Sidney Beckerman
Encyclopedia
Sidney "Sid" Beckerman was an influential klezmer
clarinet
player. He learned the style from his father Shloimke
, who was himself a well known klezmer soloist.
Sidney played Jewish weddings and celebrations in New York City
and the Catskills throughout the 1930s. After World War II
ended, he returned to New York and started working for the US Postal Service.
Upon his retirement in 1982, he was convinced by fellow klezmer musician Pete Sokolow to join the band Klezmer Plus!. A recording of this band in 1989 (with Howie Leess) was named an Outstanding Folk Recording by the Library of Congress
Sidney was also a founding member of the klezmer music camp Klezkamp
.
He was inducted into the People's Hall of Fame in February 1994.
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...
clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
player. He learned the style from his father Shloimke
Shloimke (Sam) Beckerman
Shloimke "Sam" Beckerman was an American klezmer clarinetist; he was a contemporary of Dave Tarras and Naftule Brandwein. He was a soloist as well as a member of Paul Whiteman's Orchestra at the New York's Little Club in the 1920s. He continued to play well into the 1950s...
, who was himself a well known klezmer soloist.
Sidney played Jewish weddings and celebrations in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and the Catskills throughout the 1930s. After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
ended, he returned to New York and started working for the US Postal Service.
Upon his retirement in 1982, he was convinced by fellow klezmer musician Pete Sokolow to join the band Klezmer Plus!. A recording of this band in 1989 (with Howie Leess) was named an Outstanding Folk Recording by the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
Sidney was also a founding member of the klezmer music camp Klezkamp
Klezkamp
KlezKamp is the world's oldest and largest program dedicated to the continuity of traditional Yiddish folk culture.Founded in 1985 by ethnomusicologist and award winning record and radio producer Henry Sapoznik, the program was designed to create an innovative and intensive environment where senior...
.
He was inducted into the People's Hall of Fame in February 1994.
External links
- Obituary in Sing Out! The Folk Song Magazine, Autumn, 2007 by Henry SapoznikHenry SapoznikHenry "Hank" Sapoznik העניק סאַפאַזשניק is an award winning author, record and radio producer and performer of traditional Yiddish and American music. With MacArthur Fellow David Isay, he produced the 10-week radio series the on the history of Jewish broadcasting for NPR’s All Things Considered...