by MARK SLUTSKY

It's your traditional Canadian klezmer harmonica meets Spanish-influenced Turkish oud story. Jason Rosenblatt, an ex-Montrealer now living in Philadelphia, he of harmoniklezmer outfit Shtreiml, hooked up this year with Ismaïl Fencioglu, a recent immigrant (of three years) from Istanbul. Both were amazed at the similarities between Jewish and Turkish music - "The modes that klezmer musicians and Turkish musicians employ are almost identical," says Rosenblatt. Klezmer harmonica might be unconventional, but so is Fencioglu's playing style. "I have my own way," the conservatory-educated musician says, "which is sort of a flamenco style. Most of my teachers weren't crazy about that."

After meeting and playing several times in Fencioglu's LaSalle apartment, the two made their debut at Oscar Peterson Hall in June. "Believe it or not, it was a concert called Kleztic, which was klezmer and Celtic music," Rosenblatt says. "But our set could've been called Otto-Klez - Ottoman klezmer music." And thus would begin the two's friendship and collaboration - later in the year, Fencioglu would even play a solo set at Rosenblatt's wedding.

The two aim to highlight Jewish and Muslim music's close relationship in Exode, a concert for the Festival du Monde Arabe. Mixing the two styles makes for an interesting alchemy. "It ends up sounding Middle Eastern because of the fact that it's got an oud, and that's such a powerful sound," Rosenblatt says. "I'm playing harmonica, which has nothing to do with either styles of music, but for some reason it fits really nice with the oud." Joining the two will be percussionist Pelin Fencioglu and trombone player Rachel Lemisch (Fencioglu and Rosenblatt's spouses, respectively), as well as Bulgarian bass player Georgy Stankou, drummer Thierry Arsenault, and members of the Turkish choir Fencioglu moved here to conduct.

The cultural collaboration has resonance beyond the musical: "It's a good message," Fencioglu says. "When people are fighting, as musicians, as artists, of course we cannot accept it. It's a message to the people - we're sharing our culture. Even though I'm Muslim and he's Jewish, we share the same oxygen, same atmosphere, so why are we fighting? That should be the message."

At la Cinquième Salle of Place des Arts
on Thursday, Nov. 4, 8 p.m., $25

>> Music Listings