The Gypsy Jive Band is here to  entertain you.....

In July, the Dance Me track was twice featured as "track of the week" at www.madeinmusic.com!

GYPSY JIVE BAND 

This Transylvanian born nightcrawler studied classical music at Toronto’s University Settlement. Has played in Georgian Bay symphony, Culture Vulture, Batsheva and various other groups. 

Roger Martindill: bass. 

As an Owen Sound transplant from Hamilton, he has found many incarnations in Symphony, jazz, swing, dixieland and NOW....even Klezmer. 

Jan Le Clair: accordion, vocals. 

Now living in Kingston, Jan has survived teaching life in elementary schools. Since she rekindled her love for the accordion, she has found herself in Russian choirs, klezmer bands and a favourite with accordionistes of other ilk. 
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Jill Weinger: guitar, vocals. 

As a Humber college student studying jazz, she adds many elements to Klezmer. She has played solo at Folk festivals and concerts as well as in jazz combos. 
 

HISTORY and Background: 

It is "COUNTRY and EASTERN". Yes, we play KLEZMER but to many of our Owen Sound audiences, we have had to mix Jewish music with western styles. After all, wasn’t Klezmer a mixing of European music traditions by wandering musicians? We play traditonal tunes..Yiddish, Ladino, Israeli. We play weddings, bar mitzvahs, folk festivals and the odd drinking establishment.You never know quite what comes next! 

Take the names of some of our tunes:"Love Potion #NEIN" or "Sweet Georgia Brownstein" or "Irish Shmedley" As teachers, we have studied this music and enjoy passing on historical and sociological quirks about the songs and music we play. 

Some recent venues have included: The Mill Race Festival (Cambridge), Summerfolk (Owen Sound), Israel at 50-Ontario Place and the Canadian National Exhibition...to name a few. As Don Crosby of the paper "Mosaic" says...."The Gypsy Jive Band is capable of converting the most hardened wallflowers into party animals". 
 

Eclectic Klezmer Blues - story:

Eclectic Klezmer Blues - Words

"I’ve got nothin in my pocket.
I don’t pay no union dues. 
I’m soarin' high flying like a rocket. 
I’m singing eclectic Klezmer Blues. 
Now sing aidy daidy daidy. 
Oy vays mir and boogedeeshoo.
Lay 5 big ones on me mamma baby. 
I’m singing eclectic Klezmer Blues. 
I sing Klezmer cowboy ditties.
I wear kosher cowboy boots. 
I like to sing out oy gevalt and Yippee. 
I put hot chillies in my chicken soup."