The Flying Bulgars

Twenty Years ago today (well almost), a band of young, raggedy-ass musicians took to the stage at Toronto’s Clinton Tavern. They were there to play a style of music that had not been heard on a Toronto stage in years, even decades: klezmer, the traditional music of Yiddish-speaking, Eastern European Jews, that had fallen out of favour and was on its way to extinction. The excitement sparked at that first sold-out Sunday gig at Clinton’s surprised both the band and the audience, and the room overflowed with a joyous feeling of discovery.
And so began the two-decade saga of music-making, touring, recording, study, and the round-and-round dance between tradition and innovation. Along the way the Flying Bulgars released 5 recordings, garnered 3 JUNO nominations, released 2 music videos, toured extensively in Canada, the U.S. and Europe and were instrumental in sparking the Canadian branch of the international Klezmer revival. The Bulgar sound has changed over the years, but the common denominator has been to create music that reflects the group’s experience as urban Canadian musicians at the turn of the 21st century (and beyond!).
Now, facing the reality of turning 20, growing up and leaving home, the Bulgars have chosen to celebrate by striking out in a completely new direction: creating a set of music (and a new CD) full of original songs with English lyrics. Composed by vocalist Dave Wall and trumpeter David Buchbinder. Full of darkness and hope, the tunes mix poetry, anger and longing in a heady mix of Klezmer-inspired melodies with a fully-orchestrated alt-pop sound.