Klezcentricity At The Takoma Park Folk Festival

On Sept. 11, the local Klezmer band Klezcentricity delighted audiences at the 34^thannual Takoma Park Folk Festival in Takoma Park, Md.  

The band, formed in the ‘90s by renowned musician David Julian Gray and accordion player Wendy Morrison, has worked to pass on the traditions of Klezmer music in the Washington area for the past decade.

"Klezmer music comes from the Yiddish traditions. It is steeped in the culture of Ashkenazi Jews. Like all great music, we like to set up expectations and then subvert them," said Gray.   

Two hundred people stopped to listen to Klezcentricity on Sunday. Listeners commented on the beautiful sounds of the clarinet, accordion, and cello. Joel Bailes, of Capitol Hill, said that even though he has heard their music many times it continues to impress and inspire him. One fan commented that "they weren't just playing the music; they were the music."   

In the 1990s, Gray moved to Washington from Berkeley to take a job with NPR. In Berkeley, Gray was a founding member of The Klezmorim, a key band in the revival of Klezmer music worldwide. A mutual friend introduced him to Morrison, and during their first meeting the two played music together for 45 minutes nonstop. Base Guitarist Richard Seidel joined the band a few years later, and the group was complete.    

"We rely mainly on word of mouth. We play at local events, weddings more than anything. Our music is really intended for weddings and simchas. It is better and more satisfying that way," said Gray.    

In addition to weddings, the band performs at a variety of music festivals, such as the Takoma Park Folk Festival, an annual celebration of local bands, artists, and other exhibitions.

Takoma Park activist Sam Abbot founded the festival in 1978 in an attempt to raise money to save the Takoma Theatre. Even though he succeeded in raising enough money, he decided to continue to host the festival as a celebration for local culture, as well as a way to raise funds for youth groups like the boy and girl scouts.

"The Takoma Park Folk Festival is all about experiencing diversity. On the same stage on the same day, you can see an African band, a Native American band, a South American band, an Eastern European band, and a Jewish Klezmer band," said Kevin Adler, former chair of the festival who has been volunteering with the event since the early 90s.  

According to Adler, between 4,000 and 5,000 people came from around the Washington area this year to listen to music, eat a variety of international cuisine, and donate money to local groups.

Kevin Suyo, of Glover Park, said that he came to check out the event because he heard it was free and worth checking out.

"It's the kind of thing I have never seen in D.C. before," said Suyo.

One staple of the festival has been the Klezcentricity performance. Since its founding, the band has performed at the Takoma Park Folk Festival every year.  

"We love the Takoma Park Folk Festival because it is about more than just music. All local groups come together," said Gray.