Q&A with KlezFactor\'s Mike Anklewicz

Pic: Photos courtesy of Mike Anklewicz

Although they consider their performance a test run with their new band members, the klezmer-fusion group KlezFactor have two upcoming gigs: The Rex in Toronto on Oct. 21 at 9:30pm and a live-recording performance at The Trane Studio on Dec. 4 in accordance with their fifth anniversary.

Performing in the band at The Tranzac were Mike Anklewicz (saxophone, clarinet), Ali Berkok (piano), Jaro Dabrowski (guitar), Jaron Freeman-Fox (violin), David MacDougall (drums) and Tony McKnight (bass).

Shalom Life - KlezFactor began in 2004. How did the band come together?

Mike Anklewicz - Well, when I returned from finishing my master’s degree in Boston and realized that I’d be starting my PhD studies at York – in other words, remaining in Toronto for an extended period of time – I knew it was time to get my klezmer-fusion project going. I knew that I wanted the instrumentation that we have now – violin, clarinet/sax, keyboards, guitar, bass and drums. I mostly recruited guys that I had played with before or musicians that were recommended to me by other band members.

Shalom Life - Can you give us a little background on klezmer music and why you have chosen to focus on it?

Mike Anklewicz - The simplest definition of klezmer that I give is that it’s Eastern-European Jewish Instrumental Dance music. It’s the music of the weddings and celebrations of the Yiddish-speaking Jews in a region called “Ashkenaz” (those Jews who lived there are called Ashkenazis), which stretched from Germany in the west to Russia in the east, but most of the population was concentrated in what is now Poland, Ukraine, Romania, Moldova and Hungary.

The music shares a lot of common territory with other non-Jewish styles of music from the same region, and there was a lot of cross-pollination of musical styles and genres with Roma (Gypsy) musicians.

Shalom Life - You often refer to yourself as a klezmer-fusion band. Is fusion a common practice among contemporary klezmer musicians?

Mike Anklewicz - Fusion has definitely become an integral part of the klezmer revival, but it can be traced back much further than contemporary musicians. Much of the “authentic” repertoire recorded in New York in the first half of the twentieth century is already a fusion of traditional and American styles, and there is evidence to show that even in Eastern Europe, styles and genres were being passed between musicians of varying ethnic backgrounds.

In today’s klezmer scene, there are a lot of exciting groups that are definitely looking beyond the traditional. Montreal-based musician Socalled (Josh Dolgin) really is bridging a lot of genres in the music of his projects including an amazing band called Abraham, Inc. which features New York based clarinetist David Krakauer, and trombonist Fred Wesley (from James Brown’s bands) in a klezmer-hip-hop-funk fusion! I think that when you examine the klezmer scene, anyone under 35 is involved in some kind of fusion project.

Shalom Life - You clearly integrate jazz elements into your music but can you elaborate on your other musical influences?

Mike Anklewicz - I basically count every kind of music that I’ve ever heard as an influence of some sort. Over the years, I’ve studied classical music, jazz, rock, R&B, the music of Frank Zappa, Bulgarian music, and Middle-Eastern music to varying degrees. My personal musical philosophy is that it’s all music. These days, music from all over the world is easily accessible and when you hear enough of it, you realize that there are many shared characteristics that can be made to complement each other.

Shalom Life - How does your Jewish background influence your work?

Mike Anklewicz - Well, being Jewish, and growing up in a Jewish home, I think that I can only be Jewish. I don’t bring any other perspective to my work. For KlezFactor, I do consciously try to bring a Jewish element (which can be fairly nebulous) into the music. However, I think the music needs to be judged as music and not as “Jewish music.” It needs to speak for itself.

Shalom Life - On your website (www.klezfactor.com) there is a note stating you have a new band lineup. How is this going? And what are new band members Tony McKnight (bass) and Jaron Freeman-Fox (violin) bringing to the table?