This article appeared in the June 27, 2003 Jewish Advocate.

Hebeats play to a different Judaica

By Susie Davidson

Advocate Correspondent

Rob Chalfen’s new X-Jams series is a feast of eclectic improvisation, curated by rotating guest conductors who hail from the area’s rich musical pool of talent. The Sunday afternoon 2-5 p.m. sessions offer a chance to grab a bagel at the S&S across the street, perhaps the Times as well, and amble into an freeform, instrumental atmosphere that beats doing house projects, and ends at a decent hour.

The Inman Square gallery is known for presenting an edgy spectrum of all genres of music and art. Chalfen’s Saturday night Subconscious Café features an inviting ambiance where musicians go beyond the scope of their usual direction. He hopes that his invited hosts will take it even further at the X-Jam, exposing audiences and other musicians to their ideas and styles, while incorporating the others’ techniques and unspoken suggestions. With no framework or other constraint, the proceedings can freely venture into uncharted territories. Musicians can contact the conductor, or simply show up and play.

This Sunday, June 29, there will even be Judaica as Dave Geller brings members of his “Hebeats” collective to the show and assumes the conductor’s baton. Geller, a percussionist, is also a member of local outfits Pear and Goo.

The Hebeats began as an offshoot of the "ambient improv" group Supergoo (now "Goo"). “It was formed to musically deconstruct and re-assess the Passover seder,” said Geller. “We began conjuring our various sounds to express our Judaism, our way.” None had prior Jewish musical projects. “We applied our experimental, ambient sensibilities to our secular Passover show under the name Hebeats, with a couple of additional musicians.” They hope to play more Hebeats shows around the time of the high holidays. Supergoo will perform July 16 at the Zeitgeist. “The Exodus trek plays a central theme in our performance as do ‘imagined orgies’ on behalf of the Golden Calf,” said Geller.

Hebeats personnel include “turntable and gizmo” artist DJ Pace (Pesach Foster), who is also a member of the Franc Graham band, and D.J. Flack (Tony Flackett). Pace and Flack often play on Tuesdays as part of the "Spectrum" series at the Phoenix Landing in Central Square, Cambridge. Saxophonist Ken Field, who is also a member of Birdsongs of the Mezozoic and various other local projects, drummer Eric Paull, keyboardist Elizabeth Steen, who has played with the Natalie Merchant band, and William Ragano, who also plays guitars and samplers for the local band Think Tree, and keyboardist Peter Moore, also of Think Tree, round out the roster.

“We also work with pre-recorded sources such as Gates of Song by Edward R. Fogel, MotherGoose Songs for Jewish Children and the Kol Nidre service by Richard Tucker,” said Geller. “These recordings emerge as sound bytes amidst the guitars, keyboards and drums.” (The group also uses electronic devices in their respective rigs.) “The Tucker recording actually started it all in my head because it had been used by DJ Pace in Supergoo performances for years, and it always made me wonder why we didn't do more things along those lines,” he added.

“Musical and cultural purists should reserve judgment until they hear us for themselves,” he added. “We don't claim to be a jazz band, although our music is improvisational in a jazz-like way, and we do play all of the beats ourselves or manipulate sounds in a rhythmic way, right before your very eyes.”

Rob Chalfen presents the X-Jam on Sunday afternoons, 2-5 p.m., at the Zeitgeist Gallery, 1353 Cambridge St. in Inman Square, Cambridge. To curate this show, email robchalfen@hotmail.com. Please visit www.zeitgeist-gallery.org or call 617-876-6060. Performers’ CDs are sold at shows.