Alex Kontorovich

Styles: Klezmer / Jazz

clarinet / alto saxophone

Alex Kontorovich is one of the young rising stars on the NYC and international klezmer, classical and jazz scenes. Born in Russia before Glasnost, Kontorovich brings to his music early vivid memories of Jewish repression and scarcity of necessities. Perhaps these recollections are partly responsible for his ability to blend the freedom of jazz with klezmer's Eastern European identity in such an elegant way. In addition, his overall persona differentiates him from the stereotypical "twenty-something." A martial arts black belt, math professor at Brown University, and classically trained musician, Kontorovich represents the best of his cohorts diversity. Add to that stunning credentials in klezmer and modern jazz (the Klezmatics, Frank London's Klezmer Brass All-Stars, Jamie Begian's Big Band, the Toronto Philharmonia, the Waterloo Symphony, DJ SoCalled, Aaron Alexander's Midrash Mish Mosh, King Django's Roots and Culture Band, KlezSka, the Brellochs Saxophone Quartet, founding member of the Klez Dispensers) and it is no accident that this music is an exciting and positive reflection of the next Jewish and jazz generation coming of age amidst a myriad of multicultural influences.

www.alexkontorovich.com