On Thursday, Feb. 20 at 7:30 p.m., the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts will welcome Krakauer & Tagg’s Good Vibes Explosion. This performance is part of the annual Daniel Pearl World Music Days Concert series and is sponsored by the Bennett Center for Judaic Studies and the Jewish Federation of Greater Fairfield County.
Grammy-nominated clarinetist David Krakauer and multi-instrumentalist and producer Kathleen Tagg founded Good Vibes Explosion in 2020. During the early stages of the pandemic lockdowns, the duo found an opportunity to escape their Manhattan apartment and retreat to the Adirondacks. What was meant to be a two-week getaway turned into three months, and from that time, their new project was born. Responding to the negativity in the world, Krakauer and Tagg created a musical celebration of our shared humanity. Their debut album from the project, Mazel Tov Cocktail Party, reflects the importance of human connection through everyday life.
The project was first conceived and recorded by all seven band members in their homes, scattered around New York, upstate New York, and Canada. The music was born in a state of isolation, with the group meeting in person for the first time a year after the recordings were completed. The project, Good Vibes Explosion, serves as a reminder that even during unprecedented times, music has the power to inspire and build community.
