LEWISTON – As an antidote to the pervasive midwinter chill, the folk band Zhok Therapy will serve up a spicy smorgasbord of music from the Mediterranean, the Middle East, the Balkans and beyond Wednesday, Feb. 27, at the Lewiston Public Library.
The free public event will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. in Callahan Hall on the library’s third floor.
“Much of what we play is dance tunes,” said Zhok Therapy’s clarinet and sax player Steve Gruverman. “So we’ve invited a couple of folk dance experts to join us.” Following the band’s 45-minute concert, veteran Greek dancer John Rozos and international dance instructor Marie Wendt will demonstrate and teach such popular ethnic dances as the energetic Hassapiko from Greece and the graceful Zemer Atik from Israel.
Sharing the stage with Gruverman will be Carl Dimow on flute and guitar, Julie Goell on bass and vocals, Hayes Porterfield on percussion and special guest Mark Tipton on trumpet.
This ensemble is known for its imaginative cross-pollinations of traditional folk genres with jazz and blues. “Zhok” refers to a type of rhythm distinctive to Jewish and Middle Eastern music. The band’s repertoire taps the cultural heritage of such ancient lands as Greece, Turkey, Macedonia and Bulgaria, while also giving free reign to improvisation and innovation.
For more information, call the library at 513-3135.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.