Mark your calendars for Saturday, December 8 at the Silverton Gallery. The veteran Klezmer singer, playwright, actor and Yiddishist , Allan Merovitz will be with us to celebrate the first night of Hannukkah. The multi-talented artist will treat the audience to a one-man show, where he will regale us with songs, stories, candle lighting and dance. Yes, Allan is also a “Badchan,” a director of wedding festivities, and will be leading us in Jewish circle dances, so bring your dancing shoes – or dance barefoot!
Born and raised in a Hasidic Jewish Family in the Ottawa Valley, Allan’s first language was Yiddish. With his powerful voice, Allan has always been attracted to Klezmer music, and has been touring and performing for years with his own musical shows, reflecting his knowledge and interest in Yiddish repertoire and Jewish tradition. In 1999, Allan created a Hanukkah show with storytelling to accompany a launch tour of the cd Festival of Lights with the Dutch group Ot Azoj and he will be using this album to accompany the dances.
Allan has recorded and toured North America and Europe with top Klezmer and Yiddish ensembles, to name a few: Toronto’s Flying Bulgar Klezmer Band, Simcha Klezmer Ensemble with Martin van de Ven, Sasha Luminski and Monique Lansdorp. He has also headed up the the band Klezmerovitz.
As a storyteller, Allan is recognized as a “Keeper of Memories” in communities that have experienced his in-depth knowledge of Jewish stories. What Allan brings alive in his performances is the universal human quality that connects all people and cultures in the grand family of humans on this fragile Earth. Allan most recently participated in Peace Project in Israel, a collaboration of Christian, Muslim and Jewish artists.
When not on tour, Allan is based in Calgary. Locals may have seen him perform in 2010 at the Starbelly Jam Festival, where he played a wonderful set of Klezmer and Sephardic music with local “vunder kinders” Bessie Wapp and Ben Jonson, and Calgarians Frank and Ben Rakow.
We are so fortunate to have Allan come to Silverton for this first night of Hanukkah. Rumour has it that there will be goodies and latkes served, and that local young musicians may steal the spotlight with a few songs as an opening act.
Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for kids, and $25 for a family with up to two adults and three kids. Show time is at 7:00 p.m., tickets at the door only. For more information call 250-358-7198 and www.silvertongallery.ca. For more information about Allan Merovitz see http://allanmerovitz.com/Home.html
