Clarinetist David Krakauer has mastered a wide-range of styles, including classical chamber music, Eastern European Klezmer music, the avant-garde, rock, and jazz. He is a natural storyteller who has dazzled colleagues and the public.
Krakauer is in demand worldwide as a guest soloist with the finest chamber music groups. Collaborations have included the Tokyo String Quartet, the Eroica Trio, the Kronos Quartet, the Lark Quartet, the Mendelssohn String Quartet, and the Empire Brass Quintet. Programs ranged from Brahms and Bartok to Schoenberg and Golijov.
As one of the leading musicians of the new wave of Klezmer music, David Krakauer tours the globe with his celebrated Klezmer Madness! Ensemble. While firmly rooted in traditional Klezmer folk tunes the band also pays homage to R&B jazz classical and funk.
His first release on the prestigious French jazz imprint Label Bleu A New Hot One garnered France’s prestigious Diapason d’Or Prize.
In 2020, David Krakauer released the album Breath & Hammer, a collaboration with New York-based composer, arranger, pianist, and producer Kathleen Tagg (born in South Africa). The album includes both original compositions and interpretations of the music of some of their closest friends, including John Zorn and Kinan Azmeh. The album includes jazz, klezmer, and western classical music.
The album Mazel Tov Cocktail Party by Krakauer and producer Kathleen Tagg is a response to global bigotry and intolerance. Released on February 25th, 2022, the project features a diverse group of world-class musicians. The album reimagines traditional dance forms like Polka and Hora with electronic beats, Middle Eastern drums, promoting a message of tolerance and inclusion. In the polarized climate of 2020, Krakauer and Tagg sought to unite people through music and dance, blending old dance forms with the diverse sounds of America.
Discography:
Klezmer Madness (Tzadik 711, 1995)
Klezmer NY (Tzadik 7127, 1998)
A New Hot One (Label Bleu 6617, 2000)
The Twelve Tribes (Label Bleu, 2002)
Johannes Brahms – The New York Philomusica Chamber Ensemble (New York Philomusica Records, 2002)
Klezmer Concertos and Encores (Milken Archive of Jewish Music, 2003)
Music From The Winery (Tzadik, 2004)
Krakauer Live in Krakow (Label Bleu, 2004)
Bubbemeises: Lies My Gramma Told Me (Label Bleu, 2005)
David Krakauer (Naxos, 2007)
Moravec: Tempest Fantasy / Mood Swings / B.A.S.S. Variations – Trio Solisti & Tweet Tweet – Abraham Inc. (Table Pounding Records, 2009)
The Best of David Krakauer (Label Bleu, 2010)
Pruflas: The Book of Angels (Tzadik, 2012)
Dreams & Prayers (Dreams & Prayers, 2014)
The Big Picture (United For Opportunity, 2014)
Ancestral Groove: Checkpoint (United For Opportunity, 2016)
Breath & Hammer, with Kathleen Tagg (Table Pounding Records, 2020)
Mazel Tov Cocktail Party (Label Bleu / Table Pounding Records / L’Autre Distribution, 2022)
website: www.davidkrakauer.com
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.