Brian Choper
Encyclopedia
Brian Choper is an American drummer
, percussionist, band manager and author. With
over 30 years experience playing both nationally and internationally, he has been featured on 9 CD's,
authored an educational book on music management, and started his own entertainment management company; Washington's Entertainment Connection. Choper manages and plays in
five bands featuring a diverse combination of genres including klezmer
, Israeli
, jazz
, rock & roll and funk
, and is known for his ability to play a vast variety of styles and genre. His groups include The Choper Jazz Project, The Jazz
Connection, The Nexus Rock Band, The Kol Haruach Orchestra, and New Klezmer Quintet
.
During his earlier years, Choper was already creating innovations in the music world. In 1983, he won first prize at the Vienna International Music Festival for classical timpani
. He studied with notable teachers such as George Huttlin, Marshall Maley and Buddy Rich
. Choper was the first drummer to play with the Capital Klezmers; one of the top three folk bands in the country during the eighties. In 1992, Brian Choper was selected to participate in the International Music Festival in Safed
, Israel
as part of the Machaya Klezmer Band. He produced the group's second CD entitled What a Machaya, and is also featured on it. This CD became the number two selling folk album for 1997 (on the folk charts) and was rated as such in the prestigious Moment Magazine (August, 1997). As a result of Choper's public relations efforts and recognition with record distributors, the Machaya Klezmer Band soon became one of the top billing folk bands in the country. From the early 80's through the late 90's, Choper was primarily known as a klezmer
and rock
drummer. In the late 90's, he diversified to become a serious player in a variety of music including jazz
, Latin
, funk
, rock
and disco
. This was when he gained the interest to form his own bands. Brian is noted as one of the distinguished American drummers for his performance and band management abilities.
In 2002, after having been consulting on band management for the past ten years, Brian authored "Entertainment Connection Career Guidebook:" a manual that outlines the steps one needs to take in order to start and manage a band and find work as a professional musician. The book expresses Brian's experience not just as a performer, but as a band manager, agent, consultant and business owner.
In 2007, Brian Choper decided to take the klezmer
concept to concert halls, as these venues were inquiring with him. In order to create a band with a name and a sound that would be appreciated by people of all ethnic backgrounds, he created a sister band to his original Kol Haruach Klezmer Band and called it The New Klezmer Quintet
. In this group, Choper collaborates with Chris Huntington from the Crawdaddies, renowned clarinetist, Fred Jacobowitz, as well as Lou Durham; principal keyboard/arranger/composer with the United States Army Band
. Today this group is successful as a concert specific traditional and Neo-Klezmer band. It played for the 2009 presidential Inaugural festivities, and has been simulcast on NPR
. The band easily sells out major concert venues.
1996-What a Machaya; Machaya Klezmer Band
2002-Tap Your Feet to a Jewish Beat; Sally Heckelman
2004-An Evening For You; The Jazz Connection
2004-In the Beginning...Bereshit; The New Klezmer Quintet
2005-Kol Haruach-Live in Concert; Klezmer and Jazz-Together at Last; The Kol Haruach Klezmer Band
2008-"Unexpected Joy"-The New Klezmer Quintet-Live in Concert w/ Ramon Tasat; The New Klezmer Quintet
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
, percussionist, band manager and author. With
over 30 years experience playing both nationally and internationally, he has been featured on 9 CD's,
authored an educational book on music management, and started his own entertainment management company; Washington's Entertainment Connection. Choper manages and plays in
five bands featuring a diverse combination of genres including klezmer
Klezmer
Klezmer is a musical tradition of the Ashkenazic Jews of Eastern Europe. Played by professional musicians called klezmorim, the genre originally consisted largely of dance tunes and instrumental display pieces for weddings and other celebrations...
, Israeli
Culture of Israel
The culture of Israel developed long before the foundation of the State of Israel in 1948 and combines the heritage of secular and religious lives. Much of the diversity in Israel's culture comes from the diversity of its population...
, jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, rock & roll and funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
, and is known for his ability to play a vast variety of styles and genre. His groups include The Choper Jazz Project, The Jazz
Connection, The Nexus Rock Band, The Kol Haruach Orchestra, and New Klezmer Quintet
New Klezmer Quintet
The New Klezmer Quintet is a traditional klezmer band originally from the Washington, D.C. area. The group is also a neo-klezmer ensemble performing klezmer music while incorporating elements of modern Israeli folk music, ladino, jazz, Swing music, Latin music, and rock and roll styles...
.
During his earlier years, Choper was already creating innovations in the music world. In 1983, he won first prize at the Vienna International Music Festival for classical timpani
Timpani
Timpani, or kettledrums, are musical instruments in the percussion family. A type of drum, they consist of a skin called a head stretched over a large bowl traditionally made of copper. They are played by striking the head with a specialized drum stick called a timpani stick or timpani mallet...
. He studied with notable teachers such as George Huttlin, Marshall Maley and Buddy Rich
Buddy Rich
Bernard "Buddy" Rich was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. Rich was billed as "the world's greatest drummer" and was known for his virtuosic technique, power, groove, and speed.-Early life:...
. Choper was the first drummer to play with the Capital Klezmers; one of the top three folk bands in the country during the eighties. In 1992, Brian Choper was selected to participate in the International Music Festival in Safed
Safed
Safed , is a city in the Northern District of Israel. Located at an elevation of , Safed is the highest city in the Galilee and of Israel. Due to its high elevation, Safed experiences warm summers and cold, often snowy, winters...
, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
as part of the Machaya Klezmer Band. He produced the group's second CD entitled What a Machaya, and is also featured on it. This CD became the number two selling folk album for 1997 (on the folk charts) and was rated as such in the prestigious Moment Magazine (August, 1997). As a result of Choper's public relations efforts and recognition with record distributors, the Machaya Klezmer Band soon became one of the top billing folk bands in the country. From the early 80's through the late 90's, Choper was primarily known as a klezmer
Klezmer
Klezmer is a musical tradition of the Ashkenazic Jews of Eastern Europe. Played by professional musicians called klezmorim, the genre originally consisted largely of dance tunes and instrumental display pieces for weddings and other celebrations...
and rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
drummer. In the late 90's, he diversified to become a serious player in a variety of music including jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, Latin
Latin American music
Latin American music, found within Central and South America, is a series of musical styles and genres that mixes influences from Spanish, African and indigenous sources, that has recently become very famous in the US.-Argentina:...
, funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
, rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
and disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
. This was when he gained the interest to form his own bands. Brian is noted as one of the distinguished American drummers for his performance and band management abilities.
In 2002, after having been consulting on band management for the past ten years, Brian authored "Entertainment Connection Career Guidebook:" a manual that outlines the steps one needs to take in order to start and manage a band and find work as a professional musician. The book expresses Brian's experience not just as a performer, but as a band manager, agent, consultant and business owner.
In 2007, Brian Choper decided to take the klezmer
Klezmer
Klezmer is a musical tradition of the Ashkenazic Jews of Eastern Europe. Played by professional musicians called klezmorim, the genre originally consisted largely of dance tunes and instrumental display pieces for weddings and other celebrations...
concept to concert halls, as these venues were inquiring with him. In order to create a band with a name and a sound that would be appreciated by people of all ethnic backgrounds, he created a sister band to his original Kol Haruach Klezmer Band and called it The New Klezmer Quintet
New Klezmer Quintet
The New Klezmer Quintet is a traditional klezmer band originally from the Washington, D.C. area. The group is also a neo-klezmer ensemble performing klezmer music while incorporating elements of modern Israeli folk music, ladino, jazz, Swing music, Latin music, and rock and roll styles...
. In this group, Choper collaborates with Chris Huntington from the Crawdaddies, renowned clarinetist, Fred Jacobowitz, as well as Lou Durham; principal keyboard/arranger/composer with the United States Army Band
United States Army Band
Founded in 1922, the United States Army Band – known as "Pershing's Own" – is the premier musical organization of the United States Army. Before 2002, the United States Army Band was the only Washington-based military band to have participated in a theater of foreign combat operations...
. Today this group is successful as a concert specific traditional and Neo-Klezmer band. It played for the 2009 presidential Inaugural festivities, and has been simulcast on NPR
NPR
NPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
. The band easily sells out major concert venues.
Discography
1993- Machaya Klezmer Band; Machaya Klezmer Band1996-What a Machaya; Machaya Klezmer Band
2002-Tap Your Feet to a Jewish Beat; Sally Heckelman
2004-An Evening For You; The Jazz Connection
2004-In the Beginning...Bereshit; The New Klezmer Quintet
2005-Kol Haruach-Live in Concert; Klezmer and Jazz-Together at Last; The Kol Haruach Klezmer Band
2008-"Unexpected Joy"-The New Klezmer Quintet-Live in Concert w/ Ramon Tasat; The New Klezmer Quintet