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David Krakauer

Only a select few artists have the ability to convey their message to the back row, to galvanize an audience with a visceral power that connects on a universal level. David Krakauer is such an artist. Widely considered one of the greatest clarinetists on the planet, he has been praised internationally as a key innovator in modern klezmer as well as a major voice in classical music.

Known simply as “Krakauer” to his fervent following, he is nothing less than an American original who has embarked on a tremendous journey transforming the music of his Eastern European Jewish heritage into something uniquely contemporary. That journey has lead Krakauer to an astounding diversity of projects and collaborations ranging from solo appearances with orchestras to major festival concerts with his own improvisation based bands.

He has shared the stage with a wide array of artists such as the Klezmatics, Fred Wesley, Itzhak Perlman, Socalled, Eiko and Koma, Leonard Slatkin and Iva Bitova while being sought after by such composers as Danny Elfman, Osvaldo Golijov, David Del Tredici, John Zorn, George Tsontakis, Mohammed Fairouz and Wlad Marhulets to interpret their works. In addition, he has performed with renowned string quartets including the Kronos, Tokyo and the Emerson and as soloist with orchestras such as the Orchestre de Lyon, the Orquestra Sinfonica de Madrid, the Phoenix Symphony, the Brooklyn Philharmonic, the Dresdener Philharmonie and the Detroit Symphony, among many others.

Writer Mark Stryker hinted at the visceral nature of Krakauer’s performance in his Detroit Free Press review: “Krakauer played with astounding virtuosity and charisma. A furiously improvised cadenza leapt between low and high registers in a way that suggested John Coltrane, building to an excited peak. After the concerto he also offered an encore, improvising by himself with an air of ritual, before playing a swift klezmer dance with the orchestra.”

Having been showered with accolades for his groundbreaking work in classical, klezmer and jazz, Krakauer now finds himself at an artistic crossroads and is ready to make a daring leap into a new phase in his career. His next project, The Big Picture, may be his most adventurous to date. With an all-star crew of fellow musical renegades, Krakauer is re-imagining familiar themes by such renowned film music composers as John Williams, Marvin Hamlisch, Randy Newman, Wojciech Kilar and Vangelis, as well as interpreting melodic gems by the likes of Sidney Bechet, Sergei Prokofiev, Mel Brooks, Ralph Burns, John Kander & Fred Ebb and Jerry Bock that have appeared in popular films. Having already contributed to films by directors Ang Lee and Sally Potter, Krakauer now takes on the challenge of bringing a modernist vision to tunes that resonate on a deeply emotional level with generations of moviegoers.

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Album Review

David Krakauer & Kathleen Tagg: Mazel Tov Cocktail Party!

Read "Mazel Tov Cocktail Party!" reviewed by Chris M. Slawecki


When David Krakauer and Kathleen Tagg announced the release of Mazel Tov Cocktail Party! , they included this accompanying statement: “This project riffs off a slip of the tongue by a conservative pundit who called Molotov Cocktails “Mazel Tov" Cocktails. We were tickled by the imagery of a “Mazel Tov Cocktail" lighting up the world with hope and joy—instead of being a destructive force... We wanted to take traditional, old dance forms and completely recast them to bring an overt ...

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From the Inside Out

Bird Songs, Tripping Fantásia, Real Harmony & Klezmer-Hop

Read "Bird Songs, Tripping Fantásia, Real Harmony & Klezmer-Hop" reviewed by Chris M. Slawecki


Alex Bird & the Jazz Mavericks You Are the Light and the Way Self-Produced 2021 You Are the Light and the Way presents an interesting challenge for a writer. Twelve new songs by Canadian vocalist Alex Bird (lyrics and music) and keyboardist Ewan Farncombe (music and arrangements) consistently sound like new “songbook classics"--in several places, as if Harry Connick Jr. magically composed music with Johnny Mercer. Bird, Farncombe and the ...

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Radio & Podcasts

David Krakauer, Julie Sassoon, Maximilian Hering, Kamasi Washington & More New Releases

Read "David Krakauer, Julie Sassoon, Maximilian Hering, Kamasi Washington & More New Releases" reviewed by Ludovico Granvassu


If you need certainties to anchor your life in these confusing times, purchase the latest album by David Krakauer and you'll find that there are a few things that never fail to bring joy. The same goes for the heart-warming, and leg warming, old school soul and funk that is featured on this playlist, and the compelling projects by a number of international bands which guarantee a rewarding listening experience. Wrapping things up, the latest by Kamasi Washington.Happy ...

3
Album Review

Abraham Inc.: Together We Stand

Read "Together We Stand" reviewed by Chris M. Slawecki


"Ever since I formed Klezmer Madness! in the mid 1990's I've been exploring the possibilities of adding funk, jazz, and lately hip-hop influences to klezmer," explains David Krakauer, an expert clarinet voice in jazz, klezmer and classical music. So, when Krakauer learned during a 2005 tour with pianist, accordionist, singer, rapper, composer and producer Josh “Socalled" Dolgin that a friend of a friend was performing with Fred Wesley, the clarinetist determined to meet the trombone player to discuss exploring potential ...

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Album Review

Krakauer's Ancestral Groove: Checkpoint

Read "Checkpoint" reviewed by Chris M. Slawecki


Clarinet master David Krakauer was born in raised in New York City. As he spread his considerable chops throughout NYC's classical, electronica and jazz scenes, he became known as a Klezmer specialist but just as often appeared as a soloist or member of various symphony orchestras, string quartets and chamber ensembles alongside a head-shaking variety of artists--Tzhak Perlman, Fred Wesley, John Zorn, the Kronos Quartet, Natalie Merchant, the Klezmatics, and many others. “It's been just over 25 years ...

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Album Review

Krakauer's Ancestral Groove: Checkpoint

Read "Checkpoint" reviewed by Glenn Astarita


Here, clarinetist David Krakauer derives influences from life's experiences and encounters, in alignment with his East European roots. And his Ancestral Groove outfit is once again up for the occasion. He's also revered for his important role in the New York City downtown scene amid stints and recordings for saxophonist, composer John Zorn's Tzadik records label. Krakauer's line of attack is often steeped in articulate formations of Klezmer, jazz and experimental processes. Indeed, he's a gifted technician and distinct stylist. ...

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Album Review

Krakauer's Ancestral Groove: Checkpoint

Read "Checkpoint" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky


Clarinetist David Krakauer has been exploring his Eastern European Jewish background through music for the past quarter century. He's managed to touch on his roots in varied ways during that time, tapping into Jewish history with some help from the Kronos Quartet on The Dreams And Prayers Of Isaac The Blind (Nonesuch, 1997), finding common ground for the work of the great Sidney Bechet and klezmer clarinetist Naftule Brandwein on Klezmer, NY (Tzadik, 1998), interpreting the music of John Zorn's ...

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2

Recording

David Krakauer's The Big Picture CD And Cinematic Concert At The Museum Of Jewish Heritage In Downtown Manhattan

David Krakauer's The Big Picture CD And Cinematic Concert At The Museum Of Jewish Heritage In Downtown Manhattan

Source: Antje Hübner

CLARINET VIRTUOSO DAVID KRAKAUER ANNOUNCES THE RELEASE OF HIS MOST ADVENTUROUS CD TO DATE “THE BIG PICTURE" AVAILABLE IN STORES AND ONLINE FEBRUARY 18, 2014 David Krakauer, clarinet Jenny Scheinman, violin Adam Rogers, guitars Rob Burger, keys, organ, accordion, vibes Greg Cohen, double bass Jim Black, drums, percussion Sheryl Bailey, guitar Nicki Parrott, double bass Keepalive, sampler THE CD RELEASE COINCIDES WITH A MONTH-LONG ENGAGEMENT AT ...

Event

From Carnegie Hall To Lower Manhattan - David Krakauer Brings His Clarinet Mastery To The Stone; September 24-29, 2013

From Carnegie Hall To Lower Manhattan - David Krakauer  Brings His Clarinet Mastery To The Stone; September 24-29, 2013

Source: hubtone PR

New York - A major artist of great renown, clarinetist David Krakauer showcases his virtuosity in an intimate setting. He brings his unique sound to a week-long residency at The Stone, John Zornʼs downtown hot spot in lower Mahattan.

As well as being a significant voice in the classical world, Krakauer is considered to be one of the most important innovators in Jewish klezmer music; contextualizing the ancestral sounds of his Eastern European roots for the 21st century. All of ...

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Recording

David Krakauer releases Pruflas: The Book of Angels Vol. 18 Music by John Zorn on Tzadik Records

David Krakauer releases Pruflas: The Book of Angels Vol. 18 Music by John Zorn on Tzadik Records

Source: Jensen Artists

Clarinetist David Krakauer, praised internationally for his astounding ability to play in a myriad of music genres with “prodigious chops” (The New Yorker) and “soulfulness and electrifying showiness” (The New York Times), has recorded for the Tzadik label a collection of tunes selected especially for him to play by John Zorn from his milestone work, The Book of Angels. The Book of Angels is the second book of 300 songs for Zorn’s band, Masada, composed over a period of a ...

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Performance / Tour

duoJalal CD Release Concert 4/27 at Drom (NYC) featuring David Krakauer and Glen Velez

duoJalal CD Release Concert 4/27 at Drom (NYC) featuring David Krakauer and Glen Velez

Source: AMT Public Relations

Acclaimed Artists Kathryn Lockwood + Yousif Sheronick with Special Guests David Krakauer + Glen Velez duoJalal performs LIVE in concert Wednesday, April 27th @ 8:00PM at DROM (85 Avenue A, Train F to 2nd Ave). Tickets: $15/Advance $12. To purchase tickets, please visit www.dromNYC.com or call 212.777.1157. “If this is what world music's future holds, bring on the party." —Toronto Star NEW YORK —- duoJalal, the musical pairing of Australian-born classical violist Kathryn Lockwood and her husband, American/Lebanese world percussionist ...

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Performance / Tour

Clarinetist David Krakauer's Klezmer All Star Bash at Carnegie Hall

Clarinetist David Krakauer's Klezmer All Star Bash at Carnegie Hall

Source: Michael Ricci

The Wild and Woolly Music of the Shtetl, in All Its Infinite Variety.

The clarinetist David Krakauer, the artistic director of Klezmer All-Star Bash at Carnegie Hall on Thursday, taking the stage to play a number with the Klezmatics, one of the evenings acts.

What comes after a revival? Thats the question that a generation of klezmer-loving, mostly Jewish musicians has been exploring for the last few decades, not least at Klezmer All-Star Bash, a concert on Thursday night at ...

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Performance / Tour

David Krakauer's Klezmer Madness! Northwest U.S Tour Schedule

David Krakauer's Klezmer Madness! Northwest U.S Tour Schedule

Source: All About Jazz

The music on Bubbemeises: Lies My Gramma Told Me--the new Label Bleu CD that teams David Krakauer with Jewish hip hop beat architect Socalled--is not your gramma's klezmer. Unless gramma likes remixed Hasidic chant, klezmer tributes to James Brown, and an in-your-face raving battle for reinvented Jewish identity. See Klezmer Madness! at the following venues: San Francisco: *Dec 10th at 8pm- w/special guest Uri Caine Herbst Theater; 401 Van Ness Ave (Presented by San Francisco Performances) *Dec. 11th at 3:00pm ...

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Mazel Tov Cocktail...

Table Pounding Records
2022

buy

Together We Stand

Table Pounding Records
2019

buy

The Big Picture

Label Bleu
2016

buy

Checkpoint

Table Pounding Records
2016

buy

The Big Picture...

Table Pounding Records
2014

buy

Best Of

Cristal Records
2013

buy

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