Mames Babegenush
Encyclopedia
Mames Babegenush is a Danish
Klezmer
band formed in 2004 Copenhagen
. In the beginning it playing quite traditional Klezmer music—with inspiration from artists such as Naftule Brandwein
, Abe Schwartz
and Dave Tarras
—but has increasingly developed its own sound.
The name means "Mom's aubergine salad" (Baba ghanoush
) in Yiddish
.
scene in Denmark, enjoying great underground success within the first two years of the groups existence. In 2007 the band started to be noticed more widely and has since played literally all of Copenhagens venues such as Vega, Rust, Huset, Global Cph, Copenhagen Jazzhouse, Stengade 30, Pumpehuset and even the Royal Danish Theatre
.
In 2008 the group was invited to participate in a workshop in New York City
conducted by David Krakauer
. As part of the workshop they played at the David Krakauer Young Artists Concert in Carnegie Hall
.
The band returned to the city later that year where they ie. performed for the new york gypsy festival, was resident band at the legendary Mehanata Bulgarian Bar, resulting in 16 days with 12 concerts.
2009 saw Mames Babegenush release of their first album, Klezmer Killed The Radiostar. They also perform a concert in the Auditorium of the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek
, a venue otherwise mainly used for classical concerts, performed at the biggest danish showcase SPOT in Aarhus, supported the american band Gogol Bordello at Vega, played the finalconert for the Copenhagen Jazzfestival (Cph Jazzhouse) and went on international tours, both back to new york and to Argentina
(klezfiesta).
In 2010 Mames Babegenush played a long range of concerts in the DK, pumpehuset, toldkammeret, nordkraft, kulisselageret, global cph and RUST, as well as around Europe, Bucharest (yiddersher velt), Berlin (POPKOMM), Vienna (KlezMore) and Amsterdam (IJMF). The IJMF, a international music competition with 24 bands, was a big succes for the band as they was the band with the most awards: booking for the Fürth festival (in 11), the juryaward for the biggest contribution to cultural bridgebuilding and the audienceprize. Prizes included pr and a single release at Sheemspeed Records (New York) and representation at Golden Land Booking Agency (also New York).
2011 will see the bands next album release as well as international festivals.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
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...
band formed in 2004 Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
. In the beginning it playing quite traditional Klezmer music—with inspiration from artists such as Naftule Brandwein
Naftule Brandwein
Naftule Brandwein, or Naftuli Brandwine, was a Jewish clarinetist and influential klezmer musician.- Early life :Brandwein was born in Przemyslany, Poland-Galicia , into a family of klezmer musicians, part of the Stretiner Hasidic dynasty founded by Rabbi Yehuda Hirsch Brandwein of Stratin...
, Abe Schwartz
Abe Schwartz
Abe Schwartz was a well-known klezmer musician of the 1920s.Abe was born outside of Bucharest, Romania, and moved to the United States in 1899...
and Dave Tarras
Dave Tarras
Dave Tarras was possibly the most famous 20th century klezmer musician. He is known for his long career and his very skilled clarinet playing.-Biography:...
—but has increasingly developed its own sound.
The name means "Mom's aubergine salad" (Baba ghanoush
Baba ghanoush
Baba ghanoush, baba ganush, baba ghannouj or baba ghannoug is a Levantine dish of aubergine mashed and mixed with virgin olive oil and various seasonings. A popular preparation method is for the eggplant to be baked or broiled over an open flame before peeling, so that the pulp is soft and has a...
) in Yiddish
Yiddish language
Yiddish is a High German language of Ashkenazi Jewish origin, spoken throughout the world. It developed as a fusion of German dialects with Hebrew, Aramaic, Slavic languages and traces of Romance languages...
.
History
Mames Babegenush was founded in 2004 by a group of friends with an ambition to reform the Klezmer scene in Denmark. In the beginning they mainly played at Jewish weddings, bar mitzvahs and other celebrations in Copenhagen. They soon introduced a concept they called Klezmer attack, spontaneous, unannounced concerts for unknowing audiences in public spaces, like cafés, parks, bars, or for private celebrations. The band increasingly contributed to the world musicWorld music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
scene in Denmark, enjoying great underground success within the first two years of the groups existence. In 2007 the band started to be noticed more widely and has since played literally all of Copenhagens venues such as Vega, Rust, Huset, Global Cph, Copenhagen Jazzhouse, Stengade 30, Pumpehuset and even the Royal Danish Theatre
Royal Danish Theatre
The Royal Danish Theatre is both the national Danish performing arts institution and a name used to refer to its old purpose-built venue from 1874 located on Kongens Nytorv in Copenhagen. The theatre was founded in 1748, first serving as the theatre of the king, and then as the theatre of the...
.
In 2008 the group was invited to participate in a workshop in New York City
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...
conducted by David Krakauer
David Krakauer
David Krakauer is an American clarinetist. He is a graduate of the High School of Music & Art, class of 1974. He is mostly known for his klezmer compositions. He became involved with klezmer music in the late 1980s while working as a classical musician, joining The Klezmatics...
. As part of the workshop they played at the David Krakauer Young Artists Concert in Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
.
The band returned to the city later that year where they ie. performed for the new york gypsy festival, was resident band at the legendary Mehanata Bulgarian Bar, resulting in 16 days with 12 concerts.
2009 saw Mames Babegenush release of their first album, Klezmer Killed The Radiostar. They also perform a concert in the Auditorium of the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek
Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek
The Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek is an art museum in Copenhagen, Denmark...
, a venue otherwise mainly used for classical concerts, performed at the biggest danish showcase SPOT in Aarhus, supported the american band Gogol Bordello at Vega, played the finalconert for the Copenhagen Jazzfestival (Cph Jazzhouse) and went on international tours, both back to new york and to Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
(klezfiesta).
In 2010 Mames Babegenush played a long range of concerts in the DK, pumpehuset, toldkammeret, nordkraft, kulisselageret, global cph and RUST, as well as around Europe, Bucharest (yiddersher velt), Berlin (POPKOMM), Vienna (KlezMore) and Amsterdam (IJMF). The IJMF, a international music competition with 24 bands, was a big succes for the band as they was the band with the most awards: booking for the Fürth festival (in 11), the juryaward for the biggest contribution to cultural bridgebuilding and the audienceprize. Prizes included pr and a single release at Sheemspeed Records (New York) and representation at Golden Land Booking Agency (also New York).
2011 will see the bands next album release as well as international festivals.
Members
- Emil Goldschmidt – Clarinet, iPhone strings, percussion, vocals
- Lukas Rande – Saxophone, percussion, vocals
- Bo Rande – Flügelhorn, percussion, omnichord, vocals
- Nicolai Kornerup – Accordion, keyboards, guitar, vocals
- Andreas Møllerhøj – Bass, synth, vocals
- Christian Hørsted – Drums, piano, vocals
Discography
- Klezmer Killed the Radiostar, Calibrated Music (9 June 2009)