So we're in Nordstrom today, and they have a pianist playing in-store on a piano that is amped directly into the house PA. We're not really noticing the music, when we suddenly hear a few bars of "Oifen Pripitchok", which quickly disappear. A few moments later, the same thing happens, only this time it's a few bars of "Tum Balalaika". Intrigued, we locate the pianist who is rounding out his set of mood music with a chorus of "Abi Gezunt" played as a ballad.
We introduced ourselves after the set and commented on the song selection. Turned into a nice shmooze. Turns out that he used to play with famed Klezmer clarinetist, Naftule Brandwein. "He'd walk in and we'd know it was all going to be in D minor" he said. He confessed to playing jazz chords every once in a while just to get a rise out of Naftule.
So there you have it. Nordstrom, the perfect place to catch some Yiddish tunes and talk shop with a retired Klezmer musician.
