The Chopped Liver River Band, Lancaster PA

The Chopped Liver River Band plays a variety of Jewish music which includes Klezmer music, Yiddish songs, Jewish show tunes, big band ,light jazz and comedy. The band has performed in such place as the Fulton Opera House, Lancaster PA, Longwood Gardens, and LancasterFest.

The Chopped Liver River Band is affiliated with Congregation Shaarai Shomayim, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Congregation Shaarai Shomayim (www.shaarai.org ) is the fourth oldest Jewish community in North America.

At the request of band member, David Stameshkin, Alan attended a rehearsal of the band in March of 1999, just "for fun." The next thing he knew, he was drafted to be the director, an odd choice since he did not belong to the temple at the time, had no idea what klezmer music is and had never directed anything before. He has since joined the temple, learned a little bit about klezmer and has perfected his conducting skills to the point where he stops waving his arms when the music stops. Given that the band hardly looks at him while they are playing, this is probably sufficient. Alan has other musical interests: He sings with, and is the assistant director of, the Red Rose Barbershop Chorus, and he plays piano for a variety of theatrical productions including the infamous Fum Follies and Purimshpiel. He is also learning how to be a recording engineer, since he edited and mixed the band's CD in a studio in his house. In his real life, he teaches math at Franklin and Marshall College.

Jeffrey Woodman is the Manager of the Chopped Liver River Band. He is the band’s liaison with normal people, helps coordinate Temple programming, arrange performances outside the Temple, helps facilitate the band’s bylaws and perform Band Therapy. (No band can do without a band therapist.)

Jeffrey Woodman was born and raised in New York City. Jeff learned to play the saxophone in the seventh grade and continued playing throughout college. Unfortunately, playing the saxophone and living in New York apartments was not a harmonious existence. Jeff found that his neighbors were striving to undermine his intermittent practice time by adding their own percussion accompaniments. Jeff learned that their beat was not in sync with what he was playing. Was it a reflection on the quality of music? Hmmmm. Well, Jeff soon became aware of the problems associated with playing a saxophone in an NYC apartment and discontinued his melodious hobby while living in New York City.

In real life, Jeff is the President and owner of an advertising and marketing company. The Chopped Liver River Band is a dream come true for Jeff. “Where else can you emerge yourself in music and soul, develop lifelong friendships and contribute to a ecumenical purpose”, says Jeff. “There is nothing more satisfying than to perform for an audience completely mesmerized by the live beat of the music that was so close to extinction”.

Al Fishman, clarinetist.. after retiring from 35 years of practicing veterinary medicine, I found myself one Sunday afternoon at a klezmer concert not really knowing what klezmer music was. The clarinetist, a recent Russian immigrant was making his debut with the band, and his music and style so captivated me I knew I had to learn to play klezmer. I purchased a clarinet, took a few lessons (never having studied music before) and then by chance met Anatoly, the clarinetist I had previously heard, and he agreed to take me on as his student. So began my musical journey a new life phase and a lot of fun.

In 1958, David Stameshkin's clarinet teacher, the principal clarinetist of the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra, told David he was "the worst student he had ever taught." With this evaluation in mind, a few years later, David put away his clarinet (much to the relief not only of his teacher, but friends, relatives, and neighbors, as well), and did not touch it again for nearly 40 years, until he became one of the original members of The Chopped Liver River Band. David, a soloist with the Shaarai Shomayim Temple volunteer choir, Chavrai Zamir, took voice lessons for four years in his late 40s. He expanded his range from four notes to six, and, in doing so, became almost as good a singer as he is a clarinetist. Not satisfied with mediocrity in just two musical areas, he also has begun to take piano lessons, and he shows promise of doing equally as well with this instrument. He has also written or co-written and performed in numerous spoof musicals and Purimshpiels over the past 20 years. In his spare time, David, who is trained as an historian, is an administrator and fund-raiser at Franklin & Marshall College. He is also immediate past president of his congregation.

So what’s the story?
Mild-mannered radiologist by day becomes a hot klezmer and jazz fiend by night? (And on weekends, holidays… anytime there is an audience willing to listen.) How did this come to be? It all started in 4^th grade, when Jeff first took up the trombone. (Back then he had to tie a string to his finger to get the slide to seventh position, since his arms couldn’t reach!) He played all through grade school, and in every available group in high school including concert band, orchestra, marching band, jazz band, and briefly (until his mother put a stop to it when they scheduled his first gig in a topless bar) as the only honky in an all-black funk band. He was a founding member of the first Big Band at Boston University.

Time passed. Marriage, career, children…..The trombone was forgotten. Then a couple of years ago, a few friends at Shaarai Shomayim were sharing tales of the musical exploits of their youth, and someone threw out the idea: “ Hey, wouldn’t it be great to start a klezmer band?” Well like most of them, Jeff was pretty rusty, so much so that his trombone was literally rusting away in his basement, untouched for nearly 20 years. Somehow, he got the slide moving again and the rest, as they say, is history.

Truth is , Jeff is just a big ham (…hey, reform Jews don’t have to keep kosher!…), and is always willing to perform for an audience, whether it’s as a soloist at Shaarai Shomayim, a member of the temple choir Chavrai Zamir, or in local theater productions at the Fulton or Ephrata Performing Arts Center. Though open to dispute, Jeff also claims to have come up with the name for the band. ( Other appetizing names were rejected outright: “ Matvah Ball Minstrels”, “ Kreplach Combo”, “The Brisket and Borscht Blues Band” )

Although he may claim to be a member of this band simply for the fun of it, there are a number of other explanations being bandied about. Among these are:

Jane started singing and playing her guitar in college. Everyone seemed to enjoy her impromptu performance, but then again you know how those college parties are.. It was only natural for her to find someone with her musical interests to make beautiful music together- Jane met Jeff while in college and together they would harmonize on the streets of Boston while on dates! It was bashert zein- plus he’s a doctor! Together they have 3 musical children.

A registered physical therapist, Jane has worked with infants and seniors and everyone in between always encouraging them along the road to recovery with a song. Now Jane’s working as a travel agent cruise specialist. Did you know that cruise ships have karaoke night and talent shows?

Jane presently is a member and soloist with Chavrai Zamir, Shaarai Shomayim’s congregational choir. She also has performed in community theater, Purim Shpiel at the synagogue, the Lancaster Symphony Chorus, but alas- not one topless bar.

With the assistance from a very patient Sylvia, Jane’s Yiddish has improved. By the way, the name Chopped Liver River Band was in a large part Jane’s idea not Jeff’s………

Octavia, Voice, Harmonica, Percussion
Find out more about Octavia at: www.octaviablues.com

Octavia has been singing and performing on stage since 1955. She started playing the guitar in 1963, and the harmonica in 1966. There was something "special and magic" with the harmonica and Octavia, and this is still very prominently heard today. She had four voice lessons in New York with Robert Collier, Bette Midler's voice coach in the early 80's, who taught her the valuable lesson of using the diaphragm to support the notes. She has been playing various percussion instruments through out her musical career.

Octavia attended the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and majored in painting, and sculpture. She found the acoustics to be wonderful in the lovely old building, and always kept her guitar and harmonica close by in her locker.

Octavia has led, and been in various bands across the United States most of her life. She toured with Etta James in California in the mid 70's, and played with Freddie King, as well as the Meters (now The Neville Brothers) both in Denver. She has appeared several times at Catch a Rising Star in New York, Bimbo's in San Francisco, the Keystone in Berkley, Penn's Landing with Concerto Soloists founder of and conducted by her first cousin Marc Mostovoy. She has also performed at the Cambridge Folk Festival in Great Britain, where she resided and toured extensively for two years before returning home to the states. She has been a musician, and singer at the Fulton Opera House in Lancaster Pa.

Octavia is a professional musician currently working and touring with her two bands: "Octavia &The Earthblood Blues Band" as well as her classic vocal jazz standards band called "Infusion With Octavia." Alan Levine and John Healy, (both from the "Chopped Liver River Band") are the original players with "Infusion With Octavia," and occasionally perform in this band with Octavia. Octavia's both bands, as well as duos and trio offshoots from both bands perform for private parties, events, clubs, restaurants, as well as city events in the Lancaster, Harrisburg, Philadelphia, and Tri-State area. You may Email Octavia using this address: harpwoman8@cs.com . At Octavia's website: www.OctaviaBlues.com , you can access Octavia's Tour dates, Pics, Bio, Reviews, Press, MP3's, Career Highlights, and update info. You may hear 2 minute samples of Octavia's music as well as purchase Octavia's CD's by going to these links: http://cdbaby.com/cd/octavia3 (Octavia's latest blues CD consisting mostly of original songs Octavia wrote) "Infusion With Octavia Live At Lancaster Jazz Festival" http://cdbaby.com/cd/octavia2 (classic jazz standards) and "Driven By The Harp" http://cdbaby.com/cd/octavia (mixed genre, mainly Octavia's original music)
Please note that Octavia's personal CD's contain no Klezmer music.

Art Sommer, Flute
Artie Sommer, Accordion

You won't find Art Sommer looking "down in the mouth" when he's playing with the CLRB. A dentist by training , a musician by avocation, Art began his musical training at age 10 with the accordion. He played for 8 years then put it away, as he says ""when the monkey died". Many years were to pass (don't ask him how many) before he was to play again. One New Year's Eve, he heard the flute being played in concert , and it was "love at first sound".

Why the flute? "The sound just picked me up and blew me away", he says, "plus, it's much easier to carry than the accordion, and so far, no one has asked me to play "Lady of Spain"". He has since dusted off the old accordion as well, since it seems to fit in well with klezmer music. He's now trying to figure out a way to play both instruments at the same time. So far, no one has asked him to give up his day job. However, he does find that he is spending an inordinate amount of time explaining to local people what "chopped liver" is.

Art and his evil twin Artie

Sylvia Zison - Maven of Percussion

       Sylvia Zison was a concert pianist by the age of twelve & maintained that status until she married William. They met at a wedding where she was singing Russian and Yiddish songs while playing the accordion. She is fluent in speaking and writing Yiddish. She happily gave up her career because she
wanted a family but music was always in her blood.

       After marriage, her passion shifted to her three children and volunteering. She was a very active parent volunteer during her children's formative years. She served as a president of the Dora Weiner/ Freda Goldstein Chapter of Deborah Heart and Lung Hospital in Browns Mills, NJ. and was the Youth Group Coordinator at Beth David Synagogue in addition to being a very active member of the sisterhood. She attended Penn State and was a preschool teacher with Head Start Get Set program in Philadelphia.

       Her love of the arts is reflected in her 3 children and 6 grandchildren. Her
eldest daughter is a successful potter & painter www.claybair.com .
Her second daughter, Octavia, is a professional musician
www.OctaviaBlues.com . Her third daughter enjoys craft making and is
currently raising 2 young children. Several of Sylvia's grandchildren are
emerging artists.

       Overcoming the loss of her beloved husband Bill & numerous life
threatening ailments Sylvia has been an ardent supporter of Octavia's
career. Octavia encouraged Sylvia to join the fun with the Klezmer band.
Although physically unable to play the piano and accordion as she used to, she has become the "maven of percussion" & loves performing with the band. Oh, and Sylvia really "gets off" when Jeff slides his trombone.

Vince Coratello is the electric bassist for the CLRB. He was born in Brooklyn, NY. He has been a working musician for much of his adult life, and an unemployed musician with a day job for the rest of it. He has played just about every kind of music known to man, including Middle Eastern Acid Rock. Yes, there is such a thing. Vince has played on rock and pop recordings, TV soundtracks, music videos, advertising jingles, in bar bands, garage bands, rock bands, wedding bands, glitter bands, salsa bands, show bands, R&B bands, polka bands, cover bands, all-girl bands, marching bands, power trios, folk duets, bass solos, lounge acts, showroom acts, Broadway pit bands, bands that were supposed to get rich and famous, bands that were predestined for oblivion, and burlesque club bands. Vince has even played with a Chinese Sixties rock band, and can still sing the harmony part to 'My Baby Does The Hanky Panky' in phonetic Mandarin. Vince has lived and gigged in New York, Las Vegas, L.A., Tucson, Baltimore, and many places in between, including Lebanon and Schuylkill Counties. Vince has written over 300 pop tunes, and written the scores for two off-Broadway musicals. In 1999 he recorded an album titled 'Almost There', on which he wrote all but one of the songs, played all the instruments, sang all the vocal parts, and engineered the recording in his home studio. He also has two more solo albums ready for release. In addition to his membership in the CLRB, Vince also plays bass in a Lancaster- based jazz quartet called The Main Street Mystics. Besides bass, he is also adept on keyboards, woodwinds, drums, guitar, and most other string instruments. Vince and his wife Meryl live in Elizabethtown, where they each have a graphics and design studio, known as MegCoInk and Studio Kokopelli. They share their home with three dogs, two turtles, and one cat.