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Debby Davis
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Robert Zelickman
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George Svoboda
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Bertram Turetzky
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Bob Weller
About Us
Deborah Davis
It's no accident that singer Deborah Davis performs with the Second Avenue Klezmer Ensemble. She grew up in Brooklyn, New York and lived with her immigrant grandmother who loved to sing and who introduced her to the music of her youth and the songs of New York's Yiddish musical theatre, which once thrived along Second Avenue.
"Food and music are the two most accessible things for people," she believes -- "the tastes that you remember, the dishes your mother and grandmother made and the music you heard. These are the things that make you feel at home." If her emotional link to her Jewish heritage attracted Ms. Davis to Klezmer music, it was her experience and reputation as a singer and performer that made it possible.
In 1991 Deborah and Clarinetist Robert Zelickman teamed up to found the Second Avenue Klezmer Ensemble. In 2001 Deborah became the first ordained cantor in the Humanistic Jewish movement. Since that time, she has had the privilege to be able to officiate at over 200 weddings. For more information about Deborah.s wedding business please go to www.deborahjdavis.com.
Robert Zelickman
Robert Zelickman, clarinetist, has been teaching and performing in San Diego since 1982. He is a member of the bass clarinet quartet JAMB and co-director of Second Avenue Klezmer Ensemble. Robert was a member of Orchestra Nova for 23 seasons and has performed with the San Diego Symphony and the San Diego Opera.
Recently, Robert retired from UC San Diego where he lectured on Jewish Music, conducted the Wind Ensemble and performed regularly, premiering many new compositions. He currently performs in recitals and chamber music concerts throughout San Diego.
Zelickman earned his BA at UCLA and a MFA at Cal Arts. He studied with Hugo Raimondi, Michele Zukovsky and Ronald Rueben. For further information on the JAMB Quartet, please go to www.jambquartet.com
George Svoboda
Born in Cheb, Czechoslovakia and now residing in San Diego, California, Mr. Svoboda studied guitar and history of music at the State Conservatory of Music in Pilsen, Czechoslovakia. He received his Bachelor's Degree in Music at San Diego State University in 1996 and his Master's Degree in Music in 1998.
In a move toward freedom -- artistically as well as politically -- he left Czechoslovakia in 1981 and performed for two years in Vienna, Austria. At the end of 1982 he moved to the USA and settled in San Diego. It was there that he met and performed with the musicians that now comprise the Second Avenue Klezmer Ensemble.
"Klezmer is European music and I grew up hearing it," he says. Even though it was suppressed officially, Klezmer was played by Gypsies and the Jewish musicians in that area and became part of his heritage. "Music is what I do and it's the best part of my life," says Svoboda. "It's my connection to the old country... It's an emotional thing with me."
Mr. Svoboda has also been actively involved in teaching for over twenty-five years. He is currently a tenured Professor at San Diego Mesa College where he has been teaching performance studies and guitar.
George was recently praised by San Diego Tribune staff writer Bob Corbett as "a first- class musician, top-drawer stuff... his fingers seem to fly effortlessly across the guitar strings. The music that results is full of life. It's happy."
Mr. Svoboda has been heard in concert in his native Czechoslovakia as well as England, Germany, Spain, Hungary, Austria, Mexico, Taiwan, Canada and the United States. For more information about George, please go to www.georgesvoboda.com
Bertram Turetzky
Bertram Turetzky has been a key figure in the renaissance of the contrabass, and since 1955 more than 300 new works have been written for, performed and recorded by him, making him the most frequently recorded contrabass soloist in America. In fact, Mr. Turetzky is one of only a few performers to have single-handedly created a large and impressive repertory of music for his instrument.
Although Mr. Turetzky is equally versed in contemporary, jazz and classical music, for him, playing Klezmer is like coming home. "Klezmer is the first music I heard as a child, and it brings back the memory of my father reading in Shul. My mother loved songs like .Sheyn Vi Di L.Vone.. Klezmer music takes me back in time."
Mr. Turetzky's career includes a multitude of performances at concerts and festivals in music centers of the world. In addition, he is the author of The Contemporary Contrabass (1974), outlining new techniques for the instrument. Bertram Turetzky is a Professor Emeritus of music at the University of California, San Diego, where he spends a major part of each year in residence.
Bob Weller
Pianist/Percussionist/Composer Bob Weller has enjoyed a significant career as a jazz drummer, working with jazz greats Joe Pass, Mose Allison, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Benny Golson, Kenny Baron, Herb Ellis, Dave Carpenter, Walt Weiskopf, Larry Koonse, Hollis Gentry III, Jeff Beal, Steve Tavaglione, Anthony Davis and Mike Garson. He has also recorded and performed with experimental/free jazz/avante garde artists including George Lewis, Bertram Turetzky, Nathan Hubbard, Lisle Ellis, Vinny Golia, Jason Robinson, David Borgo and wife Ellen Weller.
In addition to progressive jazz recordings with his brother, LA drummer Dick Weller, he has recorded with the radical klezmer group Rabbinical School Dropouts on John Zorn's Tzadik label, as well as two recordings with the Second Avenue Klezmer Ensemble.
Bob earned the RPT [Registered Piano Technician] designation from the Piano Technicians Guild in 2001. At present he makes a living teaching at Palomar college and playing drums and piano. Bob recently earned his Master's degree in psychology. For more information on Bob Weller please go to www.wellermusic.com