Search - A Tickle in the Heart on DVD

Delightful insight into the world of Klezmer music.

Philip H Newman, MD | 12/26/1998

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Incredible documentary. Beautifully directed, honest and compelling. An intimate look into the lives of the Epstein Brothers, pioneers in the kletzmer music phenomenon in America and still working the circuit. Shot in Florida, NY and Europe. What a wonderful group, what wonderful music. Never descends into the schmaltzy, always perfect. Try it, you'll want to see it a lot."

A Very Personal Film To Me

William M. Pasternak | 03/14/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This will be a very different review because this video, that I came across by accident on YouTube, is one I had to own. The reason is simple -- I knew the Epstein Brothers and they played at my wedding.

When I was a kid growing up in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, the Epstein's owned and operated a music school on Bay Parkway -- The Marlboro Institute of Music and Dance was the name as I recall. It was about two blocks from where I then lived on West 8th Street. When I finally convinced my parents to get me a guitar and let me take lessons, there was only one place -- the music school operated by the four Epstein Brothers: Max, Willie, Julie and Isadore (known as Chi).

Well, to be truthful, I was not very good at learning to play guitar (I still only can doodle on a Washburn acoustic and non-name clone of a Fender Strat electric) but I was adept at keeping anything electric or electronic running. And over the years I helped keep audio coming out of the various amplifying devices at their school -- and we became close friends. And so it was -- back in 1971 -- that when Sharon and I set our wedding date -- that there was no other band that I would even consider hiring.

Have you ever been to a wedding where the band got a standing ovation? Well, that's what happened at ours. They literally played their heats out and we consider having them there as one of the true highlights of our wedding day.

I lost track of them when we relocated to Los Angeles in 1972. By the time we made our first trip back to "da Big Apple" their music school was gone. It was not until I came across the film that I learned the rest of the story. That they had moved to South Florida to retire but happenstance built them a second career.

As a documentary film maker myself, I might have approached telling this story in a bit different way. It is very European in its approach with long set-ups to introduce those at the center of the show -- a technique Ive never seen in a U.S. or North American production. None the less, as soon as I popped it into my DVD player and heard Max on the Clarinet -- I was transported back to my childhood -- back to Brooklyn -- and back home.

My tanks to producers Eddie Rosenstein, Martin Hagemann and Thomas Kufus -- and to director Stefen Schwietert, for documenting the careers and the "sound" of these great musicians whom I was honored to know as friends in a lifetime now so long ago. -- Bill Pasternak

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