Biography
"a strong debut for this intriguing group..." Scott Janow, L.A. Jazz Scene
“… Masterful musicianship, tricky solos and fancy vocal work are all the signs of a good klezmer disc, and The Sisters of Sheynville deliver on all accounts. NOW Magazine, Aug. 2008
..."they've constantly electrified audiences wherever they've gone...a band dedicated to making joyful music!" ..."beautiful singing and harmonies...they can light up a studio with their musical joie de vivre..." The Canadian Jewish News, Nov. 2007
... “the most fun and unexpected addition to NXNE,” CHART ATTACK, June 2008
Nominated in 2 categories ("Best Vocal Group" and "Best World Album") at the Canadian Folk Music Awards, and winning the Vocal Group of the Year Award, Canada's only all-female swing-klez sextet is enjoying an exciting momentum. Since the release of their critically acclaimed debut CD Sheynville Express, produced by Beyond the Pale's Eric Stein, the Sisters of Sheynville have emerged as one of the most exciting new ensembles on the North American world music scene . In 2008, the band was invited to perform at major festivals in Washington, Winnipeg, NXNE and Toronto's Ashkenaz Festival; Vancouver, San Francisco and San Diego are slated for spring 2009.
The band debuted in April, 2005, with a repertoire inspired by the Barry Sisters' vintage Yiddish swing, as well as klezmer and roots music of the 1930s-40s old time radio era. Since then, the Sisters' sound evolved to include more jazz, improvisation, and original material. Their intricate 3-part vocal arrangements are supported by hot jazz and klezmer stylings from a crack ensemble featuring some of Toronto’s leading young jazz and klezmer instrumentalists.
The Sisters are: Lenka Lichtenberg (vocals, tambourine), Isabel Fryszberg (vocals); Fern Lindzon (piano, vocals); Kinneret Sagee (clarinet); Rachel Melas (double bass); Lorie Wolf (drums).
Our almost complete festival and club performance resume:
Washington Jewish Music Festival; Ashkenaz Festival; Mameloshen Yiddish Festival in Winnipeg; Toronto Downtown Jazz Festival, Distillery Jazz Festival, Celebrate Toronto Festival, Toronto City Roots Festival, Winterfolk and Downsview Park festivals, the Rex Jazz Bar Hotel, Toronto Performing Arts Centre, Leah Posluns and Al Green Theatres, Lula Lounge, the Free Times Cafe, the Gladstone Hotel, the Tranzac Club, Buffalo, and Workmen's Circle in New York.
radio interviews: Jazz FM, CIUT and CJTW;
airplay on a number of CBC and various world music programs across Canada; special program on Radio Sefarad, Spain.
band members:
LENKA LICHTENBERG: Lenka is a Prague-born singer, composer, arranger, producer, etnomusicologist, cantor and the Sisters' bandleader. In 2006, Czech TV has made a documentary about her unlikely journey, and in November, 2007, the prestigious music magazine « Harmony » devoted four pages to an interview with her. She performs internationally (since 2004: festivals and concerts in Dresden, Vienna, New York, Prague, Australia, England and Switzerland). Her next European tour is to Holland in November, 2008. Her critically acclaimed third CD, Pashtes,(in Yiddish), a collaboration with Brian Katz, was released at the Ashkenaz festival in Sept. 06. It is now receiving airplay in 23 countries. Lenka performs as a duo with Brian, and solo. To hear Lenka's music, visit http://www.lenkalichtenberg.com.
ISABEL FRYSZBERG: the band's creative director and the originator of the band's concept, is Canadian born to Polish Yiddish immigrants. She is a roots-based fiddler, singer/songwriter, musician and artist, who has made two documentary films. Isabel is also an occupational therapist who uses art for healing and social change in a program she developed with St. Michael's Hospital called the Creative Works Studio www.creativeworks-studio.ca.
FERN LINDZON - piano, voice: Fern is well known as a jazz pianist, singer, and arranger. Her debut jazz CD "Moments Like These" was released in January, 2008, and has received great reviews and a lot of attention. Fern's most recent Toronto performances include repeat engagements at the Opal Lounge, (solo, and duo with George Koller or Don Thompson), and with her trio at The Rex, and the Trane Studio Jazz Lounge. Her jazz trio has also performed at both the Distillery and Beaches Jazz Festivals as well as Downsview Park Fall Festival. Fern is now heading towards a busy festival season. Her klezmer-related activities include performing with the Lithuanian Empire as well as with the Sisters of Sheynville. For more information about Fern, musical excerpts, photos, and a slide show, visit http://www.fernlindzon.com/
RACHEL MELAS - string bass: Born in New York City, Rachel Melas started playing Bass in 1976 at the age of 16. Since then, she has played music continually in many different settings. She has been a bump on the log of Canadian music for the last 25 years performing every thing from the post punk groove music of the Animal Slaves to the World beat of Mother Tongue and the atmospheric Folk of the Courage of Lassie, amongst others. Playing string bass in a Klezmer-Swing band is the logical culmination of a long and varied career. She currently performs with Cajun dance band Swamperella, Rebel Klezmer band Pomegrante and singer songwriter Max Woolaver.
KINNERET SAGEE - A recent newcomer to Toronto, Kinneret is an active part of the music scene in the GTA and can regularily be seen with the 'Sisters of Sheynville', Nigunim and the Lithuanian Empire, as well as a number of orchestras around town. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Alberta, and a Master of Music degree in clarinet performance from Miami University of Ohio. Kinneret has performed internationally at Carnegie Hall in New York City, in Southern France and the Netherlands. Her musical styles include Classical and Klezmer, where she has had extensive study in both.
LORIE WOLF - drums: Award-winning Toronto drummer Lorie Wolf has performed in clubs and festivals all over Toronto and the GTA, playing klezmer, Latin, jazz and world music. She completed her bachelor's degree in fine arts at York University in Toronto, Canada, and a music degree at the Humber College. Lorie is also a certified teacher in Ontario and works with Learning Through the Arts, an organization that promotes arts-based education in the classroom. Lorie is currently finishing the recording of her original composition "Taibele and her Demon". She is also a member of groups Dull-Eyed Llamas and The Lithuanian Empire. For more, ww.loriewolf.com
From a review in “ Live Music Report”
“… The audience came prepared to love (and they showed it) the authentic (and it was) Yiddish repetoire…spirit, shmaltz, in-humour, vocal harmonies scat….you don’t need to be Jewish to hear that their chirirbiri bom riffs really rocked!”
Instrumentation
Lenka Lichtenberg, vocals, tambourine; Isabel Fryszberg, vocals; Fern Lindzon, piano, vocals; Rachel Melas, string bass; Kinneret Sagee, clarinet; Lorie Wolf, drums
Discography
debut CD Sheynville Express. Released November, 2007
produced by Eric Stein.
CdBaby.
Links
| http://www.sistersofsheynville.ca |
| CD Baby |
| MySpace page |
| Lenka's Myspace page |