Jon Stein interviewed Matt Turk on March 11, 2012 on WTBQ for his show the Hootenanny Café Mini Concerts which airs in the Hudson Valley on WTBQ 93.5FM every Sunday at 8PM (est) or you can listen from anywhere at http://www.wtbq.com. Jon has been on the acoustic/folk/singer/songwriter scene for several decades, knowing many of the usual and unusual suspects. Are your ears burning? He had been on the air with Ron Olesko at WFDU before making his way to WTBQ. He is also a master piano tuner. Matt and Jon spoke about life, touring and well, click here to listen to the March 11, 2012 podcast: The interview includes a combination of recorded and live tunes, amenable conversation, without ranting and victimization, and is filled with hope and humor.

Happy Listening!

Matt Turk provides music for the new documentary Lion of Judah, scoring this hopeful film that chronicles the story of the Holocaust survivor Leo Zisman, 83, as told through Leo's eyes. Mr. Zisman leads a group of young adults, Jews and non-Jews, back to Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic and through one of humanity's darkest periods. The film-maker, Matt Mindell, talks to young Poles about their opinions, some sadly unchanged from their grandparents' deep-rooted anti-Semitic feelings. As participants discuss differing viewpoints, we find that the Holocaust is not just an apparition haunting the past. By journey's end, we gain the courage to change the world, inspired by the strength and message of Leo, Lion of Judah. Matt Turk's score includes haunting, eerie electric guitar, mandolin, guitar, banjo, rhythm/percussion segments and more. The Klezmatics Lisa Gutkin appears as a special guest on violin.

Lion of Judah is hitting the film festival circuit this year. For information about the film please contact Matt Mindell

Tribes Hill, the Hudson Valley New York based collective gathered on December 18, 2011 to celebrate the Winter Solstice, a traditional toast to the shortest day of the year.

The concert was Tribes Hill's 10th annual and was held in Yonkers, NY at the Beczak Environmental Center on the banks of the brilliant Hudson River. The concert was a benefit for Tribes Hill and Beczak. There were two sets of live music filled with many great moments. Highlights included The Levins killer version of a Yiddish drinking song where everyone repeatedly shouted "OY!" James Durst and his beautiful wife Madhumita Chakrabartti led a gorgeous canticle that all enjoyed. Susan Kane, David Goldman, Iris Cohen and Ilana Arazie all stood out with wonderful musical contributions. Eddie Denise and Eric Puente were the rhythm section for the entire concert and they did a fabulous job. The love felt and community Tribes Hill fosters is the gift of this season for all who attended. Jack Hardy and Terence Martin, who both departed this year, were honored in song. Matt Turk is completing his second year as President of Tribes Hill. For more information and to get involved, please visit tribeshill.com

Click on images to enlarge

Fred Gillen Jr, Iris Cohen, Eddie Denise, Matt Turk, Eric Puente (hidden on drums)

Catherine Miles & Jay Mafale

Beth & Mark Miller

Enlarge this image

Matt's longtime friend Basya Schechter celebrated the release of her new recording "Songs of Wonder" (Tzadik) at New York City's Le Poisson Rouge on November 30, 2011. Matt appeared as a special guest on mandolin for "My Song". The stellar band including drummer Rich Stein, trumpeter Frank London, violinist Megan Weeder Gould and keyboardist Uri Sharlin complemented Basya's new work, setting the Yiddish poetry of the revered Civil Rights advocate and Jewish philosopher, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel to music. Colorful arrangements were heard at the sold out venue. For more information about Basya, please visit pharaohsdaughter.com.

Matt Turk & The Hobo Caravan joined Tribes Hill friends Hope Machine and Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams for the 2nd annual Howling Wolf Festival to benefit South Salem, New York's Wolf Conservation Center. The setting for the concert was Irvington Town Hall: a legendary, majestic Hudson River theatre. The festival was presented by Common Ground Community Concerts, a leading advocate for bettering the community through music and the performing arts. The Wolf Conservation Center is dedicated to teaching about wolves, their relationship to the environment, and the human role in protecting their future. Atka, an eight-year Arctic gray wolf, who serves as one of WCC's beloved ambassadors, made a special appearance during the evening. Mid-show, Slambovia's Joziah Longo howled to Atka attempting to get him to howl back. The music during the evening was inspired and there was constant collaboration between artists, musicians and friends culminating in the Slambovians Grand Finale. To support the Wolf Conservation Center, please go to nywolf.org