♫ The Shabbatones ♫
“The Shabbatones” is a lively five-piece band of four musicians plus a vocalist. The band’s dynamic repertoire includes a wide variety of Jewish music: Klezmer, Chasidic, Israeli, liturgical melodies, Yiddish show tunes, popular folk songs. On special request we can teach easy folk dances (for all ages) as an enjoyable way to get people involved in some fun stuff.
Formed in 1998, the Shabbatones play at numerous locales throughout the Bay Area. Among other venues, we have performed at the JCC in Walnut Creek, Congregation B’nai Torah in Antioch, Reutlinger Center for Jewish Living in Danville, Osher Marin JCC in Marin, American Music Store in San Francisco, Temple Isaiah in Lafayette.
The band’s leader, Sholom Groesberg, plays guitar and bass. He is an ordained rabbi retired from the active pulpit. He currently organizes and mentors a family of Jewish chavurot (fellowships) in Contra Costa County.
The Shabbatones’ clarinetist (he doubles on flute and saxophone) is Jud Flato. He learned to play authentic klezmer in this country’s premier training ground: the Borsht Belt in the Catskills. A semi-retired physical chemist, he is a principal in a biomedical consulting firm.
Bob Gelman, the band’s accordionist, learned to play by performing at dances in the Flatbush Jewish Center in Brooklyn. A retired attorney, he is actively involved in a network of musicians assembling a library of international musics.
Pat Kriletich, who plays drums and dumbek, is a retired restauranteur. She’s been a professional musician since high school days, and her skills as a percussionist are still in demand by many bands in the Bay Area.
Featured in the band is the Shabbatones’ dynamic vocalist, Lisa Katzki. Anything but retired, she’s a full-time wife, mother of three kids, and licensed R.N. In addition to all this, she operates a business that markets emergency preparedness kits for schools and other institutions.
We make our special brand of entertainment available anywhere, anytime. Whether for senior centers, retirement homes, synagogues and temples, bar/bat mitzvahs, or private simchas (celebrations) of all kinds
The Shabbatones -- the band that plays happy Jewish music
is sure to contribute to your event’s success. I’ll be pleased to send you a sampler CD and photo. Simply contact me, Sholom Groesberg, by phone: (925) 946-1812; or by e-mail: maziq@firstworld.net.