The Ethnic Connection performs Jewish Klezmer music, as well as Balkan Folk Dance music. Klezmer is the Yiddish word for musician, but the term now generally refers to the Jewish bands that played in Eastern Europe (and in the U.S.) until World War II -- and by revival bands since the 1970's. Their repertoire included Yiddish and Hebrew songs, and also whatever the local people wanted to hear and dance to: freylekhs, bulgars, polkas, waltzes, Romanian horas, Russian shers, Greek syrtos, Serbian kolos, etc.
When klezmorim arrived in America, they incorporated lots of new styles in their music -- ragtime, jazz, swing, Latin. A common style among current revival bands is jazz oriented, with brass and drums. But this is by no means the only authentic style. We play a style more like Brave Old World.
The Ethnic Connection is also one of the leading Balkan folk dance bands in the midwest. We regularly play for folk dance parties in Ann Arbor (see Events Page), emphasizing Bulgarian, Serbian, Macedonian, Greek, and Israeli. Often these are in conjunction with Veselba, another Ann Arbor band led by Bruce Sagan, which plays traditional village Bulgarian music on gudulka, kaval, tambura, and tupan, as well as some Scandinavian.
We play for contra dances too, an eclectic mix of traditional fiddle tunes, Balkan dance tunes, and unexpected old folk and pop songs (which we often sing, and sometimes have the dancers singing too!). Because of the singing, and the frequent segueing to other tunes, we are perhaps most suitable for experienced dancers (or easy dances), so this won't distract them too much! (See Events Page for links to contra info pages.)
We also play songs and ballroom dance music from the 1930's and 40's -- foxtrots, swing, tangos, etc.
The Ethnic Connection is an acoustic band, founded in 1988, consisting of four talented and versatile musicians:
David Owens -- accordion, piano, vocals. Previously directed the NAMA Orchestra in California. One of their LPs (NAMA 2, Balkan folk dances), is still available. And there is now a new Best of NAMA CD available!
Nan Nelson -- mandolin, guitar, dumbek, tambura, tupan, bass, vocals. Nan also plays with Veselba (a traditional Bulgarian band), and has had a small Russian ensemble, the Firebird Balalaika Orchestra, in Ann Arbor.
Ralph Katz -- clarinet, frula, vocals.
Carol Palms -- bass, violin, vocals. Carol and her husband Mark also run The Raisin Pickers, an old-timey / swing band based in Manchester, Michigan.