Spiel Azoi

are an all Australian Klezmer band

from the heart of multicultural Melbourne.

Dynamic 5-piece band Spiel Azoi transform traditional Klezmer and Yiddish songs with original arrangements, contemporary and traditional beats, joy and humour. Melbourne's most exciting Klezmer outfit will move your body and uplift your soul.

Spiel Azoi have appeared regularly in Melbourne for audiences at Bar open, The Boite, Barbukka, Other venues include the Esplanade Hotel, The Continental, The Czech Club, The Punters Club, The Melbourne Folk Club as well as weddings and parties.

Highlights include:

Federation Square 2004

Sydney Tour 2004

Barbukka 2004

The Czech Club 2004

Immigration Museum 2001, 2003

Regional Victorian Tour 2003

Apollo Bay Music festival 2003

Queenscliff Music Festival 2002

Port Fairy Folk festival 2001, 2003

The Famous Spiegeltent 2002, 2003

St Kilda festival 2002

Chapel st festival 2001

At the Port fairy Folk festival "Spiel Azoi entertained the crowds with their toe tapping and soulful tunes. Sarah Mandie enlightened the audiences with her comic descriptions of Yiddish songs with her 5-member band. "

Spiel Azoi are!

Band members

Sarah Mandie: Vocals (Zaftik / Juicy)
Former member of successful a cappella band Nude Rain who toured concerts and workshops across Australia and released CD Drown. She is a Jewish educator, former Jewish CD reviewer for Generation journal and radio DJ for 3ZZZ Jewish community radio. Singer in new Sephardic ensemble Soleluna and performer with Ella Filar;s Crows Bar Cabaret. Sponsored by the Ian Potter Cultural trust Sarah participated in the first Klezmer seminar in the Ukraine. In 2001 she showcased an original musical theatre work funded by the City of Port Phillip to a full house for the Boite Winter Festival. Director of Cultural organisation Kosher Culture and of the 2003 festival Kosher Culture on Carlisle and performer and producer of Exile and Ecstasy: A Global Jewish cabaret. Sarah is a talented and singer and performer sharing Jewish culture with the wider sphere of multicultural Australia.

Link to Sarah Mandie’s website

Martin Mackaress: Clarinet (Shtiferish/Mischievous)
Charismatic and talented musician and performer. Martin studied classical clarinet at the Victorian College of the Arts and trained in classical and Klezmer clarinet on a Fulbright scholarship in New York. Martin is also a New music composer and is currently working on a recording of his work ‘As all the heavens were a Bell’ with support from Arts Victoria and The Australia Council.

Dave Evans: Accordion (Shturemdik/Stormy)
Entertainer extraordinaire and member of the widely renowned “Band Who Knew Too Much” He has toured Europe with The band and is an experienced cabaret and jazz accompanist. Dave has played piano and acoordion for the “The sentimental Bloke” a live performance with silent and has toured regional Australia including Darwin, Alice Springs and Broome. He is a talented song writer and musical arranger.

Mark Shepherd: Double Bass (Gevirzik/Spicy)
Studied Improvisation at the Victorian College Of the Arts from 1994 to 1996.
Mark has performed in a wide range of genres and contexts, both Australia wide and overseas with ensembles such as Ish Ish, En Rusk, Speil Azoi, Adana and Archaeopteryx. In 2001, he toured Europe with Ish Ish and Archaeopteryx and performed at festivals including the Pori Jazz Festival, Finland and the Umbria Jazz festival, Italy. Mark has performed Australia wide in festivals such as the Global Carnival festival, Bellingen, the Port Fairy Folk festival and the Adelaide and Melbourne Fringe Festivals. Marks involvement in contemporary music has included solo performances at Amsterdam’s Zaal 100 and in Melbourne’s ‘What is Music Festival’ as well as regular performances at the ‘Make it up club’.

Ben Hendry: Drums (Energish/Energetic)
Ben is a versatile and engaging drummer and performer,
He was a Winner of the 2003 Athenaeum award for musical excellence and in the same year runner up in the Chapel st festival Jam off Awards. Ben has had one of his compositions selected and performed at the celebration of contemporary Australian music in Tasmania and is a student of the Victorian College of the Arts.