieved mainstream success in the alternative, indie and pop music scenes...
, Marc Ribot
Marc Ribot
Marc Ribot born May 21, 1954) is an American guitarist and composer.His own work has touched on many styles, including no wave, free jazz, and Cuban music. Ribot is also known for collaborating with other musicians, most notably Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, and composer John Zorn.-Biography:Ribot was...
, Reggie Workman
Reggie Workman
Reginald "Reggie" Workman is an American avant-garde jazz and hard bop double bassist, recognized for his work with both John Coltrane and Art Blakey....
, Chava Alberstein
Chava Alberstein
Chava Alberstein is an Israeli singer, lyricist, composer, and musical arranger.-Biography:Chava Alberstein, born in Szczecin, Poland, moved to Israel with her family in 1950. She grew up in Kiryat Haim....
, Anne LeBaron
Anne LeBaron
Alice Anne LeBaron is an United States composer and harpist.-Biography:Anne LeBaron holds a B.A. in music from the University of Alabama , an M.A. in music from the State University of New York at Stony Brook , and a D.M.A. from Columbia University...
, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion are an American alternative rock trio, formed in 1991 and based out of New York City, New York. The band consists of Judah Bauer on guitar, backing vocals, harmonica and occasional lead vocals, Russell Simins on drums and Jon Spencer on vocals, guitar and theremin...
, Luna
Luna (band)
Luna was a dream pop/indie pop band formed in 1991 by Dean Wareham after the breakup of Galaxie 500, with Stanley Demeski and Justin Harwood...
, Maurice El Medioni, Gal Costa
Gal Costa
Gal Costa is a Brazilian singer of popular music.-Early life:...
, Ljova (Lev Zhurbin
Lev Zhurbin
Lev 'Ljova' Zhurbin is a composer, violist, and arranger. Ljova is the author of over 70 original compositions for classical, jazz, and folk music ensembles. He has also contributed musical scores to numerous short and feature films.Ljova immigrated to the United States in 1990 and currently...
), Aaron Alexander's Midrash Mish Mosh, Avraham Fried
Avraham Fried
Avraham Shabshi Hakohen Friedman better known by his stage name, Avraham Fried, is a popular musical entertainer in the Orthodox Jewish community.-Career:...
, Iggy Pop, and countless others. He played at Carnegie Hall with Angelique Kidjo, Youssou N'Dour and Omara Portuando. He played the trumpet solo on LL Cool J's "Goin' Back to Cali."
He served as conductor and music director for David Byrne
David Byrne (musician)
David Byrne is a musician and artist, best known as a founding member and principal songwriter of the American new wave band Talking Heads, which was active between 1975 and 1991. Since then, Byrne has released his own solo recordings and worked with various media including film, photography,...
and Robert Wilson's
Robert Wilson (director)
Robert Wilson is an American avant-garde stage director and playwright who has been called "[America]'s — or even the world's — foremost vanguard 'theater artist'". Over the course of his wide-ranging career, he has also worked as a choreographer, performer, painter, sculptor, video...
The Knee Plays, and has collaborated with the Palestinian American violinist Simon Shaheen
Simon Shaheen
Simon Shaheen is a Palestinian-American oud and violin virtuoso and composer....
.
Recordings
London is featured on over 300 CDs. His own recordings include the following:Frank London:
- Invocations (cantorial music)
- Hazonos (cantorial music)
- "Scientist at Work" (produced by John Zorn)
Frank London with Lorin Sklamberg (Klezmatics singer):
- Nigunim (Jewish mystical songs)
- The Zmiros Project (Shabbes songs)
- tsuker-zis (holiday songs, featuring Knox Chandler, Ara Dinkjian & Deep Singh)
Frank London's Klezmer Brass Allstars:
- Di Shikere Kapelye
- Brotherhood of Brass
- Carnival Conspiracy
The Shekhina Big Band:
- The Shekhina Big Band
Film and theater music:
- The Debt (film and theater music)
Soundtracks:
- The Shvitz
- Divan (film by Pearl Gluck)
Hasidic New Wave:
- "Jews & The Abstract Truth"
- "Psycho-Semitic"
- "Kabalogy"
- "Live In Krakow" (on Not Two records)
- "From The Belly of Abraham"
Compositions
London has composed numerous works for theater, dance, and film, and is the recipient of several Meet the Composer grants. Some of his major works include the folk opera A Night in the Old Marketplace (based on Y. L. Peretz's Bay nakht oyfn altn mark); Davenen, a dance for the Pilobolus Dance Theatre and the Klezmatics; Great Small Works' The Memoirs of Gluckel of Hameln, and Min TanakaMin Tanaka
is a Japanese actor and dancer. He won the award for best supporting actor at the 26th Japan Academy Prize for The Twilight Samurai.-Filmography:* The Twilight Samurai * The Hidden Blade * House of Himiko...
's Romance. In 2011, A Night in the Old Marketplace was workshopped and premiered at MassMOCA.
He has also composed music for films, including John Sayles
John Sayles
John Thomas Sayles is an American independent film director, screenwriter and author.-Early life:Sayles was born in Schenectady, New York, the son of Mary , a teacher, and Donald John Sayles, a school administrator. He was raised Catholic and took to labeling himself "a Catholic atheist"...
' The Brother from Another Planet
The Brother from Another Planet
The Brother from Another Planet is a science fiction film written, directed and edited by John Sayles. It stars Joe Morton as an extraterrestrial who has escaped to Earth and who hides in New York City.-Plot:...
(1984) and Men With Guns
Men with Guns
Men with Guns is a 1997 American drama film written and directed by John Sayles. The executive producers were Lou Gonda and Jody Patton, and the cast included Federico Luppi, Damián Delgado and Mandy Patinkin....
(1997), Yvonne Rainer
Yvonne Rainer
Yvonne Rainer is an American dancer, choreographer and filmmaker, whose work in these disciplines is frequently challenging and experimental. Her work is classified as minimalist art.- Early life :...
's Murder and Murder, the Czech-American Marionette Theater's Golem, and Tamar Rogoff's Ivye Project.
Other activities
He has been featured on HBO's Sex and the City soundtrack, at the North Sea Jazz FestivalNorth Sea Jazz Festival
The North Sea Jazz Festival is an annual jazz festival held each second weekend of July in the Netherlands at the Ahoy venue. It used to be in The Hague but since 2006 it has been held in Rotterdam...
, and at the Lincoln Center Summer Festival. He attends various workshops throughout the year, including KlezKanada
KlezKanada
KlezKanada was founded in 1996 to teach, nurture and present to a broad public the best of Jewish traditional arts and Yiddish/Jewish culture. Arising from the wellsprings of Jewish culture and expertise unique to Montreal and Canada, over the past decade KlezKanada has grown into an event with...
of Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, where he teaches aspiring musicians the art of klezmer music. He has taught Jewish music in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Crimea
Crimea
Crimea , or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , is a sub-national unit, an autonomous republic, of Ukraine. It is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, occupying a peninsula of the same name...
, and the Catskills and is Artistic Director of KlezFest London in London, England.
Yiddish theatre actress Jenny Romaine has the following to say about London:
- "He [Frank London] has a relationship to the avant garde, to jazz, to ethnic music and he's participating in a late 20th century investigation of Jewish music that I think has a knowledge of all the different aspects of our situation as Jews."