Krakauer & Tagg’s Square Peg Throwdown
KRAKAUER & TAGG’S SQUARE PEG THROWDOWN
Krakauer & Tagg’s Square Peg Throwdown! conceived & created by David Krakauer & Kathleen Tagg
David Krakauer, clarinet and vocals
Kathleen Tagg, producer, piano, keyboard, accordion, cello and sampler/electronics (Bella’s Calypso)
Sarah MK, rap vox and vocals
Yoshie Fruchter, electric guitar and oud
Jerome Harris, electric bass and vocals
Martin Shamoonpour, daf and jaw's harp
With contributions by:
Bergsonist, sampler/electronics (North Country Square Dance)
Jeremy Flower aka Keepalive, sampler/electronics (Krakky’s Rainbow Polka, Mazel Tov Cocktail Party, Hora at the Castle)
Krakauer & Tagg’s SquarePeg Throwdown! is a touring project that was born in the midst of the pandemic lockdowns of 2020. Conceived and created by Grammy-nominated “ebullient clarinet wizard” (Time Out NY) David Krakauer and multi-instrumentalist/producer Kathleen Tagg, this project showcases a multi-generational/high-octane group of collaborators from very different backgrounds, hailing from the USA, Canada, Iran and South Africa.
Together they embrace the diversity of today’s America through their unique take on a multitude of traditional roots musics, bringing their enormous musical and cultural diversity to the project and collaborating to create powerful original material. Old forms are celebrated both by bringing them into a 21st century sound-world and expanding the context to make room for new stories.
Featured on shows such as NPR's Morning Edition and Radio France International (RFI) Sessions Live, this project was created in response to the current climate of polarization that pervades our daily lives. In these uncertain times, it’s a chance to come together to celebrate our common humanity and foster joy, positivity and togetherness.
Their album, Mazel Tov Cocktail Party, has received rave reviews across North America and Europe:
France’s Le Monde says: “a breath of fresh air, an incentive to dance…In the face of the overwhelming negativity and alarming rise of hatred and intolerance in today's world, let's breathe and dance together…More than a suggestion, an injunction”
Roots World says: “An informal cocktail party typically lasts a few hours, and this one ends all too soon. 5 stars”
They have performed at venues that include Paris’ famed 2000-seater Théâtre du Châtelet and Vienna’s Porgy & Bess Club, and in venues large and small in France, Holland, Austria and the USA.
Krakauer’s klezmer-influenced clarinet leads the way along with Tagg’s quirky keys, electronics, electric cello & production; Martin Shamoonpour’s high-energy contributions on daf, riq, darbuka, jaw harp and flutes; Jerome Harris’ driving bass lines and vocals; rapper and singer Sarah MK’s evocative vocals in Québécois French and English; and Yoshie Fruchter’s wailing oud and electric guitar. In addition, electronic beats by Jeremy Flower, Socalled and Selwa Abd (aka Bergsonist) round out the sound for layering with the live performance.The project was initially created in isolation, individually and remotely in living rooms and basements in New York, upstate NY and Canada- with band members meeting in person for the first time a year after the project was recorded and the music videos were made.
Their influences are global, but the sound they create collectively has produced something uniquely their own. Familiar dance forms such as Polka or Square Dance never sounded this way before, with hand drumming, propulsive electronic beats, lyrics calling for catharsis and positivity, deep grooves and Krakauer’s wailing clarinet crying out for us to join together, celebrate and feel the power in our aliveness.
Artist Statement from David Krakauer & producer Kathleen Tagg:
Looking at the crushing negativity in the world today, we felt compelled at this point to put forward a musical celebration of our shared humanity. One of the songs in the project riffs off a slip of the tongue by a conservative pundit who called Molotov Cocktails “Mazel Tov” Cocktails. We were tickled by the imagery of a “Mazel Tov Cocktail” lighting up the world with hope and joy- instead of being a destructive force. This is summed up by the lyrics of the title track of the album: “Get unplugged, Stop being Afraid. Look Your neighbor in the eye, and wish ‘em well. And raise a glass of a sizzling brew. To light up the world and make things new.” We take traditional, old dance forms and completely recast them to bring an overt message of tolerance and celebration of our shared humanity.
Photo by Remi Hostekind. Click here for hi-res download.
Photo by Laura Carbone. Click here for hi-res download.
“Rhythmically it goes around the world: Square Dance-Polka-Calypso-Hora and back. Iranian drums and electronic beats, harmonica and sampler, jew's harp and bass, guitar and oud – the mixture can hardly be more colorful and yet nothing slips into complacent arbitrariness here. The focus is clearly on the slogan "Party!". Because: "It's been a really hard two years, and we need to move together. We wanted to make new tunes that got people up and dancing. It's a party, and you're all invited!" So let's go! Mazeltov!.”
Karsten Zimalla: WESTZEIT
Photo by Remi Hostekind. Click here for hi-res download.
“This project, positive and bright, ..... is intended, in contrast to the deadly explosiveness of a Molotov cocktail, to illuminate the world with hope and joy. It is.....a very beautiful invigorating opus…”
François Saddi: 5PLANÊTES
Photo by Laura Carbone. Click here for hi-res download.
