Geoff Berner Is A Klezmer Mongrel

Klezmer punk Geoff Berner's Klezmer Mongrels will be released in Canada on Jan. 27 by Jericho Beach Records after being issued in Europe by 9pm in October.

The album is the third in Berner's "Whiskey Rabbi" trilogy. The first two records in the series, Whiskey Rabbi and Wedding Dance Of The Widow Bride, are about booze and women, respectively. The new one is "about the natural consequences of combining the two," according to Berner.

"Today, there's a cultural battle going on between the boring forces of purity, fundamentalism and monoculture, and the fun forces of mixed-up, messed-up diversity. This album is a celebration of the triumph of mixed-up fun."

The Vancouver accordionist is joined on the album by violinist Diona Davies and percussionist Wayne Adams. You can preview "Luck In Exile" on Berner's MySpace page.

Here are Berner’s tour dates:

Dec. 12 Seattle, WA @ The Tractor w/The Squirrels
Dec. 13 Portland, OR @ Mississippi Pizza Pub w/Future Historians
Feb. 5 Guelph, ON @ E-Bar w/Forest City Lovers
Feb. 6 Toronto, ON @ Tranzac w/Forest City Lovers
Feb. 7 Peterborough, ON @ The Spill w/Forest City Lovers
Feb. 9 Waterloo, ON @ The Jane Bond w/Forest City Lovers
Feb. 10 Hamilton, ON @ The Casbah w/Forest City Lovers
Feb. 11 London, ON @ London Music Club w/Forest City Lovers
Feb. 12 Kingston, ON @ The Artel w/Forest City Lovers
Feb. 13 Wakefield, QC @ The Black Sheep Inn w/Forest City Lovers
Feb. 14 Montreal, QC @ Casa Del Popolo w/Forest City Lovers
Feb. 17 Charlottetown, PEI @ Baba's Lounge
Feb. 18 Sackville, NB @ Struts Gallery
Feb. 19 Saint John, NB @ Blue Olive Bar
Feb. 20 Halifax, NS @ Gus' Pub
Feb. 21 St. John's, NL @ The Ship Inn
Feb. 27 Vancouver, BC @ The Biltmore Cabaret
March 12 Saskatoon, SK @ Lydia's Pub w/Bob Wiseman
March 13 Regina, SK @ The Exchange w/Bob Wiseman
March 14 Winnipeg, MB @ West End Cultural Centre w/Bob Wiseman
March 19 Lethbridge AB @ The Slice Bar & Grill w/Bob Wiseman
March 20 Calgary, AB @ Ironwood Stage & Grill w/Bob Wiseman
March 21 Edmonton, AB @ Artspace w/Bob Wiseman
March 26 Salt Spring Island, BC @ Mahon Hall w/Ora Cogan
March 27 Victoria, BC @ Logan's Pub

Here are the songs on Klezmer Mongrels:

"Shut In"
"Luck In Exile"
"The Whiskey"
"Half German Girlfriend"
"King Of The Gangsters"
"No Tobacco"
"Play, Gypsy, Play"
"Authentic Klezmer Wedding Band"
"One Shoe"
"High Ground"
"Fukher"