In the 'twilight years' (Sapoznik) of the 1950s
and 60s one Jewish entertainer stands out - Mickey Katz. He became popular in
the 1960s with his performances and recordings. Whilst he was best known for his
comedy routines in Yinglish (a mix of English and Yiddish) which included parodies
of American songs he also DJ'd on radio, led Yiddish musical reviews such as the
Borsht Capades, and recorded instrumental albums including 'Music for weddings,
barmitsvahs and brisses'. He work continued in the tradition of the vibrant Yiddish
culture of the pre war years. More recently jazz and klezmer musican Don Byrom
became interested in Katz' music and recorded his tribute Don Byrom plays the
music of Mickey Katz.
The
1960s and 1970s saw a general revival of interest in folk music and some US researchers
eventually found their way to YIVO. This is the Jewish Scientific Institute, founded
in 1925 in Vilna and relocated to New York in 1947, with its extensive library
and recordings of klezmer music. Their interest aroused, they found surviving
klezmorim and went to play with and learn from them. They formed new bands and
kick started a klezmer revival. Dave Tarras was persuaded to perform and record
his 'Master of the Clarinet' in 1979.
US band the Klezmorim released the
first of the new klezmer cds in 1977 'East Side Wedding' and bands formed in the
1970s elsewhere in the US. The Boston based Klezmer Conservatory Band started
by Hankus Netsky, became a training ground for some of the new generation of klezmorim
who went on to form their own bands such as Frank London (the Klezmatics), Deborah
Strauss and Jeff Warshauer (the Strauss/Warshauer duo) and Kurt Bjorling (Brave
Old World).
Next - 1980's - 1990's
