The Atlanta Jewish Music Festival is Upon Us

The Atlanta Jewish Music Festival returns for its 9th year this week, kicking off with a pair of concerts Thursday night, March 8th, and continuing with multiple events Thursday-Sunday through Sunday, March 25th.

Taking place at assorted concert venues, temples and coffeeshops, not to mention breweries, bakeries and yoga centers throughout metro Atlanta, the annual affair aims the spotlight on a wide swath of Jewish music – traditional, modern and all points in between. Certainly this is the case on opening night, when the duo Tsvey Brider (vocalist Anthony Russell and pianist/accordionist Dmitri Gaskin, who craft contemporary interpretations of music in the Yiddish language) and Canadian group Beyond the Pale (who use Klezmer and Balkan styles as the basis for exploration into other genres) perform at City Winery, while Tel Aviv-based indie pop band Lola Marsh holds court at Aisle 5.

Many Georgia acts are also among the offerings throughout the festival’s three-week run, including jazz pianist Joe Alterman (March 18th at the Atlanta Jewish Community Center), classic album recreationists The ATL Collective (performing Billy Joel’s The Stranger at City Winery on March 24th), sassy Atlanta alt-rock band Zale (pictured; March 15th at Venkman’s, with Philly singer-songwriter Chana Rothman), Atlanta-based rappers Matt Citron and Sammy K and Savannah beatologist Prodezra (all performing for a showcase at The Music Room on March 22nd). There’s much more, of course, so check the AJMF website for further info and the full schedule.