NATHALIE ATHLAN & 'HOTEGEKLEZT'

Nathalie Athlan: tales Itsik Lechtman: accordion Michel Borzykowski: saxophones Alain Ruaux: double bass

present:

'Diaspora blues, tales of the Jewish worlds'

The show was already presented in the 'Grange à Dede' (Soral), at the Saint-Pierre Church (Gaillard, France), at the Music Festival, stage of the AMJ (Friends of Jewish Music,) at the Hotel of Mauvoisin (Wallis), on the Arteplage of Yverdon for Expo-02 and at the Theater of the Parfumerie (Geneva, Switzerland).

Diaspora blues ?

My father was from here but born there. My mother was from elsewhere but she used to stay here. My father's father was rather from this place and my mother's mother from the other side. As for my mother's father, he left and crossed the ocean.

Up to that point, everything is all right… or almost… But you'll ask: 'What about my father's mother?' She rests in her last home, far from here, and God bless her soul!

But how shall I start to tell you where I come from? Starting softly, you know, is not in our tradition and as for arriving, nothing is played beforehand.

We are a bit the better off for it!

In the meantime, waiting for the answer, for the Messiah, for my (not already born) daughter's husband or for a new sewing machine, here are some tales. Some good Jewish tales. Tales from every wind that blows. Eventually family tales…

Like those people from whom I got them, these tales went on big journeys. They crossed many borders, many centuries, many traditions and… survived to oblivion. They crossed me and I offered no resistance. And that's how they framed me.

They are my ground. They are the flame that enlighten my night (and what a night, nowadays!). They are the breath that carries me to you. Here are my Jewish tales. Tales in music. I tell you! Because when words are missing, there is always a nigun, a little Jewish melody, to say "yom, tari tari, tam tari tari!"... and life goes on! Let's follow its marks!

last update: 2007-12-21