by Elaine Durbach
NJJN Bureau Chief/Central

January 22, 2009

In days of old, troubadours traveled from castle to castle entertaining royalty with their music. Mark and Arlene Klemow don’t live in a castle; they have a regular-size split-level house in Scotch Plains, but that hasn’t stopped Mark from behaving like royalty.

For his 40th birthday eight years ago, he decided he wanted a musician of his choice to play for him and his friends in the comfort of his own home. They talked song writer-rock singer Willie Nile, a favorite of the couple’s, into accepting a booking to perform in their living room. That evening went so well, they launched a series of performances.

Their Split Level Concert Series has since hosted 54 musical events.

Still with no castle available, now the couple has decided to seek a larger venue.

Starting Saturday, Jan. 31, the Klemows are moving the series to their “second home,” the JCC of Central New Jersey in Scotch Plains. Headlining their first concert there is — who else? — Willie Nile, still a favorite.

Mark and Arlene admit they worried that going bigger could mean losing what they have cherished — the intimate contact between the musicians and the audience. But they decided the JCC’s Fusion Café offers that up-close feeling. Perhaps most important, it gives them the chance to share what they love with their broader community — and still keep admission prices low, at around $20.

“We’d been wanting to do something for the JCC for a long time,” Arlene said. They both work out there every day, and their two sons have grown up attending its classes and summer camp. “This way, we can advertise and bring in new people. And we can offer the musicians a bit more money, and greater name exposure.”

From the JCC’s point of view, the series fits right in with its vision. Those helping to organize the concert, program director Mike Goldstein, a musician himself, and cultural arts and education director Michele Dreiblatt said the center is striving to make itself the go-to place for the community. Dreiblatt described the series as a way to offer something great to do on a Saturday night, for an affordable price.

‘You’ve got to listen’

Arlene, development director with a nonprofit organization, is passionate about music; Mark, a corporate benefits manager by day, is even more so.

“When we met, the first thing I did was check out Arlene’s album collection,” confessed Mark. After 23 years of marriage, he still keeps bringing her new material with the words, “You’ve got to listen to this….”

The idea for the home concerts came from a similar one they had attended in Wayne. They were so excited by the success of their first Nile show, they lay in bed that night making a mental list of all the other musicians they wanted to bring in. Organizing the home concerts turned out to be a lot of work, but they said the challenge was totally worth it, and gradually became easier. Their initial audience grew from their circle of friends to include friends of friends.

In choosing the performers, the couple apply their “two-car test”: They request a sample CD, and then take turns playing it in their respective cars, deciding separately whether they like it or not. They have only booked people both like. “If either of us can predict what the next line of a song is going to be, that’s not good enough,” Mark said.

They are reluctant to categorize their taste, but “folk-rock” comes closest. They have sought out people acclaimed by music critics but not necessarily commercially successful. Among their favorites are Carsie Blanton, the Booglerizers, Mark Germino, and Sloan Wainwright. On the whole, they avoid repeat performances, but they have asked Nile back four times.

“The biggest thrill has been seeing other people trust our taste, and respond to and embrace the music we love,” Mark said. That is exactly what they hope to see happening at the JCC — just with a slightly wider circle of fellow music-lovers.

The JCC cafe can hold an audience of about 100; their own split level accommodated a maximum of 35. For some musicians, that was nerve-wracking, Arlene said, “because the faces weren’t lost in the dark.” For most though, it has been a welcome chance to talk about their music and discuss their lyrics.

The connection has gone even further. A number of the performers have stayed overnight with the family. “For what we’ve been able to pay, it wouldn’t have been worth it for them if they had to pay for a hotel,” Mark explained.

Sharing food has also been a big part of the buzz and still will be. How could it not be at a Jewish gathering? they joked. At home, they had potluck dinners, with guests contributing dishes. The cafe will offer its usual menu plus a kosher buffet at the concerts. It will also provide complimentary desserts and coffee.

If it works out, the Klemows said they hope to organize concerts every few months. The next is already booked for March 7 — with singer and guitarist Natalia Zuckerman, daughter of legendary violinist/conductor Pinchas Zukerman.

There will an additional attraction that night: It is the opening of the JCC’s “JEWS ROCK!” photo exhibition, a display of works by Janet Macoska, an award-winning photojournalist and official photographer for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

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