2008

2008-11

Good news and bad news!

We're thrilled to be featured performers in San Francisco Symphony's "Deck the Hall" holiday concerts for children at Davies Symphony Hall, 201 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco. Shows are Sunday December 7th, at 11 am and 3 pm, plus a schools-only program at 10:30 am on Monday December 8th.

Treat your children to this festive holiday party featuring a magical presentation on stage at Davies Symphony Hall. The post-show parties in the lobbies include entertainment, arts and crafts activities, decorated trees, and refreshments.

As you might guess, we'll be representing the Chanukah aspect of the holiday season.

The bad news? Concert tickets are sold out! Call the Box Office at (415) 864-6000 for turnbacks on concert-only seats. However, good seats are still available for the Angel Reception! For information about the pre-concert Angel Reception packages including premium concert seats, call the Volunteer Council at (415) 503-5500.

Your consolation? Our CD "Spice It Up!" makes a fine Chanukah present, tasty as a latke and fewer fats and carbohydrates.... You can order from our website.

2008-10

In addition to various private events, we have a few public shows coming up that we hope will attract you:

THE FIRST ANNUAL SONOMA JEWISH MUSIC AND ART FESTIVAL :: Sunday, October 19

Congregation Shir Shalom

252 W. Spain St., Sonoma CA

www.shir-shalom.org/festival

festival@shir-shalom.org

707/935-3636

Outdoor Festival: 1 - 6 PM (no admission charge) [We'll play from 3-4 pm]

Showcasing Jewish artists, musicians (and noshes!) in a celebration of the Jewish creative cultural tradition. Music by klezmer band The Red Hot Chachkas and others.

2008-08

For those who haven't yet seen the August 14, 2008, issue of j. (the Jewish News Weekly of Northern California), we're honored that for the third year in a row we were recognized as Readers Choice First Place Klezmer Band, San Francisco and North Bay:

The klezmer sounds of the Red Hot Chachkas have made them a reader favorite for years, and it's no surprise that they won over fans in San Francisco and North Bay. The band has been together for 11 years, and its longevity truly makes the Chachkas special. Says Julie Egger of the Red Hot Chachkas: "Whenever we play together we have a really good time."

To celebrate, we've just added a show at Ashkenaz, Berkeley, on Wednesday Sept. 3, 2008. Hope to see you there!

Concert-Dance at Ashkenaz Music & Dance Community Center, 1317 San Pablo Ave. at Gilman, Berkeley. Doors at 7:30 pm; Yiddish Dance lesson with Bruce Bierman at 8:00 pm; Show starts at 8:30 pm.

2008-06

Thanks to all of you who bought our CD, "Spice It Up!," and/or attended our various CD-release shows. We're still enjoying that material, but already working on some new tunes. Here's what's next on the public calendar:

2008-02

Thanks to those who braved the elements to attend our Ashkenaz show in January, and bought our new CD, "Spice It Up!." Those who missed out - or are ready for another round of red hot klezmer music - here's what's coming next:

Sweetwater Station, Larkspur :: 8:30 PM, Friday Feb. 8

Concert-Dance-CD Release Party at the Sweetwater Station on Magnolia, until recently called the "Larkspur Cafe Theater," Sweetwater's, charming new adjunct at 500 Magnolia Ave., Larkspur, CA (415-924-6107). MAP ($10)

Annette Brodovsky Memorial Benefit Concert, Davis :: 3-5 PM, Sunday Feb. 10

Featuring Freilachmakers Klezmer String Band, Davis Klezmer Orchestra, Red Hot Chachkas. At Congregation Bet Haverim / Jewish Fellowship of Davis, Sanctuary, 1715 Anderson Road, Davis, CA. All proceeds to benefit the family of Annette Brodovsky, a violinist who was part of the KlezCalifornia community. For more information, please contact Elaine Fingerett (fingerett@pacbell.net or 530-756-7474).

See Poster (pdf) :: More Info

KQED-TV Spark* :: 7:30 PM, Wednesday Feb. 27

Klezmer revival in the Bay Area is the subject of this KQED-TV "Spark*" segment, originally broadcast 6/27/2007, featuring Prof. Martin Schwartz, KlezCalifornia and the Red Hot Chachkas. Also available as Online Streaming Video (7 min.)

JSOF/JCCSF Purim Dance Party, San Francisco :: 8-11 PM, Saturday March 22

Dancing, costumes, food, wine with "Jewish Singles Over Forty" at Kanbar Hall, JCCSF, 3200 California St. at Presidio Ave., San Francisco. More info and tickets

Further....

    • Our accordion player Glenn Hartman will appear leading The Klezmer Playboys at the Dance Palace in Pt. Reyes Station on Sunday, March 9th (4 PM), and at Jewish Music Festival shows including "The Ark" on Saturday March 29th, and Community Dance Party on Sunday March 30th.
    • Our mandolin player Tony Phillips will assemble most of the Bay Area's leading klezmer mandolinists for the ever-populous Instant Klezmer Mandolin Orchestra at the San Francisco Festival of the Mandolins on Sunday April 13th.
    • Our leader and violinist Julie Egger will teach klezmer fiddle at Fiddlekids, a summer camp for kids devoted to traditional fiddle music, June 23-27 in the East Bay. She'll also perform, accompanied by Tony, at the instructor's concert at the Freight & Salvage in Berkeley on Sunday June 29th.

2008-01

Happy New Year! The days are starting to get longer and, in addition to a busy schedule of weddings and the like, we'll be playing in public a few times soon. Come and dance off those holiday calories!

KPFA-FM :: Thursday Jan. 3, 2008 :: 10-11 am

Barb and Tony will be guests on Stephen Kent's "Music of the World" show on KPFA (94.1 FM, http://www.kpfa.org/), to play a few tunes live, spin some tracks from "Spice It Up!," and encourage folks to come to our Ashkenaz show. Julie will phone in from an "undisclosed location."

Ashkenaz Dance :: Thursday Jan. 10, 2008 :: 7:30/8:30 pm

Concert-Dance-CD Release Party at Ashkenaz, 1317 San Pablo Ave. at Gilman, Berkeley. Public debut with our new accordion player, Glenn Hartman, of New Orleans Klezmer All-Star fame. Yiddish Dance lesson with Julie Egger at 7:30. Show starts 8:30 pm.

Larkspur Cafe Theater :: Friday Feb. 8, 2008 :: 8:30 pm

Concert-Dance-CD Release Party at Sweetwater's charming Larkspur Cafe Theater, 500 Magnolia Ave., Larkspur (415-924-6107). MAP

Annette Brodovsky Memorial Concert, Davis :: Sunday Feb. 10, 2008:: 3-5 pm

Freilachmakers Klezmer String Band, Davis Klezmer Orchestra, Red Hot Chachkas. At Congregation Bet Haverim/Jewish Fellowship of Davis, Sanctuary, 1715 Anderson Road, Davis CA. For more information, please contact Elaine Fingerett at fingerett@pacbell.net or 530-756-7474. See Poster (pdf) and Press release.

Annette Brodovsky, a wonderful violinist whom many of you may have met at KlezCalifornia, was killed by a car while on her way to a Passover Seder in April. Her band-mates from The Freilachmakers have organized this event to benefit Annette's family. It's particularly poignant for us, because our band-mate Matthew Sperry was also struck and killed by a vehicle in June 2003. (Julie composed a tune in his honor, “Suite Matthew,” which is on our new recording and also can be heard at http://matthewsperry.org/)

New CD :: “Spice It Up!”

Our second CD, packed with 72 minutes of original and unusual klezmer fusion, is now available at our shows, our website redhotchachkas.com, stores including Afikomen (Berkeley) and Down Home Music (Berkeley & El Cerrito), CDBaby, iTunes, or MySpace. See our website for glowing reviews and listen to some tracks

Julie on Klezmer Podcast

Klezmer Podcast 26. Julie discusses forming the band; her musical background; many original songs on "Spice It Up!"; her association with KlezCalifornia as Co-Founder and President. Hear "Little Gouda" from the album. Run time: 27:40.

2007-12

We've been busy lately getting our new CD out there, and hope you will check it out – either on disk, online, or one of our upcoming shows featuring material from the recording – or better yet, all of the above! We wanted to alert you to some recent developments.

The New CD :: “Spice It Up!”

Our second CD, packed with 72 minutes of original and unusual klezmer fusion, has been reviewed on KlezmerShack, and we hear it will soon be reviewed in the j - the Jewish news weekly too. It is now available from us at our shows, via our website redhotchachkas.com, stores including Afikomen (Berkeley) and Down Home Music (Berkeley & El Cerrito), CDBaby, iTunes, or MySpace. It makes a splendid Hannukah gift!

Beth Chaim Concert :: Thursday Dec. 7, 2007 :: 7 pm

Concert at Beth Chaim Congregation, 1800 Hollbrook Dr., Danville (925-736-7146)

Ashkenaz Dance :: Thursday Jan. 10, 2008 :: 7:30/8:30 pm

Concert-Dance-CD Release Party at Ashkenaz, 1317 San Pablo Ave. at Gilman, Berkeley. Dance lesson with Bruce Bierman and Julie Egger at 7:30 pm. Music starts at 8:30pm.

Annette Brodovsky Memorial Concert, Davis :: Sunday Feb. 10, 2008 :: 3 pm

Annette Brodovsky, a wonderful violinist whom many of you may have met at KlezCalifornia, was killed by a car while on her way to a Passover Seder in April. Her band-mates from The Freilachmakers are organizing a concert to benefit Annette's family. We're honored to participate. Details to follow.

It's particularly poignant for us, because our band-mate Matthew Sperry was also struck and killed by a vehicle in June 2003. Julie composed a tune in his honor, “Suite Matthew,” which is on our new recording and also can be heard at http://matthewsperry.org/

Larkspur Cafe Theater :: Saturday Feb. 16, 2008 :: 8:30 pm

Concert-Dance-CD Release Party at Sweetwater's charming Larkspur Cafe Theater, 500 Magnolia Ave., Larkspur (415-924-6107).