Thursday, May 31, 2007

Now in its eighth year, the Washington Jewish Music Festival will bring beat boxers, Grammy-garnering klezmer artists and pop stars to area venues beginning Saturday. A sampling:

Hip-hop: Tabaq on U Street will be the place Saturday for the young crowd to catch what's new in international club sounds. DJs will spin bhangra, Israeli hip-hop and baile funk; Yuri Lane, beat boxer and author of the memoirish play "From Tel Aviv to Ramallah: A Beat Box Journey" (which was produced at Theater J in 2003 and is to return this year), performs, as will Smadar, Y-Love and DJ handler. $10 at the door. 10 p.m.-1 a.m. 1336 U St. NW.

Traditional with a twist: New York-based folk-klezmer band the Klezmatics used to play smallish shows around here before scoring a Grammy (for contemporary world music album) this year for its record "Wonder Wheel." The band's performs Sunday at the DCJCC's Goldman Theater. $36-$100. 8 p.m. 1529 16th St. NW.

If that show's out of your price range, there's a good alternative in Talat, a five-piece klezmer outfit that weaves in jazz and funk elements. $20; $14 for members, seniors and students; advance tickets, $10-$15. 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. Goldman Theater.

Emphasis on "diverse": The performance by Ari Gold, a gay R&B and pop singer from an Orthodox background who has become a face for gay pride, has been getting a good bit of buzz. It's June 7 in conjunction with Capital Pride Week. $10-$15; $7-$10 in advance. (21 and older only). 7:30 p.m. Cobalt, 1639 R St. NW.

The rest of the fest: Saturday through June 10. Buy single tickets or a festival "passport" ($70-$100) through Box Office Tickets, 800-494-8497. (Tickets for a concert by Israeli pop singer Rita are available through Ticketmaster, 202-397-7328.) For a full festival schedule, visit http://www.wjmf.org.

-- Lavanya Ramanathan