2/26/2009

I came across a post on Blog in Dm by Shalom on March 27, 2008 in which he inquires about the musicians on the first Mark 3 album recorded on June 13 1966. I’m delighted that the album is still listened to 43 years later. Before I answer Shalom’s question, here is some background.

Jordan Penkower and I were students at Yeshiva University High School in Washington Heights, NY from 1956-1960. He and I would get together and perform during those years, he on alto sax and I on accordion. In 1960, we met Ben Hulkower, a drummer, in Camp HILI in White Lake, New York . We frequently performed for the camp that summer. That summer, the Mark 3 was born. Six years later, with the release of The New Jewish Sound, The Mark 3 Orchestra and Singers, the group became one of the most popular Jewish musical groups, frequently performing at NCSY(National Conference for Synagogue Youth) conventions as well as weddings, bar mitzvahs and concerts througout the country.

Shalom is correct in that the entire album was performed “live” in the studio in one day. What is not generally known is that the album had been previously recorded over, I believe, two days. However, due to technical problems involving microphones being out of phase and not discovered until after the entire recording was done, the entire album had to be re-recorded. And yes, we did that in one day, all playing at the same time.

And now to the musicians on the album; Ben Hulkower on drums, Jordan Penkower on alto sax and myself on accordion. We were the founders of the Mark 3. Also performing on the album was Chizik Epstein, of the Epstein Brothers, on clarinet, Harvey Goldin on tenor sax, clarinet(on Mizmor L’Dovid) and flute(on Dabeir Eilai Bifrachim), Hy Simon on trombone, Jack(or is it Frank?) Leone on electric guitar, and Rick Heckendorn on String Bass. Singing on the album were Mike Chernick and Jackie Gross.

If there are any other questions regarding The Mark 3, ask away and I’ll be glad to respond to the best of my memory!

The accordion used on KlezSqueeze! and most of my new CD, Arise! is a custom built  Titano with 5 sets of hand-made reeds on the keyboard as well as on the bass. Two bassoon sets are in the tone chamber. Two middle, one of which is detuned(musette) and one piccolo set are out of the chamber. The lowest note on the bass side is an A rather than the more customary C. Since many klezmer tunes as well as other Jewish music tunes are in D, this allows the dominant A to sound below the tonic D.  On the Arise CD, I used the musette stop my Borsini Bell Vienna 96 bass on the following tunes: A Story, The Bronx Waltz, and Jewrish Dance. The tuning of the Borsini is more typical of klezmer accordion tuning, that is, a bit sharper than the Titano.

I have recently sold my Titano and have purchased a wonderful new Bell accordion with hand-made reeds which I will use on my next CD along with my Borsini. The Bell has one set of bassoon and one middle set in the chamber and one middle and piccolo outside the chamber. The tuning is closer to 440 and thus no musette. The sound of the instrument is wonderful. I hope you will agree when you hear it on my next CD of original tunes which should be released early this summer.

Keep practising and listening. Keep those questions coming. Thank you for your interest in my music.

Sy Kushner

2/17/09

I’ve been receiving inquiries to explain the titles of the tunes on my latest CD, Arise! New Jewish Music by Sy Kushner.

Dee Dee refers simply to the fact that the main theme is based on an octave(8 notes) leap from d to d.

A Minor Tune is written in the key of A minor.

2AFD was written for my son who plays alto sax on this recording. 2AFD stands for “To Aaron from Dad”.

Merengklez was influenced by my love of Latin music. You can hear that in the bongo and conga rhythms. However it still retains a Jewish feel, hence the name.

The Bronx Waltz: Yes I lived in the Bronx for the first 25 years of my life. This tune reflects my fond memories of and nostalgia for the Bronx. On my next CD there will be a tune called Soundview Waltz. Soundview is the section of the Bronx in which I lived for most of my youth.

Do I Hear an Echo? Do you hear an echo? Listen for it. The band echoes the alto sax during the first and last section of the tune.

Mishebelly Dance reflects my love of Mideastern music while maintaining the Jewish sound by the use of the Mishebeirach mode.

Jewrish Dance reflects my love of Irish music. The interplay between the accordion and violin is typical of the genre. While using triplets popular in Irish music, the
tune is written in a minor mode.

Ken A Hora and Bulgar is dedicated to my good friend and clarinetist on this CD, Ken Maltz.

I hope that the following response will answer some of your inquiries.

Sy Kushner

2/10/2009

Greetings and welcome to my blog. I set this up in response to the many questions I’ve received ranging from my days with the Mark Three, to the instrument I use, and to the meaning of the names of the tunes on the Arise! album. I will use this blog to answer those and many other questions which have been and might be asked.

Each musical project in my life has been special. Some have been more commercially successful than others, but I’ve always been true to myself and have followed my musical interests to wherever they’ve taken me without regard for their commercial potential.

Please feel free to write to me through my website at nulitemusic.com and I will do my best to answer your inquiries through my blog.

I will write again soon with a post dealing with my newest project, the Arise! CD and book of transcriptions of tunes from the CD. In the meantime, stay well, keep listening to and playing that beautiful thing called music.

All the Best.

Sy Kushner