Video: Ruby-Throated--Danceable, Cultural, Fresh and... Klezmer?

"Ruby-Throated" is the name of a small ensemble specializing in Klezmer music. What's Klezmer? It's a traditional Eastern European Jewish folk music. This group of students incorporates folk, gypsy, and high energy music, infused with Bolivian rhythms.

Another unique aspect of this musical group is the blending of czardas into their presentation. A czardas is a Hungarian dance beginning with a slow tempo and gradually growing faster and faster until it explodes into a fiery ending.

Ruby-Throated met at Mission Viejo’s Saddleback College. They are all serious music students using 21^st Century youthful improvisation and experimentation to infuse traditional Klezmer songs. The result is a world music production that’s danceable, historic, cultural and fresh.

This five-piece is Jocelyn Raulston on violin and sitar, Spencer Wiles on accordion, Daniel Larrea on guitar, Rodrigo Moreno on bass and Suzanne Kite on violin.  Suzanne and Jocelyn center the attention with their expert violin playing and energetic leadership.  Moreno on upright bass is solid and charismatic while Larrea on guitar keeps the rhythm steady with his easy strumming and bobbing head.  The accordion locks into the Eastern European folksy beats with Wiles seated in a chair and looking somewhat serious for such happy music. Wiles arranged the traditional song I heard them play. On their web site a drummer joins their ensemble (sitting in), adding tambourine and bass drum to accent the fluctuating tempos. But for the most part the group is limited to the five players mentioned above.

The sunny afternoon I attended their outdoors performance rehearsal, Ruby- Throated stopped people in their tracks. They were peppered with applause from surprised bystanders. Their presentation transmitted both seriousness and exuberance to each song they played. What Ruby-Throated lacks in perfection and polish, they absolutely make up for with enthusiasm and talent.[1]  Bright things are definitely on the horizon for these dedicated musicians.

I had an opportunity to chat with violinist Suzanne Kite about her passion for music in general and her participation in the Ruby-Throated group.

PATCH:  I toured in the former Yugoslavia (now Croatia and Serbia) and enjoyed listening to live Gypsy bands over there. Your music on the Ruby-Throated website brought back warm musical memories for me.  What was the name of the songs you were playing?

SUZANNE KITE: In the (web site) videos we are playing Oi Tate (Oh Daddy) and Beckerman Honga.

PATCH: What are your musical goals?

S.K: I don’t know where life will take me, but I do know I want it to be driven by my desire to fully express myself through music. My most concrete goals at this point are to share Klezmer with a wider audience, become a stronger jazz musician, get into Cal Arts and complete a composition for symphonic orchestra.

PATCH: Are you currently a working musician as well as a Saddleback College student?

S.K: I am playing crazy Klezmer music at parties with Ruby-Throated and mainly having fun playing jazz at Spassos restaurant.

PATCH: Do you compose and arrange music?

S.K: With Ruby-Throated, we arrange the music as a group. However, I’ve composed a few pieces, mainly for small ensembles. My recent work “Static & Signal” was a performance piece for turntable, two violins, cello, bass, drum set and three circus dancers.

PATCH:  What do you mean by “a performance piece for turntable?”

S.K: The turntable is just like the turntable you play vinyl records on, just used as an instrument to ‘scratch.’   You can check out an example of it at this website.

PATCH:  How did you come up with that title, “Static & Signal?”

S.K: I came up with the title while driving through South Dakota and listening to the radio fade in and out. I thought of the title and saved it long before I wrote the music. We performed the piece I composed at Saddleback College.

PATCH: What instruments do you play? And tell me more about why you decided to play in a jazz ensemble at Saddleback College.

S.K: I play violin primarily, but dabble in piano and voice. I decided to play in a jazz ensemble to learn more about jazz and strengthen my improvisational skills. I love all kinds of music, especially electronic, hip hop, and of course classical, being a violinist.

PATCH: Who are some of your favorite artists that you listen to on your I-pod?

S.K.: The artists I’m listening to the most right now are Dexter Gordon, Alicia Svigals and Bonobo.

PATCH: How has music changed or improved your life?

S.K: Music gave focus, direction and stability to my life that I never thought I could possess.  Music has provided me with a channel to express my creative energy.

PATCH: Thank you.  It’s refreshing to experience youthful musicians embracing so many different styles and types of music, combining cultures and perpetuating joy into the universe through their love of music.  It’s uplifting and reminds us all that music matters!

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