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Susan Watts, left, and her mother Elaine Hofmann-Watts will perform at this year’s KlezmerQuerque.
An 80-year-old mother who plays the drums and her daughter who sings and plays the trumpet are the headliners of this weekend’s 2013 edition of KlezmerQuerque.
“I think it just keeps getting better,” daughter Susan Watts said in a phone interview about the long-running duo with her mother, Elaine Hofmann-Watts.
“It’s special to share with her. And we get along best when we’re on stage.”
The two women play klezmer — folk music of the Eastern European Jewish communities — in a traditional style. Many of the songs they do were composed and performed by Watts’ great-grandfather, the legendary klezmer musician Joseph Hofmann.
KlezmerQuerque will be held today through Sunday, Feb. 17 at Congregation Nahalat Shalom in Albuquerque.
Beth Cohen, the coordinator of KlezmerQuerque, now in its 11th year, said the mother-daughter headliners from Philadelphia fit in with what the weekend festival tries to accomplish.
“We are trying to learn about the old-country traditions and how things are passed down orally through families. That’s the tradition of this music and dances and the culture,” Cohen said.
Another special guest at KlezmerQuerque is dancer Bruce Bierman. Among others performing are the Nahalat Shalom Community Klezmer Band, the Alavados Holy Days Band, the Rikud Yiddish dance troupe and The Rebbe’s Orkestra.
Here is a list of festival activities, all of which are being held at Nahalat Shalom, 3606 Rio Grande NW.
♦ 6:30 tonight. “Der Freylekher Shabbes” (Joyous Shabbat) with Watts, Hofmann-Watts, Bierman and others. Free and open to the public. $18 suggested donation.
♦ 10 a.m. Saturday. Shabbes worship service with live music. Free and open to the public.
♦ 7 p.m. Saturday. Concert with Watts and Hofmann-Watts followed by a dance party with them, Bierman and members of several bands. $18 in advance for everyone; tickets at Bookworks. At the door $20 general public, $18 seniors, students and those on fixed income.
♦ 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Two music workshops with Watts and Hofmann-Watts; one with Watts; and three dance workshops with Bierman. $20 general public, $15 seniors, students and those on fixed income for each workshop.
♦ 1 p.m. Two documentary films by the Philadelphia Folklore Project, “Eatela, A Life in Klezmer” and “Goodnight, Mishegas”. Admission by donation.
Reprint story -- Email the reporter at dsteinberg@abqjournal.com. Call the reporter at 505-823-3925
