Home • Bio • Buy CD • Photos • Press Kit • Calendar Sound Samples • Video • Reviews • Radio Airplay Performance History • Contact • Links BRIAN BENDER & LITTLE SHOP OF HORAS The band performs original and traditional Jewish melodies blended with Latin, Caribbean, African and Middle Eastern rhythms. The group is an international band made up of musicians from three countries: Brian Bender (USA) - trombone, melodica, piano, vocals, composer Charles Rappaport (France - Klezmer Kaos) - fiddle, vocals Alexander Maier (Germany - Mesinke) - clarinet, saxophone Bartek Stanczyk (Germany - Global Shtetl Band) - accordion, melodica, vocals Markus Milian Mueller (Germany - Global Shtetl Band) - double bass, electric bass, vocals Thilo Joergl (Germany - Mesinke) - percussion, guitar Don Cerebro (Germany - Global Shtetl Band) - drums To read Brian's blog "A Klezmer Odyssey" about his previous tours in Europe: www.klezmerodyssey.blogspot.com ~ Band Members ~ ~ Brian Bender ~       Brian Bender (USA - trombone, melodica, vocals, trumpet, baritone horn, keyboards, percussion, bandleader, composer) has performed in the Cape Verde Islands (West Africa), Egypt, Israel, Alaska, Germany, Spain, Holland, France, Italy, the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic and throughout the United States. He has performed at Carnegie Hall (New York), the Presidential Inauguration of Bill Clinton, The Knitting Factory (New York), and many other prestigious venues. Brian has been interviewed on Israel National Radio as well as National Public Radio (USA). He has formerly performed with O.J. Ekemode and the Nigerian All-Stars (High-Life, Soukous, Afrobeat), Kotoja (Highlife, JuJu, Afrobeat), Ibrahima Camera, Black Rebels (African Reggae), La Perfecta (Salsa/Merengue), Creacion (Latin Jazz), The Berkshire Bateria Escola De Samba (Brazilian), Lucky Seven (Ska) and many other groups. In addition leading the band Little Shop of Horas, he currently performs with The Wholesale Klezmer Band, Di Bostoner Klezmer, the Yiddishkeit Klezmer Ensemble, Marka Music (Latin/Andean fusion), The Pangeans (World Beat), The Riddim Makers (Reggae), Big Bandemoneum (Celtic), the World Beatniks, the Gumbo Jumbo Dixieland Band, the Brian Bender Jazz Group, Beans & Rice (Blues) and other groups. He also teaches lessons and workshops on trombone, piano and trumpet focusing on improvisation and playing music "by ear." He also teaches Jazz, Klezmer and original music ensembles to children and adults.            ~ Don Cerebro ~       Don Cerebro (Germany - drums, percussion) is a member of the Latin Klezmer band Global Shtetl Band and also the Salsa band Los Dos Y Companeros, both based in Nuremberg, Germany. Don studied music at Meistersinger conservatory Nuremberg, deepening his knowledge of classical music. Meanwhile, he developed a strong inclination towards Latin American music and to various percussion instruments. He performed with the bands Pina Colada (Funk) and La Cascara (Salsa). Still during his studies, Don Cerebro explored more and more styles from very different cultural regions of the world such as Samba, Bossa Nova, Flamenco and Reggae. He played extensively on radio and television, recorded for the newly founded label New Dimensions, wrote contemporary music for percussion and participated in recordings of children's music. After that, he dove deeply into Afro-Cuban culture with its countless styles and rhythms. This lead to the formation of the supposedly best-booked salsa orchestra in Europe, Los Dos Y Companeros, mixing Cuban son and Bavarian lyrics. Moreover, since he joined Klemaniaxx, klezmer has become another firm part of his repertoire. Nowadays, bands like global shtetl orkester and Little Shop of Horas allow him to draw from the huge kettle which is world music. ~ Thilo Joergl ~       Thilo Joergl (Germany - dumbek, guitar, poyk) was a co-founder of the German Klezmer ensemble "Mesinke" in 1991. This band has published five CDs and toured in Germany and Israel. In 2008 Thilo founded the Munich Klezmer Trio. The ensemble performed at festivals in Germany and played live music for the theatre play "Der Talisman" in Munich in 2010. Thilo works as a journalist and has published reviews about Jazz and Klezmer concerts. He is the booking agent for Little Shop of Horas in Europe. ~ Alexander Maier ~          Alexander Maier (Germany - clarinet, saxophone) studied classical clarinet at the Music School of Krumbach, Germany and the University of Augsburg/Nuernberg, Germany. He studied Klezmer music with Kurt Bjorling, Christian Dawid, Frank London and Zev Feldman at workshops in Weimar and Darmstadt, Germany. In 1991, he co-founded the Klezmer band Mesinke. Mesinke has performed extensively throughout Germany and at various international festivals (e.g. Safed Klezmer Festival in Israel). The band has released six CDs. Alexander has initiated a monthly Klezmer jam session in Munich (Klezmerstammtisch). He also teaches Klezmer clarinet workshops. ~ Markus Milian Mueller ~             Markus Milian Mueller (Germany - double bass, electric bass, vocals), the "highly gifted jack-of-all-trades", former musical director of the Berlin-based 20-piece Klezmerorchester, studied Yiddish, double bass, and singing. He researched the Yiddish music of Latin America and has written many new Yiddish songs which he performs with the internationally renowned global shtetl band. He is also highly active as a sideman and has played on dozens of CD's from Klezmer to World Music and Jazz/Pop. The Yiddish Forward recommended him as "the star of Klezkanada festival". He is a member of the Latin Klezmer band Global Shtetl Band, based in Nuremberg, Germany. ~ Charles Rappoport ~ Charles Rappoport (France - violin, mandolin) graduated from the Fratellini Circus School and then began to study classical violin at a conservatory. His interest in improvisation drove him then to Jazz, and he eventually graduated from le Centre de Musique de Didier Lockwood) with a diploma in Jazz Studies. In the course of exploring his ancestry, Charles became interested in Klezmer and Middle Eastern styles of music. He studied with Frank London, Christian Dawid, Cookie Segelstein and Joshua Horowitz at various workshops in Paris, London and Weimer. In 2009 he participated in a band that created the original music for Joan Sfar’s film "Serge Gainsbourg,vie heroique" as well as the Stephan Moskowicz’ documentary "N'oubliez-pas que cela fut". Inspired by the wealth of Yiddish culture and Klezmer music in and around Paris, Charles started a weekly Klezmer concert series and jam session called "Klezmer Mondays" at the Yiddish restaurant/performance space "Train de Vie" in Paris’ Jewish Quarter. Charles teaches violin at the Centre D’Animation Solidarite Angele Mercier in Paris and he also teaches Klezmer workshops. He also performs regularly with the bands Klezmer Kaos and Shpilkes. ~ Bartek Stanczyk ~                   Bartek Stansczyk (Germany - accordion, piano) born in Lublin/Poland, lives in Munich/Germany, grew up with traditional Polish music combined with classical accordion education. For many years, he has been a fixture in the traditional Polish music, balkan music, and klezmer music scenes. Among others, he has played with Saint Nicholas Orchestra, a band which is one of the most important ensembles in traditional Polish music. With his trio Siegra, he tours extensively thoughout Eastern Europe, combining Polish, Ukrainian, and Jewish music to form a very personal style. He is a member of the Latin Klezmer band Global Shtetl Band, based in Nuremberg, Germany.