Mames Babegenush is a Danish Klezmer band formed in 2004 Copenhagen. In the beginning it playing quite traditional Klezmer music—with inspiration from artists such as Naftule Brandwein, Abe Schwartz and Dave Tarras—but has increasingly developed its own sound.[1]
The name means "Mom's aubergine salad" (Baba ghanoush) in Yiddish.
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Mames Babegenush was founded in 2004 by a group of friends with an ambition to reform the Klezmer scene in Denmark.[2] In the beginning they mainly played at Jewish weddings, bar mitzvahs and other celebrations in Copenhagen. They soon introduced a concept they called Klezmer attack, spontaneous, unannounced concerts for unknowing audiences in public spaces, like cafés, parks, bars, or for private celebrations. The band increasingly contributed to the world music scene in Denmark, enjoying great underground success within the first two years of the groups existence. In 2007 the band started to be noticed more widely and has since played literally all of Copenhagens venues such as Vega, Rust, Huset, Global Cph, Copenhagen Jazzhouse, Stengade 30, Pumpehuset and even the Royal Danish Theatre.
In 2008 the group was invited to participate in a workshop in New York City conducted by David Krakauer. As part of the workshop they played at the David Krakauer Young Artists Concert in Carnegie Hall.[2][3] The band returned to the city later that year where they ie. performed for the new york gypsy festival, was resident band at the legendary Mehanata Bulgarian Bar, resulting in 16 days with 12 concerts.
2009 saw Mames Babegenush release of their first album, Klezmer Killed The Radiostar. They also perform a concert in the Auditorium of the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek,[4] a venue otherwise mainly used for classical concerts, performed at the biggest danish showcase SPOT in Aarhus, supported the american band Gogol Bordello at Vega, played the finalconert for the Copenhagen Jazzfestival (Cph Jazzhouse) and went on international tours, both back to new york and to Argentina (klezfiesta).
In 2010 Mames Babegenush played a long range of concerts in the DK, pumpehuset, toldkammeret, nordkraft, kulisselageret, global cph and RUST, as well as around Europe, Bucharest (yiddersher velt), Berlin (POPKOMM), Vienna (KlezMore) and Amsterdam (IJMF). The IJMF, a international music competition with 24 bands, was a big succes for the band as they was the band with the most awards: booking for the Fürth festival (in 11), the juryaward for the biggest contribution to cultural bridgebuilding and the audienceprize. Prizes included pr and a single release at Sheemspeed Records (New York) and representation at Golden Land Booking Agency (also New York).
2011 will see the bands next album release as well as international festivals.