Floralove Katz / OKB: “Bei Mir Bist Du Schön”
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“Bei Mir Bist Du Schön” (“To Me You’re Beautiful”): popular Yiddish song. Music: Sholom Secunda; Lyrics: Jacob Jacobs.
Floralove Katz, Wedding Officiant and Marriage Counsellor
Floralove Katz and The Ottawa Klezmer Band (OKB) (Videos)
For your wedding or special event, Ottawa Klezmer Band musicians are available as soloists, duets, trios, quartet, or as the entire ensemble.
Contact: [email protected]
Floralove Katz, M.S.W., B.A., G.C.C.R., Band Leader, Artistic Director, The Ottawa Klezmer Band; Vocalist, Cellist, Pianist
Starting piano lessons at age three and cello at 11, Floralove completed studies at the Conservatoire de musique de Québec in Montreal. A cellist with the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra for close to three decades, she sings soprano in opera choruses, and with the Ottawa Choral Society. She performs annual, solo concerts [Broadway tunes; folk songs; opera arias; “golden oldies” standards, Yiddish Theatre and Art Songs; seasonal and holiday classic repertoires (Robbie Burns Day; Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day; Canada Day; Remembrance Day; Chanukah; Christmas; New Year's)]. She appears on stage and television.
Katz founded The Ottawa Klezmer Band (OKB) over 35 years ago. Between them, OKB musicians have collectively performed over 150+ years of stage work. The OKB performs at fundraisers, major events, and private functions. Katz frequently invites young musicians to join the OKB, so they may broaden their cultural references, and gain invaluable stage, and performance experience with “seasoned veterans”.
Ottawa Klezmer Band members:
Adrian Cho, Double Bass;
(SEE: https://www.adriancho.com/photography; SEE: https://www.adriancho.com; SEE: https://carleton.ca/irn/adrian-cho/; SEE: https://www.ottawajazzorchestra.com).
Natasha Guiller, Piano, Accordion;
Floralove Katz, Band Leader, Artistic Director, Vocals, Cello, Piano;
(SEE: https://floraloveweddings.com)
Zak Pulak, Percussion, Marimba, Xylophones;
(SEE: https://zacpulak.com; SEE: https://sabian.com/artist/zac-pulak/; SEE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyQhdLMXZEGNZA_baXynefQ)
David Renaud, Clarinets, Saxophones;
(SEE: https://davidrenaudmusic.com; SEE: http://davidrenaud.ca; SEE: http://davidrenaud.ca/pianotechnician.html)
Musicians
Natasha Guiller, Pianist
[email protected]David Renaud, Reedman — Clarinet, Saxophones, Flute, Bass Clarinet
www.drjazz.ca · [email protected]Adrian Cho — Band Leader, Bass
[email protected]Zac Pulk, Percussionist
www.zacpulk.com
David Renaud (Clarinet) / OKB: “Lebedik Und Freilach”
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Featuring Clarinetist David Renaud - Ottawa Klezmer Band: “Lebedik und Freylach” (“Lively and Happy”).
Natasha Guiller (Accordion) / OKB: Freylach No. 12
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Natasha Guiller (Accordion) / OKB: Freylach No. 12 - traditional Klezmer music.
Floralove Katz / Ottawa Klezmer Band: “Belz”
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“Belz”: One of the most popular Yiddish theatre songs expressing longing for a “shtetl” hometown in Eastern Europe. Text: Jacob Jacobs (1892-1972); Music: Alexander Olshanetsky (1892-1946), written for Olshanetsky's play, “The Song of the Ghetto”.
Floralove Katz / OKB: “Expectation Waltz – Ershter Vals”
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Floralove Katz, Vocals / OKB: “Ershter Vals” (“My First Waltz” with you, was my first, greatest joy): Yiddish lyrics: Chaim Towber; Music: Herold Lavrentievich Kittler.
Floralove Katz, David Renaud: “Angels Sing / Shtiller Bulgar”
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Floralove Katz, Vocals; David Renaud, Clarinet / Ottawa Klezmer Band: “And the Angels Sing” - “Der Shtiller Bulgar” (“The Quiet Bulgar”) (Rumanian-Serbian): Lyrics: Johnny Mercer; Music: Ziggy Elman (1938).
Floralove Katz / Ottawa Klezmer Band: “Shtiller, Shtiller”
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“Shtiller, Shtiller” (“Quiet, Quiet”): Lyrics: S. Karczerinsky; Music: Alexander Volkoviski (Tamir), composed at age 11 in the Vilna ghetto. A lullaby to the graves based on the massacre of the Jews of Vilna at Ponary (Ponar).
Floralove Katz, Claudia Salguero / OKB: “Adio Kerida”
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Vocalists Floralove Katz and Claudia Salguero with the Ottawa Klezmer Band: “Adio Kerido” (“Goodbye Dear Love”): a traditional, ancient, Ladino song. The beautiful theme was later borrowed by Verdi for the aria, “Addio Del Passato”, sung by Violetta in his opera, “La Traviata”.
Floralove Katz, Claudia Salguero / OKB: “Los Bilbilicos”
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Vocalists Floralove Katz and Claudia Salguero with the Ottawa Klezmer Band: “Los Bilbilicos” (“The Nightingales Sing”): Sephardic Ladino (Judeo-Spanish) song.
Floralove Katz, David Renaud / OKB: “Shir LaShalom”
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Floralove Katz, Vocals; David Renaud, Clarinet / Ottawa Klezmer Band: “Shir LaShalom” (“A Song For Peace”): Lyrics: Yaakov Rotblit; Music: Yair Rosenblum (first performed 1969). An anthem expressing yearning, and striving for peace.
Floralove Katz / OKB: “Vu Nemt Men a Bisele Mazel? - Tum Balalaika”
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“Vu Nemt Men a Bisele Mazel? - Tum Balalaika” (“Where do you Find a Little Luck?”): Lyrics - Jewish Folk; Music: Benzion Witler (1907–1961). “Tum Balalaika” is a Russian Jewish (Yiddish) folk, and love song.
Floralove Katz, David Renaud: “Ikh Vil Es Hern Nokhamol Fun Dir”
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Floralove Katz, Vocals; David Renaud, Clarinet / OKB: “Ikh Vil Es Hern Nokhamol Fun Dir” (“I’d Like to Hear You Say It Again”): Music: Abraham Ellstein; Lyrics: Jacob Jacobs, Isidore Lillian; from the romantic musical comedy, “Ich Bin Farlibt” (“I’m in Love”) (1946).
Floralove Katz, David Renaud / OKB: “Farges Mikh Nit”
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Floralove Katz, Vocals; David Renaud, Clarinet / Ottawa Klezmer Band: “Farges Mikh Nit” (“Don't Forget Me”): Music: Abraham Ellstein; Lyrics: Jacob Jacobs; My heart pleads: please do not forget me. Though we are separated, our love will keep us close, forever.
Floralove Katz / OKB: “Chiri Bim, Chiri Bom”
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“Chiri Bim, Chiri Bom” is a classic, humorous Yiddish folksong.
David Renaud / OKB: “Bei a Gleyzeleh Mashke”
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David Renaud, Clarinet / OKB: “Bei a Gleyzele Mashkhe”: traditional, dynamic, Klezmer music.
David Renaud / OKB: “Machateynem Aheym - Der Heyser Bulgar”
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David Renaud, Clarinet / OKB: “Firn Di Machateynem Aheym” (“Escorting the In-Laws Home”); “Der Heyser Bulgar” (“The Hot Bulgar”).
David Renaud, Zac Pulac / OKB: “Bulgar Frailach”
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David Renaud, Clarinet; Zac Pulac, Percussion / OKB: Bulgar Frailach.
Floralove Katz / OKB: “Yossel, Yossel (Joseph, Joseph)”
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Floralove Katz, Vocals / OKB: “Yossel, Yossel” - “Oh Joseph, Joseph, won't you make your mind up?” is a traditional Yiddish song (1923), by Samuel Steinberg and Nellie Cashman. During WWII, when Sammy Cahn wrote the English lyrics, the song became a huge hit for the Andrews Sisters.
Floralove Katz / OKB: “Alle Brider, Alle Shvester”
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Floralove Katz, Vocals / OKB: “Alle Brider, Alle Shvester”: this song is an adaptation of a poem by Morris Winchevsky (1856-1932). In the 1920's, it was the most popular folk song in the old country at gatherings of the Bundt. Every singer added an extemporaneous verse. Lyrics: “And we are all brothers, And we are all sisters, and we sing happy songs together!”
Photographer: Howard Sandler
Videographer: Lukas Romsicki