Radiant Others: A Klezmer Music Podcast

Ilya Shneyveys is an international performer, accordionist and multi-instrumentalist, teacher, composer, arranger and producer of contemporary Jewish music. He's one of the most in demand musicians on the klezmer scene and works in just about every setting imaginable, from the traditional to the most cutting edge. This episode is a “return to form” with Dan … Continue reading Ilya Shneyveys →

Today on the Radiant Others Podcast, Dan speaks with Ira Khonen Temple. Ira is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and embedded cultural organizer. Recent credits include accordionist for Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish, and music director of Indecent at the Weston Playhouse, Great Small Works' Muntergang and Other Cheerful Downfalls, the Aftselakhis Spectacle Committe Purimshpil, and … Continue reading Ira Khonen Temple →

Today on The Radiant Others Podcast we hear a conversation between Dan and Aaron Bendich, the founder of Borscht Beat, a multifaceted cultural project with a focus on Jewish Music. After a decade of collecting records, Bendich launched Borscht Beat as a radio program on WJFF Radio Catskill in early 2021 (listen to past programs here). … Continue reading Aaron Bendich/Borscht Beat →

What would it be like if klezmer music's geographic and historical continuity had never been interrupted? Today I talk to violinist, composer, educator, and researcher Zoë Aqua about her experiences researching Jewish and non-Jewish music in Transylvania and surrounding regions in Hungary and Romania. These are regions where musicians have been exceptionally successful at keeping … Continue reading Zoë Aqua →

How do you bring people in and get them invested in Ashkenazic Expressive Culture? The Klezmer Institute has a few ideas! In this episode I sit down with Klezmer Institute leaders Christina Crowder (her 2nd appearance on the Podcast!) and Clara Byom. They share stories about how this community fueled organization began, where they are … Continue reading The Klezmer Institute →

A very hearty welcome back to the Radiant Others Podcast! There is a lot of new music coming out in our Yiddish world, and so it's the perfect time to drop back in with NEW episodes to share conversations with the people making it happen! This is our first in a while and it's a … Continue reading Tsvey Brider →

Hello Everyone!  Dan Blacksberg here, to let you know that the Radiant Others Podcast will have New Episodes coming to your podcast feed very soon! There's a lot of really amazing music and work being done right now in our klezmer and Yiddish world. I can't wait to share new episodes that feature wonderful people … Continue reading COMING SOON: New Episodes →

I’m thrilled to share this very special episode of the Radiant Others Podcast with you all. On this episode: Ray Musiker. Ray is a living legend – clarinetist, saxophonist, educator and composer. He’s a leading figure in 20th-century Yiddish-American music and he’s still leading the way in the 21st century.  Ray is the fourth generation … Continue reading "RAY MUSIKER LIVING MUSICAL LEGACY PODCAST"

I'm thrilled to share this very special episode of the Radiant Others Podcast with you all. On this episode: Ray Musiker. Ray is a living legend – clarinetist, saxophonist, educator and composer. He's a leading figure in 20th-century Yiddish-American music and he's still leading the way in the 21st century. Ray is the fourth generation … Continue reading RAY MUSIKER LIVING MUSICAL LEGACY PODCAST →

After a hiatus due to many great composition and performing projects, the Radiant Others Klezmer Music Podcast is back! And we are back with a great one! In today’s episode I talk to bassist, tubist, guitarist, producer, songwriter, guerrilla folklorist, and all around musical macher, Mark Rubin. Mark and I met at Klezkamp in 2002, … Continue reading "Mark Rubin (Radiant Others Returns!)"

After a hiatus due to many great composition and performing projects, the Radiant Others Klezmer Music Podcast is back! And we are back with a great one! In today's episode I talk to bassist, tubist, guitarist, producer, songwriter, guerrilla folklorist, and all around musical macher, Mark Rubin. Mark and I met at Klezkamp in 2002, … Continue reading Mark Rubin (Radiant Others Returns!) →

On Sunday, October 28th in Philadelphia, a concert took place called Soul Songs: Inspiring Women of Klezmer. It was conceived and led by the one and only Susan Watts, (check out her episode from a while back) and featured a total of 11 women and non-binary klezmer musicians. The concert had only new compositions by … Continue reading "Susan Watts – Soul Songs Reflections"

On Sunday, October 28th in Philadelphia, a concert took place called Soul Songs: Inspiring Women of Klezmer. It was conceived and led by the one and only Susan Watts, (check out her episode from a while back) and featured a total of 11 women and non-binary klezmer musicians. The concert had only new compositions by … Continue reading Susan Watts – Soul Songs Reflections →

Hi Everyone! Welcome back to another episode of Radiant Others! I’m really glad we’re rolling again with new episodes and this one is a good one. Christina Crowder is an accordionist, and an important researcher of klezmer, Romanian and Moldavian musics. She’s great to play with, and great to hang out with. We go deep … Continue reading "Christina Crowder"

Hi Everyone! Welcome back to another episode of Radiant Others! I'm really glad we're rolling again with new episodes and this one is a good one. Christina Crowder is an accordionist, and an important researcher of klezmer, Romanian and Moldavian musics. She's great to play with, and great to hang out with. We go deep … Continue reading Christina Crowder →

The Radiant Others is back! After a break that was part chosen, part almost forced, I’m so excited to share a good batch of new episodes with you all. And I can’t think of a better musician to start things off than David Buchbinder. David is a trumpeter, a composer, and a big thinker. He … Continue reading "David Buchbinder"

The Radiant Others podcast is back! After a break that was part chosen, part almost forced, I'm so excited to share a good batch of new episodes with you all. And I can't think of a better musician to start things off than David Buchbinder. David is a trumpeter, a composer, and a big thinker. … Continue reading David Buchbinder →

Here is part 2 of my interview with scholar and curator Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett. In part 1, BKG talked about growing up, her work, and her career in academia. In today’s conversation we delve deeply into the work that’s occupied her directly for at least the last 10 years: being the chief curator of the POLIN … Continue reading "BKG Part 2"

Here is part 2 of my interview with scholar and curator Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett. In part 1, BKG talked about growing up, her work, and her career in academia. In today's conversation we delve deeply into the work that's occupied her directly for at least the last 10 years: being the chief curator of the POLIN … Continue reading BKG Part 2 →

Finishing out this mini-season of Radiant Others with a very special 2-part interview with the amazing Professor Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett, or as she’s known among the klezmer world, BKG. Barbara is a groundbreaking scholar in Jewish and Performance Studies, a University Professor at the Tisch School at NYU, and the Chief Curator of the POLIN Museum … Continue reading "BKG Part 1"

Finishing out this mini-season of Radiant Others with a very special 2-part interview with the amazing Professor Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett, or as she's known among the klezmer world, BKG. Barbara is a groundbreaking scholar in Jewish and Performance Studies, a University Professor at the Tisch School at NYU, and the Chief Curator of the POLIN Museum … Continue reading BKG Part 1 →

Today’s episode features singer, music researcher, and arts advocate Ethel Raim. Actually, it’s quite hard to encapsulate Ethel’s long and continuing career. She’s the emeritus artistic director of the Center For Traditional Music and Dance, is a noted teacher of Yiddish, Balkan, and other styles of folk singing, and founded the important folk group The … Continue reading "Ethel Raim"

Today's episode features singer, music researcher, and arts advocate Ethel Raim. Actually, it's quite hard to encapsulate Ethel's long and continuing career. She's the emeritus artistic director of the Center For Traditional Music and Dance, is a noted teacher of Yiddish, Balkan, and other styles of folk singing, and founded the important folk group The … Continue reading Ethel Raim →

Today on the podcast, Susan Hoffman-Lankin-Watts. Susan is a fourth generation (at least!) Philadelphia klezmer musician and one of my favorite trumpet players in this music. If you want to hear the spirit of the old world come from the bell of a trumpet, listen to Susuan. The daughter of klezmer drumming legend Elaine Hoffman-Watts … Continue reading "Susan Hoffman-Lankin-Watts"

Today on the podcast, Susan Hoffman-Lankin-Watts. Susan is a fourth generation (at least!) Philadelphia klezmer musician and one of my favorite trumpet players in this music. If you want to hear the spirit of the old world come from the bell of a trumpet, listen to Susuan. The daughter of klezmer drumming legend Elaine Hoffman-Watts … Continue reading Susan Watts →

Hi everyone, the Radiant Others Podcast is back! I’m so excited to share this conversation with the great klezmer accordionist Sanne Möricke, from Berlin. We got to talk back in November when we were working on a project (as yet unnamed) with Michael Winograd in Brooklyn. Sanne is one of my favorite klezmer accordionists and … Continue reading "Sanne Möricke"

Hi everyone, the Radiant Others Podcast is back! I'm so excited to share this conversation with the great klezmer accordionist Sanne Möricke, from Berlin. We got to talk back in November when we were working on a project (as yet unnamed) with Michael Winograd in Brooklyn. Sanne is one of my favorite klezmer accordionists and … Continue reading Sanne Möricke →

Welcome everyone, to the 6th episode of the Radiant Others Klezmer music Podcast!! What can I say about the band Veretski Pass? Veretski Pass takes its name from the mountain pass through which Magyar tribes crossed into the Carpathian basin to settle what later became the Austro-Hungarian Empire. These three musicians, Cookie Segelstein, Josh Horowitz, … Continue reading Veretski Pass →

Welcome everyone, to the 5th episode of the Radiant Others Klezmer music Podcast!! I had the pleasure of talking to ethnomusicologist and historian Mark Slobin at Klezkanada back in August. We had a great talk about the arc of cultural revivals, the creation of Ethnic identity in the US, and of course, the early days … Continue reading Mark Slobin →

Welcome everyone, to the 4th episode of the Radiant Others Klezmer music Podcast!! This episode also marks the beginning of our 2nd mini-season! Today I'm excited to present two conversations with two great Yiddish singers, Shura Lipovsky and Josh Waletsky. Shura and Josh both compose new Yiddish songs and each in their own way, show … Continue reading Shura Lipovsky/Josh Waletsky →

Welcome to the 3rd episode of Radiant Others: A Klezmer Music Podcast! Today on the podcast, historian, musicologist, tsimbalist, and Yiddish dancer, Zev Feldman. Zev Feldman is one of the most central figures of the klezmer revival. He was instrumental in introducing the great clarinet virtuoso Dave Tarras to a wider audience and has released … Continue reading Zev Feldman →

Welcome everyone, to the very first episode of Radiant Others: A Klezmer Music Podcast! My name is Dan Blacksberg and usually I'm playing trombone when a microphone is front of me instead of talking. Maybe some listeners will know me as a klezmer trombonist, maybe some of you know me through the avant garde jazz … Continue reading Michael Winograd →