Monday, April 11, 2016

The Klezmadelic Krakauer

David Krakauer's Checkpoint CD release with Ancestral Groove, April 7, 2016, 
National Sawdust, Brooklyn

Clarinetist David Krakauer is one of the greatest artists of our time. His reputation must by now have made it to every shore.

Let’s describe the music he plays as post-funk-acid klezmer. He, with his band, play with an intensity that is savage, and it is unnecessary to mention his 'technique.' His capability is supernatural.

His roots come from the fiercely held Jewish music of Eastern Europe, the ecstatic rage of Allen Ginsburg, of Jimi Hendrix, yet he is a gentle and dignified soul, eternally young.

He introduced one of the numbers with an eloquent acknowledgement of the reality of today’s politicians and our present ways and standards of life; how in the sixties people thought very differently, and without warning he launched into a klezmer rap: “AND THEY WERE F**KING RIGHT YOU MOTHERF**KERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" than WAILED on his instrument. The audience went wild, WILD. David Krakauer expresses the rage of our city, our country, his and all races. His mastery is entirely incidental to his envisionings of injustice and sufferings. His multicultural band: Sheryl Bailey on electric guitar, Jerome Harris on electric bass, Micheal Sarin on drums, and the sampler artist known as ‘Keepalive’, unequivocally supported the mad musicianship of the clarinetist’s genius with unstinting intensity.

There have been known to be various psychedelic drug celebrations in our summer deserts, and the authorities used to look the other way. Thousands of artists would congregate, living in their cars or tents, and create. At the end of the week there would be a huge bonfire, everything scorched.

This is David's art.

~ CrackCritic

No comments:

Post a Comment