The National Yiddish Theatre - Folksbiene is a popular charity that has been featured on our Cause Celeb page three times in the past few years. Past pieces about this group featured Zalmen Mlotek, Fyvush Finkel and Neil Sedaka.
On January 16th 2012, the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr.; three singers and four musicians got together to bring us a collaboration of African American soul music and traditional Yiddish music at the Peter Norton Symphony Space in New York City. Magda Fishman, an Israeli-born singer-songwriter; Elmore James, a Broadway veteran and Opera singer; and Tony Perry, a singer-songwriter joined forces with Zalmen Mlotek, the artistic director of The National Yiddish Theater - Folksbiene to create a diverse show with a unique array of music called Soul to Soul: A Celebration of African American and Jewish Song.
That first performance was over a year ago but their work continues to thrive in 2013! More recently the group hit the road performing in Los Angeles, California on January 31st and Chattanooga, Tennessee on February 11th.
Mlotek was sparked with this idea after meeting James, who approached him because he was interested in learning Yiddish and Yiddish music. Not long after, Perry and Fishman joined the pair and the work they have been doing together thus far has been “amazing” exclaims Perry. It is obvious even to a musical outsider that their energy flows when they are together. It’s easy to see how similar Yiddish and African American music really is. “Not only does both Yiddish and African American music favor minor chords and blues notes but they both have similar ways of expressing themselves.” Perry explains. James adds “Yiddish music reminds me of blues and jazz.”
Everyone involved in the project agrees that it’s not just about the music, it’s about the soul. According to Mlotek “The similarity comes from the passion, there are musical things to find as well of course, but it’s more about what’s between the lines, the passion and the intent.” This became evident after Fishman got teary-eyed and overwhelmed by emotion during their final rehearsal last year. “I have realized it comes from within. Both Yiddish and African American music is so expressive and rich.”
The show is in both English and Yiddish and includes songs such as ‘This Little Light Of Mine’, ‘A Change Is Gonna Come’ by Sam Cooke and ‘Es Brent’ by Morkhe Gebirtig. Fishman belts out soul music just as artfully as Perry and James sing Yiddish tunes. They have mastered each others style.
The musicians have worked together diligently to perfect this masterpiece, but rehearsal has always been more than just deciding on a b flat instead of a b natural. This is about bringing two cultures together through music and sharing that music with an eager audience.
Both groups are no strangers to hardship. They have both been persecuted and enslaved for simply being who they are. This coming together clearly draws the similarities in both their music and their history. “Martin Luther King Jr. was a role model of courage for both communities” Fishman emphasizes.
In 1965, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel linked arms with Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. on a march to Montgomery. This was a pivotal moment in African American and Jewish history showing the world they were strong together. “Whenever Martin Luther King Jr. made a speech and marched, EVERYONE could identify with him not just the Jewish community,” James explains.
“We are always looking for new ways to bring this material to new audiences” Mlotek explains “We are not talking to a Yiddish audience; we are talking to a Yiddish interested audience.”
With such a successful collaboration of music, perhaps a Yiddish Rap concert is in Folksbiene’s future? Mlotek replies “I’m always open to new things to do with Yiddish ‘music’. You never know…”
